When it comes to sushi on this side of the Pacific, few American-based restaurants can compete with the likes of Nobu. Capitalizing on this celebritydom, chef Nobu Matsuhisa has recently announced plans to open up his first Nobu-branded boutique hotel in Vegas.
With 26 restaurants on five continents – three of which have been awarded highly-coveted Michelin stars – you’d think that Nobu and his partner Robert De Niro would be content to rest on their laurels. On the contrary, the Nobu Hospitality group is currently preparing to make an aggressive expansion into the boutique hotel market.
And what better place to inaugurate a new entertainment venture?
The answer is none other than Las Vegas, Nevada. According to a recent press release, the oldest tower at Caesar’s Palace is set to undergo a renovation by the same interior design team that brought you City Center.
The resulting transformation will thereafter be known as the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas.Although Nobu already operates a restaurant in the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, to date there are no Japanese themed hotels on the Las Vegas strip. Now, I know exactly what you’re thinking. “But wait…haven’t you forgotten about the Imperial Palace?”
Trust me. There is nothing authentically Japanese about the Imperial Palace!
In stark contrast, the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas will emulate the minimalist interior of the restaurant chain while attracting a smart and savvy clientle. With only 180 rooms, it will also strive to offer the highly personalized service that characterizes the hospitality industry in Japan.
In their words:
“With a renowned location in Caesar’s Palace, the luxury Nobu Hotel Las Vegas will be a destination for style-makers and trendsetters, offering an immersive, fun and social experience. [Guests] will enjoy private check-in and the unique benefit of room service from Nobu’s acclaimed culinary team.”
One of the most unique aspects of the business deal is that the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas will be completely surrounded by Caesar’s Palace – not at all unlike how the Vatican City is completely surrounded by Rome.
For guests at the Nobu Hotel Las Vegas, this puts the casinos, shops and entertainment at Caesar’s within easy reach. For everyone else, this not only sets the bar for future boutique hotel ventures, but also signals that post-recession Vegas is still alive and well.
Haven’t yet experienced the gastronomic wonder that is Nobu? Stop by a branch near you, and sample the black cod with miso that first put this superstar restaurant on the culinary map.
** Caesar’s Palace image courtesy of the Wikimedia Commons Project. All other images are from Nobu: The Cookbook, and are reproduced here for the purpose of critical commentary. **