Attractions at the Wynn -

Lake of Dreams Show

After installing the volcano at the Mirage, the sinking pirate ship at Treasure Island, and the awe-inspiring fountains at Bellagio, Steve Wynn took a different tactic with the Wynn Hotel: he built a lake show more technically complex than anything he'd accomplished yet, and he hid it.

The Lake of Dreams is technically right on the Strip, but a giant man-made mountain blocks its view from passers-by. In fact, all that casual observers will see of the Wynn is the giant sign, an interesting combination of video screens and moving parts. It's part of the design philosophy of the resort: a discovery around every corner.

The Lake of Dreams is a three-acre man-made lake, fed by trickling streams and a waterfall. Most of the time, the scene is placid and beautiful. But the show starts every hour on the hour, and the lake is transformed by thousands of underwater LED lights. Images are projected on the waterfall, on a massive emerging disc, and on a suprising face that appears from the depths. Puppets dance on water. Different music and effects make each show a new revelation.

The bars and restaurants strategically placed around the lake offer ideal vantage points from which to view the show, and ample free observation points will not disappoint.

Le Reve

Click here for show times, pricing, and seating chart.

The farthest away anyone can get from the stage in Le Reve is 40 feet. This is an intimate theatre. There are no bad seats, though sitting farther back means being higher up, which could reduce neck strain over time from staring at divers overhead. The design is circular, so the audience completely surrounds the stage.

La Reve is the work of Franco Dragone. It is not a Cirque Du Soleil show, though Dragone is a Cirque Du Soleil veteran, responsible for many of the companies' most popular attractions, and it bears a very strong resemblance to O, Zumanity, and Ka. The personal touches of Steve Wynn are evident throughout, though here it's more of a mixed bag, with the quality of certain choices in doubt. The obsessive attention to detail has made Wynn's spa, hotel rooms, and golf course award-winning retreats, but when applied to theater, the effectiveness of all this micromanaging is questionable. The show is still a fantastic experience, full of all the spectacular machines, breathtaking stunts, and muscular bodies anyone could hope for.

Le Reve's tagline is: A Small Collection of Imperfect Dreams. The vague storyline encomapasses a variety of acts, each with their own group of stunts and music. Morpheus, the King of dreams, makes an appearance, as do a young couple in love and a cadre of eerie pregnant women. Trying to piece the story together is like trying to figure out the movie Ocean's 12, or any Jim Jarmusch film, but the story isn't what's important here. The audience has paid to be amazed, and amazed they are.

golf

The only golf course right on the Las Vegas Strip feels completely detached from the Las Vegas Strip. The Steve Wynn and Tom Fazio-designed greens are carefully sculpted to conceal all the garish construction, signage, and noise of the competing hotel/casinos. All that golfers will see are the gleaming towers of the Wynn and Encore reigning over trees, lakes, bridges, and shrubs. All they hear will be the breeze through the grass and the crack of the clubs. The experience isn't cheap, but it is idyllic.

Monday through Thursday, the cost per player is $300. Over the weekend, the price rises to $375, but no matter the day, guests receive a lot for the money. For no extra fee, full use of the locker rooms and showers is granted. Caddies come with the package. They're experienced, helpful, service-oriented employees, so don't forget to tip. Gatorade, soft drinks, water, and fresh fruit are provided, some in the clubhouse, some at holes 9 and 13, and some in your cart. Anyone needing clubs or shoes in any size will be accomodated, and both golf and dress shoes will be cleaned before and after the round. Missing spikes or broken laces will be replaced with a smile. All this at no extra charge. Remember to wear proper golfing attire... denim is not allowed on the course.

The 18-hole, 7,042-yard, par 70 golf course is as alien to the Nevada desert as the Strip itself. Two unique marshland areas are fed by natural ground water, and a 37 foot waterfall frames the 18th green. The Wynn's golf course was built on top of the old Desert Inn Golf Course, and more than 100,000 new shrubs have been planted, 800,000 square yards of earth were moved to create elevation, and 4,800 trees were added. Over 1,000 of the original trees were kept or relocated, so the course still features greenery over 50 years old and 60 feet tall.

Some of these holes are hard. There are three par 5s, and five par 3s. Some distances can be decieving, due to the massive amounts of earth moved to create elevation changes and the careful, meticulous landscaping built up to Steve Wynn's specifications. All the attention to detail has paid off... no hole looks like any other, and walking over rustic bridges, winding pathways and emerald greens is decidedly calming.

spa/salon

The spa has won four stars from Mobil for three years in a row, and five from Forbes in 2009 and 2010.

Steve Wynn's obsession with detail and quality is in strong evidence here at the spa and salon. It's the little things that make a day of massages, treatments, facials, and bathing really spectacular, and at the Wynn, everything comes together. Of course there's cucumber slices on ice, water bottles and reading material scattered around the facilities. The fluffy robe is included, as are the spa sandals, fresh fruit, coffee and tea, and headphones on the workout equipment. The staff makes a stay here great... everyone is professional through and through, and they understand their guests are there to relax. Everyone works hard to make visitors comfortable.

45 treatment rooms offer:

shops

Pick up a Ferrari on your way out to lunch.

The Wynn plays host to the only factory-authorized Ferrari and Maserati dealership in Nevada, in addition to a full compliment of high-end luxury retailers like Graff, Brioni, and Oscar de Las Renta. The Wynn Esplanade is a stained-glass covered, high-ceilinged stroll through pathways of brand names. This mini-mall isn't a huge shopping destination like the Forum Shops at Caesars, or any of the factory outlets, but for guests and visitors it's a charming way to spend an afternoon. Be warned: children are allowed. Strollers are not. Of course, if a guest can't find what they need, the Encore Explanade is just around the corner.

Stores: