A CONVENIENT way to get to my home town Salt Lake City, US, after visiting the husband’s family in the UK is via Las Vegas, Nevada, so for the second year in a row, the American ‘City of Lights’ was my first stop on a recent trip across the pond.
Hilton Grand Vacation Club has three properties in Las Vegas, two quite close together at the end of the strip and the other on the Flamingo property right in the centre of the strip.
We stayed at the Hilton Vacation Club slightly away from the heart of the action. Located on a 10-acre site, the property has studio, one- and two-bedroom suites featuring all the comforts of home from fully-equipped kitchenettes in the studios to the suites with full kitchens, a separate master bedroom, large living/dining room and a Jacuzzi bath. We had the two-bedroom suite which was so comfortable we considering skipping Salt Lake City and staying for a couple more weeks!
Other features include a complimentary fitness centre, self-service business centre, outdoor heated swimming pool and whirlpool spa, outdoor gas grills for pool-side cooking, games room with pool table and, the best thing for business travellers, complimentary high-speed wireless internet. There is also a full-service spa, which I unfortunately didn’t get to try.
There are not a lot of food and beverage outlets at the property, but with the on-site delicatessen serving breakfast and lunch, sandwiches and other options as well as Starbucks coffee, the seasonal pool bar and grill coupled with your own in-room kitchen and outside dining options aplenty, you really don’t need anything more.
Although this is a non-gaming resort and is a little way down the strip from the hustle and bustle, for me, it is ideal for a family. You can be in the thick of things in about 10 minutes on a bus which runs frequently with an all-day ticket for just $7 per person. They do get a little crowded at peak times but are so frequent that if you can’t get on one, you will certainly get the next. The express bus, which has less frequent stops, also takes you the outlet shopping malls – brilliant! And there are plenty of taxis too but they tend to be rather expensive as they mainly go around the strip to your destination.
I would definitely recommend Hilton Vacation Club especially to those travelling with a family as it truly is a home away from home with the space and flexibility of self catering.
By Kim Thomson