I am very happy to admit when I'm wrong and in the case of Planet Hollywood, boy oh boy was I wrong.

The extreme makeover happening at the hotel is still in progress as of 2008 - there are still some rooms to be remodeled, the mall surrounding the property is being revamped - but all of the heavy lifting is done, with a new casino, new restaurants, new entertainment, and much more all in a very successful package.

Eschewing the kind of over-the-top Tinseltown idolization that puts their restaurants in theme park territory, the look and feel of the new Planet Hollywood hotel is upscale and modern, at times even dramatic, and a vast improvement over the Arabian Nights detail of the past. Dark woods line the walls of the casino and act as accents to the vibrant colors and warm lighting details, infusing the entire space with an air of classy energy. Notice the support columns - all gauzy cream fabrics, backlit to give them a healthy glow, and then offset by iron and ebony stained wood. It is design details like this that set this gaming space apart from ones that focus more on the games themselves than what surrounds them.

Even the slot carousels have been turned into works of art, many of which topped with eye-catching sculptures and flat panel televisions. It's a refreshing change of pace from the gaudy "Quartermania" type slot toppers that adorn most rows of one-armed bandits.

The casino floor is well laid out, with plenty of space between machines and tables and they kept the soaring 100-foot high ceilings so the claustrophobia level is near zero.

All of the usual slot machines are offered in the main casino along with all of the popular table games. In addition there is a poker room and a race and sports book in you are so inclined.

I have done very, very well at this casino, which doesn't necessarily mean you will too, but it's worth mentioning that I've won more money on the slot machines and table games at Planet Hollywood than I have at any other single casino ever. You could say that makes me more inclined to like a casino and you're right. Winning money makes me happy, sue me.

A mezzanine level surround the casino and features several restaurants, a theater featuring the fantastic "Stomp Out Loud" show plus a wedding chapel, a spa, a cool ultra-lounge called the Living Room and a high-energy, low-attitude nightclub called Privé.

Back down on the main floor are several bars and lounges including one with the "eXtra" entertainment television show branding. It will feature live remotes for the show whenever special occasions happen at the hotel.

There are plenty of places to eat. Restaurants include the popular coffee shop style Planet Dailies; a branch of the Chinese favorite PF Chang's; a tremendous steakhouse, the bordello themed Strip House; the Asian inspired Koi; the Earl of Sandwich, a deli-style concept from the descendents of the guy that first put meat between two slices of bread about 400 years ago; and more.

The locals' favorite Spice Market Buffet, located on the lower level below the casino, is still in business and although it received a cosmetic overhaul, the new owners have wisely decided to leave everything else alone. It remains one of the best buffets on The Strip.

Also on that lower level is the new lobby area done with sleek marble and a color-changing backdrop behind the check-in desk plus stunning draped chandeliers that resemble no less than a '40s era ball gown.

When you book your stay, be sure to request an upgrade to the "Hollywood Hip" room. These are the newly remodeled accommodations, each of which features its own Hollywood theme, from movies like "Pulp Fiction" and "Die Hard" to music or television and beyond. Although there may be multiple "Pulp Fiction" rooms, each will have its own set of glass-encased memorabilia meaning that, when complete, no two of the more than 2,600 rooms will be exactly the same.

So far I've seen a Judy Garland room, a "Blade" room (the Wesley Snipes vampire movies), and a "Universal Soldier" room (Jean Claude Van Damme). Whether you're a fan of the particular subject or not, the memorabilia and photos are undeniably more interesting than yet another seascape watercolor or whatever is passing for high-end décor these days.

When you throw in the rest of the upgrades it becomes almost irresistible. Oversized headboards are covered in crushed velvet, chairs come in leather or suede, giant armoires contain flat-panel televisions and closets, and full-sized desks have high-speed Internet hook-ups and dual line phones. Even the beds themselves are noteworthy. Since the hotel portion of the building is managed by Sheraton, they get that company's trademark Sweet Sleeper Beds with pillow-top mattresses, feather down pillows, and high-thread-count sheets and duvets. The overall package is a knockout.

The bathrooms don't get as much attention as the sleeping area but that's okay - they were pretty good to begin with; spacious with plenty of marble, deep tubs, and separate shower stalls.

The more standard "Deluxe" rooms still contain the movie memorabilia and the nice beds, but the furnishings aren't quite as luxe as the "Hip" rooms so if the price differential isn't too great for you go for upgrade.

There were only two complaints I could come up with, and they are both fairly minor. The window shades don't do a very good job of blocking out the bright desert sun and when you check in, be sure to ask for a room away from the elevators; they can be noisy if you are right next to them, but even two or three doors down is fine.

And as far as the overall hotel, there was only one serious thing that I could find wrong with it - the parking situation. The valet parking was a disaster every time I drove past, with lines and waits that are simply unacceptable. I wish there was another way to put that, but there isn't.

And unfortunately self-parking is not much better. The garage is located at the back of the property and requires a very, very long walk through a crowded shopping mall to get to the front desk. If you're toting luggage it isn't fun. So the moral of the story is, if you're driving your own car or a rental car to Planet Hollywood, budget extra time to get in and out of the place.

So how much is all of this newfound glory going to cost you? I am seeing rates as low as $79 during the week and $149 on the weekend for the standard Deluxe rooms, although $150-250 weekdays and $180-$300 for the weekends is more common. The Hollywood Hip rooms are running about $40 more per night. Those kinds of rates are more expensive than I had hoped to see here but are very competitive with similar hotels on The Strip, especially for what they are offering. If I was going to pay this kind of money and had options like The Mirage, Treasure Island, Paris, and the MGM Grand in the same range, I'd definitely choose Planet Hollywood.

Service has been fantastic every time I've visited, especially in the casino where the dealers and slot attendants are extremely friendly.

Although not as wildly over-the-top as past Las Vegas hotels, Planet Hollywood does the best job in recent memory of balancing an upscale ethos with a fun and funky atmosphere. Instead of the bland luxury preferred by most new hotels on The Strip, this one does luxury without getting all serious about it.

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Related Reviews

Trader Vic’s Set to Open
Trader Vic’s will start handing out leis later this month at Planet Hollywood. Based on the legendary Beverly Hills (former) hot spot, the Polynesian wonderland will feature 15,000 square-feet of dining (including a Strip facing patio), entertainment including a late-night ultra-lounge, retail, and tiki Gods – 40-foot tall ones to be exact. The food will be Asian/Polynesian fusion and the famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) drink menu will of course feature the Mai Tai, which the restaurant is said to have invented. For more info visit their website at www.tradervicslv.com.

Splashy Pre-Opening for Planet Hollywood
Whether you call it a pre-opening, a soft-opening, or an unofficial opening the stars came out for the official changeover of the Aladdin into Planet Hollywood. Bruce Willis was on hand to celebrate the new moniker as were some legendary sports figures including baseball great Roger Clemens, boxer Sugar Ray Leonard, and tennis star Pete Sampras.

What they, and the rest of the attendees, got to see is the new look for the interior of the hotel, which is sleek and modern with touches of Hollywood glamour and lots of high-tech flat panels scattered around for effect.

The front of the building is still a work in progress and the rooms will start getting their makeovers any day now with about half of them expected to be complete by the official opening in late September.

Meanwhile construction has begun on the Planet Hollywood Towers by Westgate, a time share project going in behind the hotel that will have two 50-story towers and cost an estimated three-quarters of a billion dollars. It is expected to be complete in 2009.

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From the Weekly Update of April 9, 2007

Planet Hollywood, Miracle Mile Prepare For Their Debuts
The construction on the exterior of The Aladdin is reaching a fever pitch, with the bulk of the ground level exterior in major renovation mode. But look skyward for the big clue as to what is happening behind all the scaffolding, as a new name in giant letters has been hoisted atop the building: Planet Hollywood.

The former Aladdin will officially become Planet Hollywood in mid-April with its major shopping destination, Desert Passage, becoming Miracle Mile in May.

Much of the interior work on the hotel is already headed toward completion with a new lobby, a revamped casino, and major changes to the rest of the public spaces designed to get rid of all traces of the Arabian Nights theme that dominated the old property. In its place is a sleek and modern, very upscale design that looks absolutely nothing like the over-the-top spectacle that is the Planet Hollywood restaurant chain.

Portions of the Desert Passage mall have already been converted to the more contemporary look that will eventually replace all of the Road to Morocco design that currently dominates the space. There will be no “theme,” per se, so don’t expect the kind of visual eye candy that is offered at competitors like The Forum Shops or Grand Canal Shoppes but the new look will offer a more seamless transition between the new Planet Hollywood spaces and the mall.

In addition to the makeover, a lot of new stores, restaurants, and entertainment facilities are going into the mall. The Steve Wyrick theater is already open as is home décor specialists Urban Outfitters, the chic British men’s and women’s wear of Ben Sherman, and the world’s leading outdoor sports lifestyle company, Quiksilver. Still to come are the Polynesian-fusion, food and fun at Trader Vic’s restaurant, the trendy women’s fashions of Marciano, authentic Greek cuisine at Taverna Opa, and Hawaiian Tropic Zone, a dining and nightlife destination.

The interior makeover will continue throughout 2007 and into 2008.

As mentioned, the outside of the building is, as of this writing, mostly covered in tarps and scaffolding but the bulk of that work should be complete by June, at least on the street level. Changes will include adding people movers for better access into the shops, a backlit sidewalk water feature, and state-of-the-art LED video offering continuous streaming imagery. Additionally, many of the mall's entrances and existing retail locations on the facade have already been made over with floor-to-ceiling glass vestibule doors and storefronts. A new patio and terrace is also being built to extend out to the sidewalk and invite potential customers inside.

The rest of the exterior of the building will get a freshening afterward.

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From the Weekly Update of February 19, 2007

Planet Hollywood Update
There are two questions I’m getting almost every other day from my readers. The first asks when the Stardust will be imploded (the answer is: mid-March but they aren’t releasing an official date until the last moment because they don’t want to deal with major crowds). The second asks what is going on with the Aladdin. Or is it Planet Hollywood now? And if isn’t, when will it be not just “done” but “done done?”

There was a story in the Las Vegas Review Journal last week that finally gave some long-waited for details about the status of the changes at the hotel.

The rebranding from The Aladdin to Planet Hollywood will probably happen in April, timing that will coincide with the completion of much of the interior ground-level renovations. However that doesn’t mean that all work is stopping. Work on the exterior of the building will continue into the summer and room renovations (to remove the Arabian Nights scheme and add a Hollywood Nights one) will not even begin until April.

The entire façade of the hotel is being renovated now with construction extending past the April date to add new restaurants (including a branch of the famed Trader Vic’s) and retail space. Inside the casino will be expanded to include a poker room and sports book. The new Steve Wyrick theater complex just opened and another theater is being added.

The separately owned shopping mall now known as the Desert Passage will be remodeled and renamed Miracle Mile after all of the Road to Morocco detail is stripped away.

Finally, construction has begun on the condo/hotel towers going up behind the main building along Harmon Avenue.

So when will it be “done done”? Well, a wise hotel publicist once told me that renovations at Las Vegas hotels don’t actually stop. When they reach one end of the building they go back to the beginning and start over again. In other words, there is no such thing as “done done” but in real terms for Planet Hollywood, most of the heavy lifting should be done by late summer but there will be some sort of identifiable construction going on at the hotel or on its grounds well into 2008.

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From the Weekly Update of July 10, 2006

Planet Hollywood Makeover Well Underway
They’ve been talking for quite awhile now about the dramatic changes planned as The Aladdin becomes Planet Hollywood but it’s only been recently that any evidence of those changes has been visible to the naked eye. Now you can’t miss it as construction and remodeling has turned the place into a maze of temporary walls and scaffolding.

The front of the joint at the northern end has been completely gutted as workers revise the entrance to both the mall and the casino, while the exterior of the hotel tower is getting a fresh coat of blue paint as we speak.

Inside, a huge chunk of the casino has been walled off as they revamp it to the new, sleeker look and feel, leaving a ring of slot machines and table games around the closed center section. A temporary check-in desk has been opened on the second floor mezzanine level while they remodel the main lobby and is quite a schlep from just about anywhere so you have been warned if you plan on staying here.

The mall itself, currently an Arabian nights themed wonderland, has received only minor modifications but work should start soon on removing the Middle Eastern detail and replacing it with a more modern, high-end shopping district feel.

Revisions to the hotel and casino are expected to be mostly completed by late 2006 but the moral of this story is simple: if you plan on staying a the hotel any time in the next few months expect some inconveniences.

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From the Weekly Update of July 10, 2006

Planet Hollywood Taking Shape
A key piece of the transformation of The Aladdin into Planet Hollywood was completed recently with the unveiling of an all new-rotunda at the center of the hotel. The clean lines and uncluttered design give a sneak peek into what is in store for the rest of the hotel as it loses its middle-eastern theme and takes on a more luxurious and upscale look and feel. Although certainly nothing to jump up and down about, it’s quite a relief for people like me who were expecting the kind of garish design that Planet Hollywood has become infamous for. So good news: no giant pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger.

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