First, let's cover the basics… and there are a lot of them. The exterior of this Venice, Italy themed resort has replicas of St. Mark's Square, the Clock Tower, the Bridge of Sighs, and of course a canal with gondolas. It's a pretty faithful reproduction and looks great, especially at night with the charming street lamps ablaze. There are several main entrances - one from the street takes you directly into the casino, another on the second level (accessed by walkways and moving sidewalks) provides access to the Grand Canal Shoppes, and off of the main drive you are taken into the lobby.

My vote has always been to use that main lobby entrance for the full effect. A huge, soaring rotunda greets you, decorated with stunning murals that were hand-painted by artists from all over the world. Ornate marble columns with intricately carved, gold leaf tops encircle the large gold fountain that fronts the lobby/main desk area. Although it has a nice design, with green marble counters, detailed crystal chandeliers, and a large mural of Venice, I still feel that the front desk area is too small for a hotel of this size. Expect long lines.

Off of the rotunda is an area called the Grand Colonnade, a three-story marble hallway that leads to the casino. Several stories high with more intricate paintings and sculptures, the Colonnade features a unique marble floor that appears three-dimensional if you look at it right.

The Colonnade leads you to the casino, a 120,000 square foot monster that seems much smaller than it really is. It has several areas separated by walls or escalators or restaurants, which give it more intimacy than should be expected. The décor carries on the Venice theme with more paintings and marble columns but this area is a lot more understated than the rest of the hotel. To be frank, it doesn't look a lot different than any of the other high-end casinos - all earth tones in the carpets and wall treatments. It is packed with slots and gaming tables but the high ceilings and natural light (a rarity for Las Vegas) give it an open and airy feel.

I've never been wild about this casino in the past but it's amazing what a $4,112 video poker jackpot can do for your outlook on a place. I like the casino a lot more these days, but other than that huge win I don't usually come away with more money in my pocket than I go in with.

The rooms have received a much-needed remodeling and are a significant upgrade from the previous product. The footprint hasn't changed; there is an enormous marble bath with a separate tub and shower, make-up table, framed mirrors, and water closet just inside the front door; next is the "sleeping chamber" with one or two beds plus a giant flat-panel television; finally, a sunk living room features a big sectional sofa, a table and chairs, a writing desk, and another big TV.

What has changed are the furnishings. The old stuff was heavy on the brocade but the new is sleek and modern, with dark woods, simple textures, and a much richer sense of luxury. All of the televisions have been replaced with flat panels and just in case your arm is tired from having pushed all those slot machine buttons, the drapes are electronic.

Amenities include plush robes, fax machines/printers, high-speed Internet access, irons, safes, mini-bars, and more.

Outside of the room, there is a ton of stuff to distract you. On the second level above the casino is the Grand Canal Shoppes mall, a recreation of a Venice street scene complete with a canal and gondolas running down the center.

There are plenty of restaurants by famous chefs including Wolfgang Puck, Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Thomas Keller, Joachim Splichal, and Gian Paolo Belloni, one of the most celebrated chef's of Italy who has cooked for popes and presidents, opening his first American venture.

The giant and luxurious Canyon Ranch Spa is another special feature, offering every exercise and pampering option known to man. Nearby is the giant pool deck featuring five pools and Jacuzzis and guests of The Venetian may use the pool area at the newer Palazzo next door.

For entertainment you've got two museums - one the very serious Guggenheim Hermitage for small and often prestigious art exhibits and the second - Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum - is a little less serious. Okay a lot.

Entertainment includes the Broadway hit "Phantom of the Opera," the wacky Blue Man Group, and a headline stint by comedian/singer Wayne Brady.

There are also several lounges, nightclubs, and bars and if you can't find enough to do here, you can always take advantage of even more of everything at The Palazzo and Venezia, sister hotels that are connected to The Venetian but operate as separate entities for the most part.

Service, in the past, has been spotty but a recent visit did much to improve my opinion on the topic. Friendly faces abound and everything ran like clockwork.

Parking has always been a bit of a nightmare here - there just doesn't seem to be enough space for all the people that want to visit and it is a very long walk from the garage to the front desk. You may want to consider parking next door at The Palazzo. It isn't any closer but it is certainly a lot easier to use.

Room rates are almost painful, but not too far out of line for what you're getting. It is one of the most expensive hotels in Las Vegas but everything is expensive these days so it doesn't seem quite as outrageous as it used to. Figure paying $200-$300 per night during the week and $300-$400 on the weekend although you can sometimes find better deals during slower periods.

The Venetian had never been one of my favorite Vegas hotels, primarily because of the cost but the recent room upgrades make it more appealing in my opinion. If you can afford it, there are very few places in the city (or in the world for that matter) that do luxury better.

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