Bellagio Las Vegas: Is The Iconic Hotel Worth The Hype?

The Bellagio Las Vegas is one of the most iconic spots on the Las Vegas Strip. It’s featured in multiple movies, including “Ocean’s Eleven” and “Jason Bourne.” The Fountains of Bellagio (commonly known as the Bellagio Fountains) rank among the world’s most photographed places. In 2001, the Bellagio also became the first Las Vegas hotel to receive a AAA Five Diamond designation, bestowed on hotels for their cleanliness, luxury and amenities.

That said, the Bellagio is currently a Four Diamond designation, and that’s not the only recent change for the hotel. Under a new partnership between hotel giant Marriott International and MGM Resorts International, Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program members can now earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy® points while flexing Marriott elite status benefits at the Bellagio.

Some recent changes include a huge upgrade to its pool deck, which brought in a new poolside cafe and bar. And in February, musician Bruno Mars opened his entertainment lounge inside the hotel called The Pinky Ring.

Given all those changes, here’s NerdWallet’s Bellagio review.

It’s only about a 10 to 15-minute drive from Harry Reid International Airport. As is annoyingly the case with many Strip hotels, there’s no free airport shuttle, nor is there convenient public transportation (the bus only runs about once every hour and it’s still a short hike from the bus stop). And since Bellagio parking costs $18 per day for registered hotel guests, travelers arriving via plane are usually best off taking a rideshare.

The Bellagio is near the center of the Las Vegas Strip, which puts it within close proximity to several shows, restaurants and nightlife.

As you head up the driveway, which borders the hotel’s 8.5-acre lake designed to emulate Italy's Lake Como, the Bellagio immediately makes a strong impression.

It’s tough to miss the hand-blown glass flowers by American artist Dale Chihuly on the lobby ceiling while waiting to check in.

Members of MGM Rewards, which is a free-to-join loyalty program, can use the MGM Resorts mobile app to check in and unlock their room with a digital key.

If you’d rather have a physical key, digital kiosks let you check in and provide a plastic key.

Standard check-in is at 3 p.m. local time. However, MGM Rewards members can use the app to check in early and access their room if it’s ready before then.

In 2023, the hotel invested $110 million to renovate its Spa Tower, which followed a remodel of the main tower. Custom furnishings and bathroom improvements came with it, including vanities with lighted mirrors and white marble surfaces. Technological upgrades included motion-sensor lights.

Bathrooms feature a marble countertop. All rooms have a walk-in shower, and some also have separate tubs.

Whereas many hotels have cut back on free, in-room toiletries (or at least require you to call the front desk to request them), Bellagio bathrooms are stocked with toiletries including a toothbrush, mouthwash and shaving kit.

Closets feature standard items including an iron, robes and a safe.

Views of the Strip and Bellagio Fountains are incredible — assuming your room has one.

For the absolute best view, book a fountain view room. These Bellagio rooms are almost always the priciest, but worth it if you value basking in the fountain show.

The hotel charges a mandatory $50 daily resort fee, whether or not you use the included amenities, like the gym and pool area. However, MGM Rewards members with Gold or higher elite status can get resort fees waived on eligible stays.

Pool deck

The Bellagio pool got a major update in 2024 with remodeled cabanas, a new poolside cafe and plenty of refreshed topiaries, columns and furnishings — all inspired by Italy’s grand Palladian villas.

The pool area includes five pools with varying sizes and degrees of shade. The Cypress pool is limited to guests 18 years of age or older.

Speaking of shade, you may want to rent a cabana or daybed. Prices vary by day, but cabanas can easily run more than $500. With it comes water, soda and a fruit plate, but other food and drinks cost extra.

While you don’t technically need to reserve a cabana or daybed, the option might be appealing to large groups who can split the cost among multiple people. After all, while standard pool lounge chairs are free for hotel guests, they’re based on availability. If you don’t arrive early, it might be tough to find more than a few chairs together — particularly during peak seasons.

Gym and spa

The Bellagio Spa & Salon offers paid services including massages, facials, manicures and pedicures.

The spa sits adjacent to the fitness center, which is free for guests. Gym equipment includes cardio machines, free weights, strength machines and plyometric boxes.

For an extra fee, personal training sessions or group fitness classes, including yoga, barre and pilates, are available.

The Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

The Bellagio houses one of the best free attractions in Vegas. Its 14,000-square-foot Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens features living plants with over-the-top themes.

Designs change with the season but — depending on when you visit — there might be hot air balloons or red lanterns hanging from the ceiling. Should you visit during Lunar New Year, you might encounter an oversized animal from the Chinese zodiac.

The Fountains of Bellagio

Then there’s another one of Vegas’s best free attractions: The Fountains of Bellagio. The iconic Bellagio water show features more than a thousand fountains that sway back and forth to music, and shoot as high as 460 feet into the air.

Weather permitting, the Bellagio Fountain show times are:

• Monday through Friday: Every 30 minutes from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight.

• Saturday, Sunday and holidays: Every 30 minutes from noon to 7:30 p.m., and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. to midnight.

It’s free to line up along the lake to watch the Bellagio fountain show. Or, you might book a dinner at one of the following Bellagio restaurants, which offer fountain views:

• The Mayfair Supper Club.

• Spago.

• Lago by Julian Serrano.

• Le Cirque.

• Jasmine.

• Yellowtail Japanese Restaurant & Lounge.

• Picasso.

• PRIME Steakhouse.

Bellagio casino

The Bellagio casino includes table games, slots and a sportsbook.

The Bellagio also has a high-limit lounge called Club Privé, which includes games, plus a fancy bar serving whiskey and high-end cigars.

Most of the Bellagio's restaurants are upscale, though there are also some cheaper, quicker eats too.

Casual dining at the Bellagio

Unlike many other Strip resorts that feature mall food court staples and outposts of affordable chains, the only quick service chains at the Bellagio are Starbucks and Juice Press.

Casual dining options at the Bellagio include the Bellagio Patisserie, which stands out for its crepes, sandwiches and gelato. Its massive chocolate fountain makes it worth a visit, even if you don't plan to dine.

Fine dining at the Bellagio

The Bellagio also houses award-winning restaurants like Le Cirque and Picasso (both have a Michelin star). These offer exquisite cuisine — with a price tag to match the experience.

The Garden Table

Perhaps the most unique of the Bellagio dining experiences is The Garden Table, a single table inside the Bellagio Conservatory. It seats up to six diners maximum for brunch and four maximum for dinner.

If you dine during brunch hours, food comes from Sadelle’s Café. Brunch costs $125 per person, or $195 with bottomless mimosas. Famous for its sticky buns, Sadelle’s opened its first location in New York in 2015, but has more than a half-dozen outposts worldwide.

Though The Garden Table is technically not a buffet, it’s difficult to go hungry. Diners start off with a tower of pastries, avocado toast, salmon, caviar and bagels. It’s all top-of-the-line ingredients — with a beautiful presentation to match.

Then, diners select one entree (the best value is the steak and eggs, which alone costs more than $40 if purchased a la carte from Sadelle’s.

Brunch concludes with a giant slice of strawberry cheesecake.

During dinner, food comes from chef Michael Mina. It costs $195 on weekdays and $225 on weekends, plus an additional $115 for the wine pairing.

Though it’s not cheap, it makes for a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Sure, you’ll likely end up in hundreds of tourists’ photos. And tourists might stare at you, wondering how you snagged the best seat in the house. Yet, it can be easy to forget the stares when you’re noshing on caviar and some of the most decadent avocado toast you’ve ever tasted, all while sitting within a hot air balloon or oversized teapot, depending on the Conservatory’s decor that season.

The free entertainment — most notably the fountain show — is impressive. But there’s plenty to do at the Bellagio, including an onsite art gallery, which requires an additional fee, even for hotel guests. Other unique Bellagio entertainment offerings include:

"O" by Cirque du Soleil

"O" by Cirque du Soleil, an aquatic-themed version of the popular circus show, plays out most nights from a theater in the hotel custom-built for the show. Beyond the acrobatics that Cirque is known for, "O" features synchronized swimming.

The 90-minute show often ranks among the top Cirque shows in the world — and the top theater shows in Las Vegas, period.

But it’s also among the most expensive. Whereas tickets for Cirque du Soleil Mad Apple over at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino start at just $49 when purchased directly through Cirque, tickets for “O” start at $79. And that’s just a starting price. Expect to pay much more for better seats or on busy nights.

Bars and lounges

Whereas some of the other MGM hotels in Vegas have a rowdy nightlife scene with loud EDM beats, nightlife at the Bellagio is more elegant and subdued.

Lounges are also lively during the day. For example, right off the lobby sits the Petrossian Bar, where a live pianist performs as you sip on cocktails or afternoon tea.

The Pinky Ring

Among the newer offerings is The Pinky Ring, a cocktail lounge and jazz bar designed by Bruno Mars. Besides serving Bruno Mars-inspired cocktails like the Mars Mocha (which features chocolate rum, cognac, espresso, banana and toasted sesame froth), Mars himself has been known to show up unexpectedly.

But you likely won’t see much of The Pinky Ring unless you experience it for yourself. The bar has a refreshing rule: no phones allowed.

Luxury travelers: Especially given all the high-end restaurants and timeless details throughout, luxury travelers with a taste for the finer things will find much to appreciate at the Bellagio.

Still, rates can swing wildly depending on the day. On one weekend in late September 2024, room rates are more than $1,349 nightly, including a $50 resort fee. But two days later, you can book a room for about $200 per night. Travelers seeking to stay at the Bellagio can often save big simply by adjusting their trip dates by a few days.

People who value location: It’s also ideal for travelers seeking to be at the center of the action. Some of what might be perceived as Bellagio’s biggest pitfalls — lack of affordable, fast-casual restaurants and no “stereotypically Vegas” nightclub — are easily solved given its proximity to other hotels that offer those things.

An interior bridge makes it so you don’t even need to go outside to access the Vdara Hotel and Spa, and The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas. At the Vdara, you might enjoy higher-end (but more affordable, relative to the Bellagio) dining options like Din Tai Fung. The Cosmopolitan fills the quick service void with celebrity-helmed, fast casual restaurants like Eggslut and Bāng Bar by Momofuku. Its Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub is one of the most high-energy spots on the Strip.

There are a few types of travelers who might skip the Bellagio:

Some families with children: While kids might love certain Bellagio features like the chocolate fountain at the Bellagio Patisserie, other hotels better cater to children. For example, the New York-New York Hotel has its own roller coaster, Hello Kitty Cafe and Hershey's Chocolate World.

Travelers seeking peace: While there are some tranquil aspects of the Bellagio (enjoying the Bellagio fountain show from your fountain-view room, for example), expect crowds. Given its central location and two of the Strip’s top, free attractions in this hotel, many non-hotel guests spend time here.

Because the Bellagio already has nearly 4,000 rooms, the lobby is almost always packed. Plus, you’ll walk through the casino to get to your room.

For a more serene atmosphere, consider the adjacent Vdara Hotel & Spa, which shares an interior walkway with the Bellagio, but is only about a third of the size (and doesn’t have a casino).

Book direct: MGM Resorts promises the lowest rates when you book direct. Plus, it tends to offer additional discounts to MGM Rewards members.

Book through Marriott: Marriott Bonvoy members might rather book through Marriott. The two brands entered a partnership that went into effect in 2024, which has generally been good for Bonvoy members. Among the benefits include status matching and — depending on the exact elite status level — perks like dedicated service lanes, waived resort fees, free Bellagio parking and dining credits.

Bonvoy members can also redeem Bonvoy points, free night awards for stays or Marriott Bonvoy Moments (and the Bellagio has some good ones, including Garden Table brunch). NerdWallet values Marriott Bonvoy points at 0.9 cent each.

However, members can’t earn Bonvoy points on stays booked through MGM Rewards, where they tend to be cheaper. If you’re chasing points, compare rates across both sites and then use NerdWallet’s Marriott points calculator to see if the points are worth the price difference.

Speaking of bonus points, Marriott Bonvoy members can maximize their points balances by paying for their stay with a Marriott credit card. Exact benefits vary by card, but all offer bonus points on eligible purchases at hotels participating in the Marriott Bonvoy program, which includes the Bellagio.

Book through other booking portals: The Bellagio shows up on common booking portals, ranging from third-party travel agencies like Expedia to curated sites like American Express Travel, where it’s part of The Hotel Collection (THC).

THC inclusion is useful for cardholders who pay with their The Platinum Card® from American Express, which offers up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year on eligible bookings through either The Hotel Collection or a similar program called Fine Hotels and Resorts. Terms apply. Card members who book a two-night or longer stay at the Bellagio through THC are eligible for the statement credit, plus goodies including space-available room upgrades, complimentary breakfast and late check-out (see rates and fees).

Again, compare rates versus booking directly through MGM Resorts, as the statement credit and extras might still not be worth the potentially higher price difference.

The information related to the Marriott Bonvoy Bountiful™ Card has been collected by NerdWallet and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card.