What makes the Venetian better than the Palazzo? Or vice versa, the Palazzo versus the Venetian? Let’s start by clearing up a common misconception: The Venetian and Palazzo are the same resort. What makes them different is that they are two distinct hotel towers with their own amenities including restaurants, pools, casinos and the like.
Is the Palazzo better than the Venetian? Depends on your vantage point and what matters to you. The Venetian is older than Palazzo, opening way back in 1999. The Palazzo opened in 2007. The age difference is significant in certain areas which I’ll describe, which may affect your opinion on whether the Palazzo or Venetian is best.
Both The Venetian and The Palazzo are eco-friendly, 5-star hotels of great quality. As they're located next to one another, both are excellently located on the Las Vegas Strip, so either choice will offer easy access to all the shows and hotels on the Strip. Make no mistake, both The Venetian and The Palazzo are large, luxury hotels. By staying at The Palazzo or The Venetian, you're comitting to a mega-hotel experience, which is half the fun of Vegas. Combined, The Venetian and The Palazzo have over 6,000 hotel rooms, equaling a lot of fun!
It's worth mentioning that Booking.com almost always has the best deal on Palazzo hotel rooms.
Most people don’t think of building technology when they consider The Venetian versus The Palazzo but considering that The Palazzo was built almost 10 years after The Venetian, it wins this category hands down. The Palazzo offers better sound proofing its hotel rooms, which for light sleepers is an absolute must. Sound proofing at The Venetian is acceptable, just not as good as The Palazzo due to older technology using its construction.
Both Venetian and Palazzo are “all-suite hotels”, which means every room has a minimum of 650 square feet and includes a separate living area and dining table. Sadly, neither hotel offers minibars and coffee makers, which are standard hotel amenities.
Let's look at the most popular room types at The Palazzo:
This suite comes in a few different varieties: King or Two Queen and “Select View” King or Two Queen. A "Select View" suite is on a higher floor and therefore offers better views, outside of this, these rooms offer the exact same amenities:
These suites are available as a King or Two Queen and are similar to the Palazzo Luxury Suites but the Prestige Luxury Suite offers upgraded amenities.
Available only with a King bed, Premium Suites marks the first major step up in both room size and quality. At 940 sq. ft., this suite is quite a bit roomier than the entry level Palazzo suites and features a large living room with a dining table and an extra-large, slightly private bedroom.
The Grand One Bedroom Suite is a sizable 1,280 sq. ft. with posh furniture and amenities throughout. The bedroom is completely separated and private from the living room. This suite is quite a step up compared to the Premium Suite.
The top tier suites at Palazzo are quite stunning and outlined below. They include Executive Suites (1,850 sq ft), the Penthouse Suite (3,204 sq ft), the Presidential Suite (6,277 sq ft) and the Chairman Suite (6,367 sq ft). Go big or go home!
The Executive Suites offers 1,850 sq. ft. of indulgence for the discerning traveler, located at one of the most exciting crossroads of the Strip. Executive Suites include a luxurious jetted tub and either a piano, pool table, or theater room in each suite.
The 3,000 feet of space that comprise The Palazzo Penthouse Suite are contemporary and engaging. This suite features top-of-the-line furniture throughout. The living room and dining room are excellently designed with plenty of room to entertain. The king bedroom is stunning. The Penthouse Suite comes with access to Prestige Club Lounge, a private limo to/from airport, and VIP check-in and concierge services.
From the balcony Jacuzzi to the Italian-marble foyer, this suite is designed to impress and relax. A great living area, dining room, massage parlor, full bar, and workout room ensure that every moment in your suite is restful, accessible, and filled with beauty. You'll enjoy a 24-hour butler, private limo to/from the airport and VIP check-in. Check out this suite in more detail.
Check-in is at 3pm and check-out is at 11am.
The Venetian is also an all-suite hotel. The hotel claims to have rooms twice the size of the average Las Vegas hotel room. Most suites feature a sunken living room with a dining table for two and two LCD TVs, as well as a luxurious bathroom with an over-sized tub.
This is the entry-level hotel suite at The Venetian. At 650 sq. ft. with a sunken living room, a sofa for two, and a dining room table for three, it’s a remarkable suite. As we circle back to the question of The Venetian versus The Palazzo, notice that the entry level Venetian suites are 100 sq. ft. smaller than the Palazzo equivalent. The Venetian Luxury Suites are offered in King, Two Queens and Select View, the latter again referring to a high floor and better views.
This is the "family room" at The Venetian and offers two queen beds and a sleeper sofa in the sunken living room. It's quite a bit larger than the Luxury Suite type at 1,100 sq. ft., otherwise it is comparable in quality.
This is where the step up begins to get obvious, with over 1,500 sq. ft. for the Grand King Suite including upgraded furniture, design and amenities. It offers a private king bedroom, a living room that seats five, a swanky bathroom with a large tub, and outstanding views.
Similar in layout to the Grand King Suite, this option dedicates more space to a wet bar area with seating for three people, but otherwise it's similar.
This suite variety is the same as the Luxury Suites but with upgraded furnishings and access to the Prestige Club Lounge.
The Palazzo has no less than seven pools (yes, you read that correct) on the property. It’s true that according to Vegas standards, some are quite intimate in size. The benefit of having multiple swimming pools is the opportunity for space within the pool—better to have ten people in seven pools than 70 people in one. Pools are open year-round and are heated during the cooler months. Restrooms, hot tubs, and retail shops are located throughout the pool complex.
If you like Vegas swimming pools, you’ll really love them in your own Cabana. The Palazzo Cabanas are a swanky way to chill in the Vegas summer and feature 180 square feet of privacy for up to 12 people. It offers air conditioning, chaise lounges, a refrigerator stocked with goodies, cool misters, and a ceiling fan.
While The Venetian can’t boast seven swimming pools, its four pools are spread out over two acres! With three infinity pools and a splash pad for the kids, The Venetian also offers a spa pool outside of the Canyon Ranch spa and fitness center. In addition, there are far more amenities such as cabanas, daybeds, and restaurants. The Venetian pools may get more crowded than the pools at The Palazzo…but is that enough to make The Palazzo better than The Venetian? Your call…
The Venetian Cabanas provide luxury and privacy for up to 12 people. Cabanas range from 310 to 788 sq. ft. and offer air conditioning, a stocked minibar, air conditioning, and a safe for storing valuables. A dedicated cabana host will be on hand to attend to your every need.
The Palazzo and The Venetian feature over 80 restaurants and bars, serving a variety of food from around the world. Some highlights are:
While gaming revenues aren't what they used to be, it's clear that there remain plenty of people wanting to try their luck in casinos. Let's compare The Palazzo versus Venetian in this area. Between the two hotels, The Venetian casino is larger (120,000 square feet) than The Palazzo (105,000 square feet). Keep in mind that The Venetian was built in 1999, when the average Las Vegas visitor was happy to spend most of their budget on gambling. Fast forward ten years to the construction of The Palazzo in 2007, gambling budgets had fallen rather dramatically, thus the big difference in casino size.
Ok, enough with the Las Vegas history lesson! You'll find what you want at either casino: electronic table games, and yes, the “traditional” table games, where a real-live human deals the cards and operates the games. Both casinos still feature slot machines, race and sports booking, live poker and keno. So, what's the big difference between The Venetian and Palazzo? Other than the square footage and a full sports book at The Venetian, not much. You can play the same games in either hotel…which brings us back to that eternal question, which is better?
The Palazzo and Venetian mostly share shows and events. Ongoing shows include Atomic Saloon Show and headliners include STYX, Matt Fraser, Chicago, Erasure, Smokey Robinson, Foreigner and others. Check out Vegas.com for a list of all Venetian and Palazzo shows.
Online reviews for The Venetian and The Palazzo are mostly very positive, which makes sense given the 5-star quality each hotel has to offer. Check out some recent reviews from Booking.com:
Ride in a Venetian gondola with your very own singing gondolier and enjoy the sounds and sights of the Grand Canal Shoppes and its attractions, restaurants and shops.
The Grand Canal Shoppes is an indoor shopping experience consisting of over 160 signature stores and dozens of restaurants. You’ll enjoy the feel of cobblestone walkways and a charming indoor canal.
Step into the Grand Canal Shoppes and you’ll instantly be surrounded by charming street performers: trained singers, actors and musicians who will enchant and surprise you.
If you’ll looking for a cool thing to do in Las Vegas, minus5º Ice Experience is the place. Step into this frosty bar and view over 90 tons of ice that’s hand crafted into interactive sculptures. It also happens to be a great way to beat the Vegas summer heat.
Canyon Ranch offers a 40-foot indoor rock wall for rocking climbing enthusiasts.
Madame Tussauds Las Vegas is the world-famous interactive wax attraction on the Las Vegas Strip in front of the Venetian and features eight unique rooms. Relive The Hangover with Alan and Phil in “The Hangover Experience,” pose for the paparazzi with Lady Gaga, get on the red carpet with Sandra Bullock, and fight crime alongside Spider-Man in the amazing Marvel Super Heroes 4D Experience. With more than 100 wax figures, Madame Tussauds Las Vegas allows guests to take pictures, touch and get up close in a themed setting. Madame Tussauds Las Vegas opens 365 days of the year at 10 a.m.
Go on an action-packed adventure VR experience with your team in a dedicated room where you’ll work as a team to solve challenges, in virtual reality of course.
What makes a hotel experience better than another one? Sometimes it is the amenities, sometimes it’s the size of the room, sometimes it’s the restaurants and atmosphere. While we are still hard pressed to say which one is better, we can pretty much guarantee that no matter which hotel you choose, the better one is the one you choose to visit! Enjoy your stay.