When Richard Branson whisked me off to Las Vegas
When Richard Branson whisked me off to Las Vegas
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When the email landed in my inbox I thought it was a hoax.
It started: “We’d love it if you’d join our founder Sir Richard Branson and CEO, Shai Weiss, on a very special trip to Las Vegas to celebrate our new flights from Manchester.”
Too good to be true I thought, as I spammed the Virgin email away with those telling me I’d won £1,000 in Tesco vouchers.
But then I thought – what if? And that’s when I started imagining myself ticking Las Vegas off my bucket list and spending some time exploring the ‘Entertainment Capital of the World’.
I’d not been on a plane since before the pandemic and was long overdue a trip out of my comfort zone. After a few emails with Virgin Atlantic I realised that the invite was real, and I could confidently hand over my passport details. That’s when it hit me – I was going to Las Vegas with Richard Branson. Yikes!
Before I knew it, I was on the M6 heading to Manchester. It’s easy to find your way around Manchester Airport and I quickly went through check-in and security and enjoyed breakfast before queuing to get on the flight.
Virgin Atlantic’s direct flights to Las Vegas are running from June to October on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. My flight was 9.50am on a Sunday and I travelled Premium Economy which means larger seats and extra leg room, so you can be a bit more comfortable during the 11 hour journey. The cabin crew were incredible, bringing us snacks and drinks as well as a menu for a four-course meal and delicious afternoon tea. It’s flying, but not like anything I’d ever experienced before.
When we arrived it was lunchtime in Las Vegas and the airport was just a short journey from the famous strip, and our hotel – the Virgin Hotels Las Vegas. This is when you start to immerse yourself in a bit of luxury. The hotel rooms are designed for comfort, featuring a large soft, cosy bed, two TVs, living room area, a huge bathroom with a super-sized bath and gigantic shower – and to top it off, stunning views across Las Vegas to the Strip.
There are plenty of things to do while in Las Vegas. If you are watching the pennies you don’t have to hit the casinos – instead, the sights you see just walking down the Las Vegas strip are enough to tick a few experiences off your wish list. For free you can watch the famous fountain show at the front of the Bellagio Hotel and see the volcano exploding at The Mirage.
Take time to be wowed by the ceilings and architecture of The Venetian where you can push the boat out and be serenaded on a gondola. I travelled in June when the temperature was around 40 degrees, so I recommend seeing the Las Vegas Strip at night when you aren’t constantly seeking out some air conditioning.
While on the strip you can nip into the Bellagio to see their botanical gardens and visit Caesar’s Palace, which is a legendary hotel with a Roman theme. At the front of Caesar’s Palace is Absinthe, a unique show set in a circus tent. Wild, sexy, hilarious and totally off-the-wall are just a few words to describe this show which is strictly for over 18s.
The lingerie-clad acrobats dazzle, the roller skaters captivate and the burlesque is raunchy. Not for the faint hearted, the circular stage at the centre brings the audience so close that some are even pulled on stage for a lap dance in front of the roaring crowd.
If you are looking for some luxury and relaxation while you’re in Las Vegas then why not head for the city’s newest hotel – Fontainebleau. I was lucky enough to spend a day at this hotel which takes opulence to a whole new level. This newest addition to the Las Vegas skyline offers over 3,600 rooms and a sprawling casino floor with high ceilings, which makes it stand out from most other casinos. It seems low ceilings make gamblers more likely to keep spending their money, while the light, airy casino at Fontainebleau adds to the hotel’s focus on pure indulgence.
At Fontainebleau there are six acres of pools where you can reserve a cabana, which is a covered pool-side seating area with a fridge stocked with drinks and fruit, TV and a safe. Or cool off in their rejuvenating spa where you can get over the jet lag with a massage or be a bit daring by exploring their full menu of Wellness and Recovery IV drips – yep, you heard it right – IV drips!
Once you’ve recovered from any hangovers or jetlag it could be time to soak up a bit of culture. I recommend a visit to the Mob Museum in downtown Las Vegas. In this building, preserved from 1933, you can visit the courtroom where notorious Mob bosses appeared and see the brick wall from the St Valentine's Day Massacre, which still has the bullet holes in it. Learn about infamous mobsters and even see artifacts, such as Al Capone’s revolver. At the Mob Museum you can also explore an underground Speakeasy from the prohibition era and actually get a taste of Moonshine.
But what about Richard Branson I hear you say? Well, at an outdoor party to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Virgin Atlantic he jumped into the pool with his clothes on – and everyone else joined him. We were regaled with stories such as when he was persuaded to bungee jump off a skyscraper on a windy night. His usual attitude of ‘let’s do it’ got him in trouble as he smacked into the building, landing at the bottom “like a rag doll with blood everywhere".
The British billionaire says top of his wish list is to have Boy George do a residency at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas and he dreams of a future where all aeroplanes are run on sustainable aviation fuel.
It seems 40 years ago, when there was excitement around the launch of Virgin Atlantic, Richard wondered how they could keep that spirit going for the next 12 months. He said the people who work for Virgin Atlantic make it what it is: “I’m so proud that 40 years on you still get the Virgin difference.”
If the ‘Virgin difference’ is glamour, luxury and plenty of fun then you’ve certainly achieved that in Las Vegas, Sir Richard.
