Bellagio,
Picasso and Renoir
Honored With AAA Five Diamond Award
LAS
VEGAS – Bellagio,
which last year became the first Las Vegas hotel and casino
and the largest resort in history to be awarded the AAA Five
Diamond Award, has received the distinction for the second
consecutive year.
 Restaurants
Picasso at Bellagio
and Renoir at The
Mirage also were honored with Five Diamonds for the second
consecutive year. The two restaurants made history last year
when they became the first two Five Diamond restaurants in Las
Vegas history. They are among a distinguished list of only 53
restaurants nationwide to receive this distinction.
The AAA
Five Diamond Award, presented to fewer than one-half percent
of the approximately 40,000 lodgings and restaurants in the
AAA Tour Book guides, has been the most coveted symbol of excellence
in the travel industry since its inception in 1977.
"Bellagio
guests are showered with first class service throughout their
entire stay," said AAA spokesman Atle Erlingsson. "The
AAA Five Diamond standard is evident from check-in to check-out,
with gracious staff, sparkling rooms and impeccable service."
 Bellagio's
President and CEO of Mirage Resorts, Mr. Robert Baldwin, said,
"Bellagio's
employees are the best in the industry. Their ability to continually
provide Five Diamond Service makes them entirely deserving of
all of the credit for this honor."
To be considered
for AAA approval and rating, lodgings and restaurants must undergo
a thorough, unannounced, inspection by one of AAA's 60 full-time
professional evaluators. Five Diamond establishments go through
the most extensive reviews.
Chef Alessandro
Stratta of Renoir at The
Mirage said, "It is an honor to be recognized for doing
what you love to do. At
Renoir, we try to be a very special aspect of the Mirage experience."
Capturing
the flavors and aromas of the French Riviera, Chef Stratta's
cuisine highlights the finest of seasonal ingredients.
Guests can
indulge in prime meats, seafood and vegetable specialties while
admiring numerous works of art by master painter Pierre-Auguste
Renoir.
Of the Five
Diamonds Chef Julian Serrano said, "Awards are never the
goal -- we set out to create special moments for our guests.
Moments they will remember always. The awards, like the Five
Diamonds, tell us we have achieved that."
Chef Serrano's
cuisine is inspired by the regional cuisine of France and Spain
where Picasso spent much of his life. The restaurant boasts
a wine cellar stocked with bottles from the finest European
vineyards. Picasso masterpieces, as well as a collection of
his charming ceramic pieces, further delight the senses of diners
enjoying the Picasso experience.
Inspired
by the beautiful villages of Europe, the Bellagio
overlooks a Mediterranean-blue eight-acre lake in which fountains
perform a magnificent aquatic ballet choreographed to music
and lights. Within Bellagio
are award-winning dining experiences including Julian Serrano's
Picasso, Michael Mina's Aqua, Todd English's Olives and Le Cirque
and Circo from the renowned Maccioni family. The elegant Petrossian
Lounge, a world-class art gallery, exquisite gardens, Cirque
du Soleil's stunning performance of "O," luxurious
spa services and an elegant casino all add to the extraordinary
Bellagio
experience. The resort's shopping promenade, Via Bellagio,
features upscale shops including Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Tiffany
& Co., Prada, Fred Leighton, Hermes, Moschino, Yves Saint
Laurent.
With an
erupting volcano at its entrance, The
Mirage offers exquisite AAA Four-Diamond accommodations,
exclusive shopping boutiques, upscale restaurants including
the AAA Five Diamond Renoir, extensive meeting and convention
services and excellent entertainment including Siegfried &
Roy -- Magicians of the Century and Danny Gans -- "The
Man of Many Voices." From the 20,000-gallon aquarium in
the lobby to the lush tropical foliage in the atrium and the
tropical pool with waterfalls, guests experience a world-class
destination unlike any other. |
/Las
Vegas Sun/ - LAS VEGAS - Internet gambling supporters
won a major legal victory on Nov. 21 when a federal appeals
court in Louisiana upheld an earlier dismissal of a class-action
lawsuit by people who lost money gambling in Internet
casinos. 
