When we opened our doors four years ago as a cutting edge resort-casino we knew incorporating environmentally sound initiatives was a must. In fact, the mere design and materials used to build our resort were chosen specifically because of their low environmental impact and cost-savings, like our glass.

Our hotel is entirely made of glass; however, it is a special glass. It is a double-glazed tinted glass with low-e coating. So, what does that mean? Heat and A/C loss may be cut in half! In addition, the tint reduces the effect of glare. Also, due to the tint, the amount of solar heat transmitted through the glass is half that of a single glazed glass. And, something that our guests may have noticed is that though it’s tinted, it has a visible transmittance closer to that of clear glass which maximizes the amount of natural light throughout the resort. 

In addition to the exterior materials used to build our resort, inside, each hotel room is fitted with a WattStopper. It is a little black box in which our guests insert their room key upon entering. Once the room key is inserted, the lights automatically come on. And, when the key is removed, the lights will turn off in approximately 30 seconds. Though you must insert a key, each light is still operated by an actual light switch, so our guests are still able to decide which lights they will use at what time – just like at home. Managing our lighting digitally offers consistent, optimal energy-efficient performance with immediate gain.

“Be water smart,” is a phrase we hear in the desert southwest all the time. So, that’s why we have Xeriscaping here at our resort. Xeriscaping is a way of landscaping which reduces the need to rely on water from irrigation and also uses plants that can tolerate our local weather pattern. Since Las Vegas gets less than 10 inches of rain per year, watering must be efficient in order to minimize evaporation. Plants like the Red Yucca, Deer Grass, Indian Hawthorns and Agave flourish in our valley with very little water.

Some other ways we’re being water smart is our Linen Reuse/“Go Green” initiative. Our guests are given the opportunity to forgo their linen and towels being changed by placing a “Go Green” door hanger outside their door daily. In exchange, we give our guests $5 each day they choose to “Go Green” to use at Spa Mio, our four star spa and salon, or for food and beverage during their stay. It’s our little way of saying “Thank you!” for helping us in our cause to be environmentally-conscious.

Have a question about our sustainability practices? Just ask! Meanwhile, what things are you doing to conserve waste, energy or water?

The Floating Marble Staircase

We could have put in an escalator, but the dramatic affect just wouldn’t have been the same. Instead, located just off our hotel lobby and leading down to our four-star spa and pool deck, we opted for a magnificent floating marble staircase. A lot of work went into achieving the illusion that the staircase is floating. In fact, the staircase was actually cast in place and the concrete poured into it. Next, it was fitted with stone risers. The vertical and horizontal stone members on the underside were mechanically fastened to the concrete to give the illusion of solid block stairs. That’s what makes this modern marvel such a neat thing to look at.

The Sheer Amount of Steel

We have an insurmountable amount of stainless steel throughout our resort. We have it in the lobby, the casino, and on every floor in the hotel (Note: you can find giant steel M’s on the east end of every floor). For those of you in interior design, the stainless steel we use is considered a number eight polish finish which is equivalent to a mirror finish. It’s noted for its high reflectance and ability to make things feel lighter. And, it sparkles. Our extraordinary staff spends time every day making sure it shines for our guests.

The Imported Italian Marble

All the marble throughout the entire resort was imported from Italy. “Each individual piece of the marble for both the exterior and interior walls was drawn, dimensioned, labeled, and created in such a way that it would go up like a puzzle,” says Bryan Taylor, Vice President of Design for Marnell Companies, the design-construction firm that built our fabulous resort. “All of these details meant that very little cutting had to be completed on site during the actual installation of the stone,” he added. Even the pieces that surround doors and windows were measured and sized for those particular spaces. If you’ve walked our property, you’ll note that marble is everywhere from the floors, to the walls in the lobby and the corridor, as well as the valet.

The M Bar’s Chandelier

Lastly, did you know our incredible chandelier in the M Bar is made almost entirely of little “M’s”? Next time you’re relaxing at our center casino bar, look up. This gorgeous chandelier is 16 feet tall and has 13 tiers of crystal! There are three different colors of crystal that make up the chandelier however the actual amount of crystal is a mystery because there is A LOT!

Do you have a favorite design element at our resort? Let us know!

Best View of the Las Vegas Strip

At 400 feet above the strip, our view of the valley is more than incredible – it’s spectacular. There is nothing like Fourth of July in one of our Strip side rooms. Not only can you see the fireworks spewing off the top of the Stratosphere, but also in almost every neighborhood and city park in the valley, too. The view is nothing short of amazing. When Vegas experiences one of its many summer lightning storms, it gets even better. You can enjoy Mother Nature from inside your comfy hotel room as the lightning stretches from the clouds above to the ground below.

Best Suite

If you’ve taken a look through our website, we have three different suite layouts available for our guests to enjoy. Though the Loft Suite is award-winning and the largest at 2,400 square feet, we think our smallest suite, the Classic, may just be the best. First, it’s functional. At 1,100 square feet, its rectangular shape allows for rollaway beds should you need them for additional guests and it offers a most comfortable couch with a chaise lounge not available in our other suites. Second, the bar area is located over marble instead of carpet. So if anyone has too much fun, the spillage ends up on the marble instead of the carpet (which means no room damage fee). You add that up with a 15^th floor view of the Las Vegas Strip, and you have not only the Best Suite, but the Best View, too.

Best Drink

We asked our Beverage Manager, Ziggy Pawlowski, and he says that even after four years, the M Fantasy is still the best selling drink off of our specialty menu – hands down. So, what makes it the best? If Stoli Blueberi Vodka, Silk Road Plum Sake and muddled blueberries don’t get you excited, it’s also topped with an edible orchid. It’s sweet, smooth, and it’s gorgeous!

Best Dessert

Although our vanilla crème brulee is our best-selling dessert, we think our absolute best dessert is our Peanut Butter Pie. It’s rich. It’s decadent. It’s sinful. Your taste buds will be screaming with delight after just one bite. It’s available at both Anthony’s Prime Steak & Seafood and in a mini version which we love at Anthony’s Burgers & Brews. We dare you to try it the next time you come by.

Best Souvenir

Our Vice Shop and Essentials shop have plenty of fun things to offer from f-shirts and handbags to onesies, hats, and even Nike® brand M golf balls. But if we were going home, we thought we might take something a little unconventional. Our luxury spa, Spa Mio has something we can’t do without – candles made in signature scents! You can take home scents like Love Spell and Green Tea. These candles are hand poured and made from soy oil. The burning candles emit no toxins into the air and have a 30-hour burn time. Even better, the melted candle is warm to the touch, not hot, and can be used on the skin!

Did we miss something that you think is a best of pick at our property? Let us know!

The start of an extravagant restroom is the material used to make it. The basis of our bathrooms (like the rest of our resort) is imported Italian marble. Our bathrooms are outfitted with marble floors, marble vanities and even marble showers. The showers themselves are entirely glass-enclosed giving a wet-room style feel and the ability to take a steam shower. Aside from showers, every room also has its own separate bathtub.

More than 70% of our guest rooms have a view of the Las Vegas Strip, but 100% of our posh powder rooms feature deluxe standalone tubs with their very own outlook of more than just the bathroom sink. A window (with a retractable privacy shade) is located in front of the tubs in our Resort Room, Executive Resort Room and Classic One Bedroom Suite giving guests a breathtaking view through their suite and out onto the Strip or mountains. Our Flat and Loft Suites feature freestanding spa tubs located directly in front of windows, all with Strip views.

If a view isn’t the only thing you want to look at, glance over at the mirror located above the sink. That black square you see isn’t a smudge; it’s actually a television screen that’s inlaid into the glass. These decadent features are bound to make you want to skip right to our “loo” during your next visit to the M. Do you have a favorite feature in our restrooms? Leave us a comment below and tell us about it!

It's easy to get thirsty in the Las Vegas climate, especially during the summer months. Our temperatures soar into the 100s and there's no better way to keep cool then surrounding yourself with water at all times. If you're not sipping on it or lounging around it on our pool deck, head to our lobby to satisfy your H2O-needs in the desert.

When conventions are at M they can display their logo on our water features.

If you take a look around our lobby, you'll notice that you're surrounded by custom water walls. They'll have you feeling like you're whisked off to a tropical oasis. It's all part of our design scheme of bringing the outside-inside our property. Our water features were created by Marnell Companies, the architecture and design firm responsible for the construction and interior design of the entire resort.

The construction of each of the walls consisted of a stainless steel top trough to collect the water, stainless steel angled wall for the water to flow down and a stainless steel bottom pool to collect the water. Since we're environmentally-conscious at our resort, the water collected at the bottom or our water features is then recycled by being re-circulated down the wall again.

And after seeing our water features, all you'll want to do is stare. Not only are they pretty but according to Feng Shui beliefs, water is an important element in attracting prosperity and abundance. Sounds like after spending a little time in our lobby, you'll be ready to hit the casino floor.

Ravello Lounge isn't just a great place to see live entertainment - it's also home to some pretty amazing technology. Not only are there more than 40 screens built into the walls that can showcase the onstage entertainment, but the large panels next to the screens can be programmed to visually match audio beats and more through visual representation.

Spring will be sprung in the not too distant future and you know what that means?! Wedding season. If you're looking for a spectacular custom cake creation for your special day or other special occasion, we can make just about anything you can dream up.

And speaking of cake, let's talk Baby Cakes. These are some of the custom tiles you'll find here inspired by European patisseries. It's the details that make all the difference, not to mention some unbelievably good pastries!

With warmer weather on the way, it's almost time to start enjoying dining al fresco. Veloce, Marinelli's, Terzetto and Hash House all feature great outdoor terraces where you can enjoy your meal, the weather and spectacular views of the pool area and Strip.

Hmmm, what to enjoy out on the terrace? How about some of the amazing cocktails Veloce is offering for Happy Hour in their bar & lounge? Red Sangria, Peach White Sangria and Rocks Margaritas with a superb selection of top-shelf tequilas for just $5 are all excellent choices.

Back to those details. When we have meeting/conference groups here with us at M, we do our utmost to show them we appreciate their choosing M Resort. From custom welcome messages on our marquee to these super-cool light-logos displayed in the water features behind check-in, we want you to feel welcome and appreciated.

And when you're in those meetings? Let's face it, meeting rooms can be a bit dull at times, but like the rest of M, we did our best to incorporate some amazing fixtures and fittings that add a little extra something.

Okay, so more d?cor, but you have to admit this is cool. These backlit, woven-metal walls can be found outside Studio B and also inside Spa Mio.

Nobody likes to have to go to the doctor, but it sure is nice to have one right down the corridor. M Family Care is like any other doctor's office, it's just located inside M Resort!

Wine is one of those things that is very much subjective. There are some you love and others you just can't stand. And don't you hate it when you order an entire glass of one that you really don't care for? No worries in Hostile Grape: the enomatic wine machines here allow you to taste a huge variety of wines in one, three and five ounce pours with prices to match. Get a small taste if you're trying something for the first time that you're not sure about, or get a whole glass if it's a favorite.

The M Girls 2011 Calendar is definitely cool, as are the ladies themselves, and this is one cool thing here at M that won't be around forever so get 'em while they last. They're available for just $10+tax at 32 Degrees and Studio B Buffet and part of the proceeds goes to benefit the American Cancer Society.

There are some absolutely amazing chandeliers and other light fixtures here, but perhaps the most spectacular is in M Bar. It's made of thousands upon thousands of individual pieces that took an awful long time to assemble. It's definitely worth a gander.

How about another "M" something? It's our M Cider and it will definitely make you go "Mmmmm."

Want to rid yourself of that winter chill? Try the therapy pools at Spa Mio. They'll warm you up and relax those holiday stress knots right out of you. Ooh! Cool chandelier again!

Yes it's more wine, but it's really the room we wanted to point out. This is the electric wine room at Marinelli's. It's electric red and just so happens to house some pretty amazing reds you can enjoy with dinner.

Tucked between Terzetto and the Lobby Bar is the Oyster Bar. It's a great spot to saddle-up for some delicious seafood treats and easy conversation.

Here's one of our other favorite "M" things - the M sign on the side of the hotel tower. It can be programmed to do all sorts of cool things and if you come out to the property right now, you'll see it's gone all candy cane for the holidays.

You're not in Kansas anymore - this is Vegas baby! The new Great and Powerful Oz slots are REALLY cool. These slots feature some of the latest sensory immersion technologies, great bonuses and communal gaming.

And while we're on the topic of gaming, have you tried it away from the slots and tables yet? Here at M we offer Cantor Gaming's eDeck devices which feature slots, video poker and table games right from a small wireless device.

That's ten! Come down and check them out!

The 14-table room is warm and inviting, offering a level of comfort that you won't find most places. Whether you're in for a few quick hands or an extended stay for one of the many tournaments, it's nice to know you won't go home with an aching back. And what holds true in real estate applies to poker rooms too - location, location, location. The room has easy access being located right next to the parking garage entrance and the restrooms are just steps away. Hungry? Thirsty? Vig Deli delivers classic deli fare to hungry players and 32 Degrees pours a frosty selection of 96 beers on tap. In fact one reason some of our regular players choose M Resort is that they can enjoy one of the city's best beer selections. Let's not forget about the game too. We know, you need to concentrate on the hand…well, at hand. But if you're dying to know the score or want to place a quick bet, the race & sports book is right next door.

How about those tournaments? Not to mention all the promotions. There's never a shortage of either in M's poker room. Mini beats, progressive high-hand jackpots, four-of-a-kind bonuses and great guaranteed prize pool daily tournaments. In fact in December, we're offering the $100,000 M Beat with the biggest guaranteed player share in Vegas. Wonder why the slot players are always the ones to get all the free stuff? We've got gift days for our poker players too.

The reality is though, there's something that really makes the poker room here at M Resort special and different - our team members. We've got the best dealers, managers, front desk staff and cocktail servers. You'll hear players welcomed by name and you'll see plenty of smiles from team members and guests alike. So get your cards on the table here at M - if poker is your game, we've got the room that treats you right.

If you haven't dined outside on the Terzetto patio, it's a must. The view is great and the infinity pools are definitely cool. They also make a perfect aisle if you're looking for a unique spot to get married.

The obelisk out by the porte cochere is something you should take a gander at. It's made of bronze and kind of resembles a gun sight. If you follow its line, it travels through the lobby, out over the pool, across the main stage and out to the famous Las Vegas strip.

And how about that main stage? An amazing view for guests and performers alike.

Okay, okay, maybe it's just a ballroom, but it's a HUGE ballroom and you might not have even known it was here tucked away on the spa level. Reception after Terzetto patio ceremony? Yep.

There's no better motivation to get fit than gazing out over our spectacular pool. Our fitness center offers a view for aesthetics and to help you keep going.

Antique tractor in a casino? Cool.

You may not have known what you were looking at, but the tiles covering the columns and ceiling on the casino floor are mother of pearl.

Maybe you've never used it or even seen it, but there's a sweet glass elevator between the Lobby Bar and Oyster Bar - it travels down to the spa level and then further down to Hostile Grape.

That's right, M Resort has a gas station and you can use your iMagine Rewards points there. Nice.

Can't remember all the Triple Crown Winners? Who took the World Series in 1966? The walls at Vig Deli are covered in sports factoids to peak your interest or settle the debate.

Another 10! Check 'em out next time you visit us here at M!

Sterling said designing M definitely started with Anthony and Tony Marnell, incorporating not only what they wanted the property to be, but also incorporating years of their knowledge after literally designing and building much of what we recognize as today’s Las Vegas skyline. Here’s how Sterling describes the initial process:

“First we develop the brand, which isn’t just the logo and marketing side of things – it’s the overall voice that you create for any project. It’s a very strategic way of thinking. You have to understand the customer, talk to the client and look at the competition. It’s about predicting the future and price point positioning. You’re setting the tone of the entire property.”

So what’s with the suit and tie? Like the overall design and feel of M, an Armani suit is classic, timeless and a perfect example of subtle elegance. It’s one of those things that will never go out of style. You’ll own it and wear it for years. A Versace tie is what provides the personality – it’s the swirling geometry of the casino floor carpet (which by the way got its inspiration from a real Versace tie design), the luminous red lights in Marinelli’s, the Riva wooden speedboat inspired Veloce. Another way to look at it is like a number of children from the same family:

“Think of the brand as a family – each child has their own distinct personality, but when you put them together, you can see they’re all related. The individual venues and spaces here also have their own distinct personalities but you can still feel the voice of the overall design of the property coming through to form a whole. When you walk through the M, you can hear that voice. It travels down every aspect of the experience and applies to everything.”

One thing we returned to several times and which became the theme of M Resort’s design was the combination of aesthetics and functionality. Sterling said you’d be very challenged to find a property that offers the beauty and elegance that M does and the level of functionality it maintains. Most properties are lucky to possess one or the other. Things like the ingenious ceiling on the casino floor that houses modules which incorporate HVAC, cameras, fire extinguishers and more, but do so without creating an eyesore and also allow ease of relocation. Or the extensive corridor and elevator system running behind the restaurants which allow staff, food and trash to move quickly and efficiently without intruding on the guest experience. The columns, distinct rooflines and terraces, these too most certainly offer function but do it in a way very pleasing to the eye. Everything was laid out methodically and for a reason. Like a big jigsaw puzzle, everything fits together architecturally and functionally.

The core and essence of M Resort as Sterling sees it? It’s comfortable. You feel comfortable here and for the most part, you’re not even sure why. The guest service is outstanding, the food is amazing, the rooms are incredibly well-appointed, and on and on. There are a million specific things you can point to that people love about M, but there’s also something wonderful which permeates this place, something you can’t see or touch, it’s something that simply is M.