This is the first year that we’re hosting this cycling event and we couldn’t be more excited to lend our support to stop diabetes. Beyond being the host site for the ride, our team members have gotten involved by creating our own M Team. We’re even raffling a brand new bike to one of our team members!

At this year’s Tour de Cure there will be a total of 65 teams! Riders have the choice to go on an 8-mile, 30-mile, 65-mile or 100-mile route. It may sound daunting, but when we spoke to Tracie Patten, ADA Market Manager – Nevada, she assured us that if we could do 30 minutes of cardio then we could do the 8-mile ride!

If you’re active, even the least bit, and own a bike, we encourage you to register yourself or to join a team. The American Diabetes Association has added a number of new elements to this year’s ride including a new VIP zone and a Champions Dinner for riders who raise more than $1,000.

It’s not too late to register! Just visit www.diabetes.org/tourvegas for more details. We hope to see you!

Lucky for our guests, we don’t charge resort fees. Yes, you read that right. After four years in the Las Vegas Valley, we are proud to say that we do not require our guests to pay a resort fee. While many resorts on the Las Vegas Strip and even off-Strip have begun charging a resort fee, we allow our guests to decide what amenities they will use during their stay and do not require them to pay for those amenities when they may not use them, for instance, the Internet. Should our guests wish to use the Internet, we offer complimentary Wi-Fi service in Baby Cakes, our 24-hour patisserie, and Internet is included free of charge in our Four Year Anniversary Package or when booking at our best available rate. Should guests like to utilize the fitness center, we offer an option to purchase a daily pass to Spa Mio, our four-star spa and salon, which also includes access to our steam room and sauna.

Other amenities at our guests’ disposal are a complimentary daily newspaper which can be found on every hotel floor at the elevator bay. In addition, we offer our guests complimentary daily shuttle service both to and from the airport and to and from the Fashion Show Mall on the Strip. Robes and slippers are available upon request for our Resort Rooms, just phone Housekeeping from your room or the Front Desk. And if that isn’t enough, we will print your boarding pass complimentary, whereas some hotels include this service in their resort fee. We also have complimentary bottles of water waiting for our guests upon their arrival. And, we do not require our guests to pay to access our gorgeous pool deck. Now that’s service!

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!

Charge Up
There’s no more distressing sight than watching a full battery on your favorite electronic device slowly drain during a long trip. Keeping a universal charger with you can help your battery (and spirit) levels remain high, even if there are no power outlets in sight.

Keep it Comfy
After trekking through the airport and standing in long security lines, your feet can get a little tired. Once you’ve settled in on the plane, kick off your shoes and slip on a fresh pair of slippers or socks. Keeping a pair of socks in an easy-to-reach pocket will make for a more comfortable (and fresher) flight experience. Your seatmates will appreciate it because no one likes a pair of bare feet in closed quarters.

Find a Distraction
Load up your favorite tablet or e-reader before hitting the road (or the skies). Saving your favorite books, music and movies onto an electronic device will spare some valuable packing space in your carry-on and they’ll help those long trips to pass quickly by keeping your mind occupied.

Cancel Out
Do you always dread getting seated next to a noisy baby on an airplane? It won’t matter how boisterous your neighbor is if you bring a pair of noise-cancelling headphones. These travel companions are a must for enjoying your favorite tunes as well as ignoring all other distractions around you. They also can double as earplugs, if you’re planning to sleep.

Fresh and Clean
Bags can (and do) go missing through travel and we can’t think of a more refreshing feeling than having all of our toiletries with us, in case of disaster. With airline restrictions, be sure to always pack the travel-sizes of your favorite items. Plus, if you throw in an unwrapped bar of soap it will keep your bag smelling nice and fresh. There’s nothing worse than everything you packed reeking like a plane and it will put those fancy hotel soaps (like the ones that come in our rooms) to good use.

Whether you're visiting us for your dreamy getaway or just a fun filled vacation, keep these tips in mind to pump up the romance level and impress your partner.

Do

• Try something new. Whether it is a unique cuisine or an adventurous activity, do something that you would both enjoy.

• Decide on your destination together. Not everyone likes surprises; choose somewhere that will appeal to you and your partner.

• Make your arrival romantic. Call your resort ahead of time and let them know it's a special occasion, arrange for champagne and chocolate-dipped strawberries to be waiting in your room.

• Take your time. Being together should outweigh saving time. Instead of one person picking up luggage and the other getting the rental car, do it together.

• Make the flight romantic. Fly first-class, if possible, and splurge on a cocktail or two to get your escape started.

• Bring home something special. Find a unique souvenir to remember your trip together.

Don't

• Travel somewhere you've been with a previous mate. Create new memories with your significant other instead of reminiscing of old ones.

• Force a strict travel schedule on your partner. Take the time to enjoy your time away together.

• Use your cell phone unless completely necessary. Your time away should be focused on who you're with.

• Do what you'd do at home. Romantic travel is all about stepping outside the norm.

For the third consecutive year in a row, our resort has been honored with the Forbes Four-Star Award and for the second consecutive year our spa has also been recognized with the Forbes Four-Star Award. The M continues to take its place as one of only 177 hotels and 104 spas in the world to receive the awards. But, what do all those stars mean for our guests?

With a reputation for defining the extraordinary, Forbes Travel Guide conducts regular inspections of hotels, restaurants and spas across the nation and issues an annual guidebook listing the destinations on a ratings scale of One to Five Stars. The ratings reflect specific, strict standards regarding the facilities themselves and more importantly the service that the rated resorts, eateries and spas offer to their guests.

Forbes inspectors spend two nights and three days assessing each hotel in numerous different categories. They visit hotel properties unannounced and rate them as One, Two of Three Star hotels. If the inspector believes the hotel is a potential candidate for a Four or Five Star rating, another Forbes inspector is sent back to the hotel undercover to evaluate the hotel's service with a checklist of over 500 items.

Properties must score in the 80^th percentile on the Forbes' ratings scale to earnFour-Stars. The score itself is weightedheavily on service. A portion of the rating is measured by the experience that the inspector has while the facility itself is also factored into the score. Forbes rates about 8,000 of the approximately 50,000 hotels in North America. Of the 8,000 that they do rate, only a few earn a coveted Four and Five Star Ratings.

The key in sticking with anything is motivation and what's better motivation than a workout buddy? Grab your travel companion or maybe a local colleague and get to it. Schedule a morning run, to start your day off in the right way. Not only will it wake you up better than a large cup of coffee but it will get your heart pumping and blood flowing!

Dance the night away! Our Saturday night concert series, M Pool Live is the perfect spot to get your groove on. Dancing burns more calories that you think and the best part is, it's fun. You don't even notice that you're working out! Our wine bar, Hostile Grape has a DJ on Saturday and Sunday night so get up on your feet and work off that last glass of wine you had…hopefully it was red which is better for your heart.

Dive in! Most hotels you'll stay at have pools ready for their guests' use. We have a 100,000 square foot pool deck (not to brag or anything) ready for you to get your swim on. Aside from staying active, your best bet in keeping healthy when traveling is portion control. Sure we have a buffet with over 200 items to choose from so take samples of everything instead of platefuls.

Need more ideas in keeping healthy, check out our blog post on getting fit around our property!

The first step in visiting Vegas is actually getting here (we know everyone's not lucky enough to actually live here.) If you're catching a flight to Sin City, chances are your local airport has its own free app waiting to be downloaded. You can get Las Vegas' airport app be downloading "Live Airport - Las Vegas McCarran" app (currently only available for iPhone) from iPhone's App Store. It gives you flight status, maps and airport info, allowing you to breeze through terminals like a seasoned traveler.

You've probably seen the movie "21" by now or maybe even dreamed of taking the gaming tables by storm and pocketing a hefty share of casino chips. Brush up on your black jack skills (and kill some time on your flight to Vegas) with a black jack app on your phone. "Blackjack" in iPhone's App Store, "Blackjack Classic" in BlackBerry App World and "Real BlackJack" in the Android Market are free (yes, all free!) apps that will prepare you for playing like a pro at the tables. All three apps allow you to play the simple game of black jack without worrying about breaking the bank, so go ahead and bet $1,000 on that next (virtual) hand.

After you've arrived in Vegas and finished perfecting your card playing skills (and actually tested them on our casino floor) you might want to get out and explore the city. Though we'd love for you to stay at our resort during the duration of your trip we know there's a lot to see out there and the "Vegas Mate" app ($1.99, iPhone) can help you see it. "Vegas Mate" is an interactive, location-based city guide complete with tourist tips and information on restaurants, shows and nightlife in Las Vegas. For Android users, "Vegas Casino Maps" ($0.99) can help you navigate casino floors from our very own resort all the way to casinos north on the Las Vegas Strip. We know at some properties (not ours) it can be hard to find that restaurant you're looking for or even the nearest restroom and this app helps solve that!

One of our personal favorite things to do in Vegas is spend a little quality time at the spa. M is home to our very own four-star rated spa, Spa Mio. It's the perfect place for getting that relaxation and TLC that we all need when away from home. After a soothing treatment (or two) you might want to keep that relaxing feeling with you all day, simply turn on the "Relaxing Spa Music" app (free, Android) and keep yourself in that spa state of mind even when you can't be at Spa Mio.

We're working on a very own smart phone app of our own for M, so tell us what do you look for in an app and what would you like to see in ours? In the meantime if you're on the go and need your M-info feel free to pull up our blog on your mobile device, this blog is phone friendly!

Dining

Vegas has turned into a culinary mecca in recent years, but we know not everyone has the palette (or pocketbook) for a Michelin-star meal.

Fun and Funky - Have a sweet tooth that needs satisfying? Baby Cakes, our European-inspired patisserie will have you loosening your waistband after sampling pastries and homemade gelato from our world-renown pastry chef Jean Claude Canestrier. His delightful creations are just as beautiful as they are delicious. We suggest his new line of cupcakes with selections like Peanut Butter Cup, Coconut Pineapple and Red Velvet or stick to a traditional sundae, it’s just a delicious! If in the heart of the famous boulevard is more your style, Serendipity 3 at Caesars Palace offers a whimsical and wacky menu that will bring out the kid in you. Sip on a Frozen Hot Chocolate, feast on a triple-decker grilled cheese and finish it all off with a deep-fried Oreo sundae (and then some Tums).

One-of-a-kind - So you won big at baccarat and want to please your inner foodie (and oenophile), Charlie Palmer's Aureole at Mandalay Bay will entertain all senses. Boasting a wine tower with over 10,000 choices and 'Wine Angels' who ascend said tower to retrieve your selection makes this one of those "only in Vegas" dining adventures. If 10,000 bottles isn't enough for you, you can check out the variety of vinos from around the globe offered at Hostile Grape. While there are no 'Wine Angels,' there are fancy machines that pour the wine for you in one, three or five ounces. Choose from more than 160 wines by the glass and enjoy those sips in an atmosphere that screams hip - we're talking broken wine barrels for the ceiling - how cool is that? With that many selections it's a wine bar that appeals to both the wine novice and the newbie.

A Feast Fit for a King - Now, we don't want to brag too much, but we do have to mention our killer buffet, Studio B Buffet. With more than 200 dishes served daily this is one Vegas buffet that should not be missed and not just because of the food, the price also includes unlimited beer and wine! Can you say bargain?

Other Experiences

Must-see attractions line Las Vegas Boulevard. The Bellagio fountains seem to top most tourists' to-do lists, but there are many more things hidden in plain sight that are just as show stopping as the fountains themselves.

Retro Vegas - Ever wonder where old neon signs go to die? The Neon Boneyard, of course. Located just off the Strip (hey, so are we) is the Neon Museum of Las Vegas. It is home to more than 150 old signs that once graced Vegas' streets of yesteryear. For a more simple (but essential,) retro experience, enjoy a shoeshine fit for a president from the M's very own resident shoe shiner Heather Holton.

One-of-a-kind - Love a good view? Good, so do we. Take a short elevator ride up to Veloce Cibo. At 400 feet higher in elevation than the hotels on the Strip, you couldn't ask for a better view of the Strip and of the entire Las Vegas Valley. The stellar views and killer terrace can't be beat. Tucked inside Mandarin Oriental is their lobby bar, Mandarin Bar. It's an escape from Vegas, within Vegas. Offering panoramic views of the Strip but perched high on their 23^rd floor you escape the chaos below from the city that never sleeps. For another escape,

Vegas offerings are extensive so ask your concierge for more suggestions and any (or all) of these recommendations can be pre-arranged for your enjoyment by one of our award-winning concierges. Stop in and say hi when you're here for a visit. They'd be glad to assist you.

There's no doubt you have an almost endless supply of choices when it comes to picking the hotel for your vacation, especially in "tourist destinations." Many people (in fact most these days) begin their search for their vacation hotel online. The Internet is home to a bevy of travel rating websites. These can certainly be helpful, but they can also be a bit confusing. Why is it that Joe S. from Boston said "the room was amazing with a spectacular view and comfortable bed" and Donna G. from Sacramento said "mediocre view and the bed was stiff as a board"?

On these sites, you'll find answers to pretty much every one of those questions you ask yourself before making a choice - a LOT of answers. The problem is there are so many conflicting opinions, experiences and points-of-view. How do you know when a source is credible? Do you trust Joe or Donna? Were they having a bad day? Were they having an amazing day? Did Joe get a freebie or comp from that hotel? Does that hotel actually advertise or have a partnership with the travel website and everyone's getting a cut when you book your room?

What if there was a completely objective, independent, trusted source with more than 50 years of rating hotels for travelers? There is of course and it's the Forbes Travel Guide, formerly the Mobil Travel Guide. Here's what they have to say:

"Sorting through the scores of travel ratings in the marketplace today takes effort?many are biased and the source of information is a mystery. There is a proven, time-tested gold standard for hospitality ratings, and we invented it. Forbes Travel Guide provides travelers with the most objective, most disciplined ratings for hotels, restaurants and spas in the world. The hospitality industry respects and reveres the Five Star rating system, and consumers have put their faith in it for 50 years as they decide where to stay, dine or play." http://www.forbestravelguide.com/

There are about 50,000 hotels in the United States and Forbes Travel Guide recommends just 3,000. That's just six percent. The standards are incredibly high and the anonymous inspectors have hundreds of criteria to consider when it comes to rating a property. What that means to you as a consumer, is that when you choose a Forbes Travel Guide star-rated property, you know what you're getting and you know it's high-quality. It means the guest service is exceptional. It means the hotel is squeaky clean. It means the amenities are abundant and top-notch.

Bottom line? Star ratings DO matter and you should absolutely consider them when choosing your hotel. Here at M Resort, we've got four and we're looking for more. And don't forget, when it comes to spas, Forbes Travel rates those too and Spa Mio just so happens to have four stars as well.