Cosmopolitan Las Vegas: A Review

Cosmo is a place I love to be at but I never feel like I belong. It’s sexy and loud. It’s exactly what Vegas should be. Cosmo doesn’t just pass the vibe check, it sets the tone for the Strip.

While a luxury property, the cocktail hour lets people with all budgets sample some of their fantastic restaurant lineup. Jaleo’s Sangria Hour, for instance, offers a selection of tapas all under $9. Though I’m partial to China Poblano’s $4 chips and salsa when I need a quick gambling break. 

The casino is almost perfect. Yes, the limits can be high for the average gambler. But it’s easy to navigate, it has one of the best video poker bars with Chandelier Bar, they have a great slot selection, the sportsbook bar is a quality video poker bar as well. Do I need to go on? I can if you need me to. 

The pools are great too. Boulevard Pool is only sightly oontzy, but it’s the liveliness you’d expect. And the cabana rentals at both Boulevard and Chelsea, Chelsea being the more subdued of the two, are some of the best values you can find. The rental fees are food and beverage minimums. So if you book a Lower Grand Cabana at Boulevard Pool, which I suggest, the $1100 reservation includes food and beverages up to that amount. If you have the maximum capacity of 10 guests, a day at the pool can be a solid deal. You’ll also be charged a mandatory tax (18%), and a $44 service fee, so it comes out more than that $1100. But it’s still good nonetheless. Prices change depending on demand. You can and should reserve in advance.

The rooms, especially the terrace rooms, are Cosmo’s bread and butter. I stayed in a Studio Terrace Fountain View room. The size and layout are perfect for a solo traveler or couple looking for extra space and a stellar view. There’s no denying the Cosmo terraces are the most compelling room feature of any resort in Vegas. It makes up for imperfections that dot the rest of the room. There are subtle hints of sex appeal, namely the pink closet wallpaper, though the rest of the room is a mix of standard greys with small flourishes of color.

The rooms could use a refresh and word is MGM is planning exactly that. I’d start with the bathroom. I like the mosaic in the shower, but the rest is a bore, with taupe tile and black countertops. The walls are a plain, grey wallpaper. There’s a good opportunity to liven it up. I guess they should keep the tub. 

But the terrace is it. When I arrived, I snagged a cocktail from Vesper for a terrace nightcap, then woke up to a breakfast delivery the next day. I’ve never had a better morning than a quiet, chilly morning with room service, watching the Strip slowly come back alive from my terrace. And that’s it. That’s why you spring for a terrace room. There’s nothing like having a bird’s eye view of the excitement of the city below. 

Since my stay, the classic room service at Cosmo has gotten steep; it’s now $125 minimum. You can still get room service in single-use containers delivered at the standard price, but it’s not the same as a full-service setup. But please, do something like it, even if it’s grabbing some food from below to-go. 

Cosmo is the quintessential Vegas resort. Yeah, it can be pricey, but you can still find value. And as long as the service and quality remain consistent, Cosmo will be one of my home bases.