Las Vegas, Nevada · United States
Bellagio Las Vegas
A 3,933-room resort on the site of the old Dunes, built around Lake Como fantasies, a choreographed fountain lake and a 156,000 sq ft casino. Bellagio is where the modern Las Vegas megaresort found its polished form.
Overview
Bellagio opened on 15 October 1998 as the flagship of Steve Wynn’s Mirage Resorts, at a cost of roughly $1.6 billion - then the most expensive resort ever built. MGM took it over in 2000; since 2019 the real estate belongs to Blackstone while MGM Resorts continues to run the hotel and casino. The property carries AAA Five Diamond status and a Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star rating.
What makes it a casino hotel rather than a hotel with a casino is the plan: the gaming floor sits between the porte-cochère, the Conservatory and the restaurant row, so everything you do passes through it. Yet the resort is remembered for its non-gaming features - the eight-acre fountain lake, Dale Chihuly’s glass ceiling in the lobby, the seasonal botanical displays and the Gallery of Fine Art.
Location
Mid-Strip at 3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard, facing the Paris Las Vegas Eiffel Tower and connected by pedestrian bridges to Caesars Palace and The Cosmopolitan. Harry Reid International Airport is about ten minutes by taxi. From Norway the journey is one stop, typically via London, Amsterdam or a US hub.
- Address
- 3600 South Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas, NV 89109
- Map
- Open in Google Maps
Rooms & accommodation
3,933 rooms and suites across the original tower and the Spa Tower added in 2004. Categories range from Resort King rooms to Penthouse and Villa suites; fountain-view rooms face the lake. Rooms are non-smoking, and a daily resort fee applies as at most Strip properties - check the total on the official booking page.
Amenities & services
Facilities listed on the hotel’s official channels or in public sources at the time of writing:
- Spa Bellagio (Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star spa)
- Pool complex in a Mediterranean garden
- Cypress Premium Lounge poolside area
- Convention and meeting space
Restaurants & bars
Venues named on the hotel’s official website (opening hours and menus change - check before you travel):
- Le Cirque
- Spago
- Michael Mina
- LAGO
- PRIME Steakhouse
- The Mayfair Supper Club
Entertainment
- Cirque du Soleil “O” in a 1,800-seat theatre
- Fountains of Bellagio (free show)
- Conservatory & Botanical Gardens
- Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
Attractions nearby
- Caesars Palace and The Forum Shops
- Paris Las Vegas (Eiffel Tower replica)
- The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
- ARIA and CityCenter
- Flamingo Las Vegas
The casino: Bellagio Casino
The Bellagio casino covers about 156,000 sq ft and is operated by MGM Resorts International under a Nevada Gaming Commission licence. It offers slot machines, table games and a poker room (Bobby’s Room, renamed Legends Room, is a well-known high-stakes poker area). The floor is open 24 hours; the legal age is 21 and the rule is enforced for anyone lingering on the casino floor, not just for players.
- Operator
- MGM Resorts International
- Opened
- 1998
- Casino website
- bellagio.mgmresorts.com
Casino history
The site was the Dunes, a 1955 casino demolished in 1993 after Mirage Resorts bought it. Steve Wynn first planned a French-themed “Beau Rivage”, then renamed the project after a visit to Lake Como. Designed by Jon Jerde, Bellagio opened in October 1998 with 3,005 rooms and immediately set a new standard for the Strip, hosting the Cirque du Soleil water show “O” from the first night.
MGM Grand acquired Mirage Resorts in 2000; the 928-room Spa Tower followed in 2004. In 2019 MGM sold the property to Blackstone for $4.25 billion and leased it back, an arrangement that continues today.
Casino features & facts
- Fountains of Bellagio - choreographed water show with jets up to 460 ft
- Conservatory & Botanical Gardens with seasonal displays
- Fiori di Como - Dale Chihuly glass ceiling sculpture in the lobby
- Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art
- AAA Five Diamond hotel
- About 156,000 sq ft of gaming space (Wikipedia)
Visiting rules
Nevada law: you must be 21 or older to gamble or linger on the casino floor; government-issued photo ID is required for payouts and age checks
Dress code: No formal dress code is published for the casino floor
Age restrictions
Nevada law sets the gambling age at 21. Under-21s may walk through the casino with an adult but may not stop at machines or tables, and staff will ask them to move on. Government-issued photo ID is required for any payout and is routinely checked.
Responsible gambling
Gambling should remain entertainment. Local support in this jurisdiction: Nevada Council on Problem Gambling (1-800-522-4700). For travellers from Norway: Hjelpelinjen (800 800 40).
Sources: Wikipedia, operator website, hotel website. Links checked 2026-08-26.
Editor’s summary
Bellagio suits travellers who want the full Las Vegas spectacle with a European-style veneer: the fountains and the Conservatory are free, the restaurants are among the best on the Strip and the rooms are consistently rated Four-Star. The trade-offs are scale and cost - resort fees, long walks and a casino you cannot avoid. If you have never seen a Las Vegas megaresort, this is the one to see first.
