The Suite Life: Charity’s holiday tour gives residents peek at high-end Vegas

Las Vegas is a town in which the top floors of nearly every tall building is near-bursting with over-the-top opulence, but few people who live here ever see them. Once a year, a local charity raises funds by allowing people to experience what Robin Leach called "champagne wishes and caviar dreams."

"We were looking for a way to add a new special event to our roster, and we always try to look for something unique," said Jodi Manzella, chief operating officer of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada. "A lot of cities, including Las Vegas, do a parade of homes. We thought, 'Why not do suites?', and so we created Suite Holidays."

The event took off, and the fifth annual Suite Holidays event took place on Dec. 5. Participants paid $200 each for a seven-hour tour of five high-end hotel suites and the High Roller observation wheel. This year, the suites on the tour were at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, the Palms, Paris Las Vegas, The Venetian and the Westgate.

Participants could start the tour at any of the six locations, and at each stop, they were greeted with food and drinks, including a special alcoholic libation. The organizers provide shuttle buses between the locations because the potables are indeed potent. The event ran from 3 to 10 p.m., and the provided food changed throughout the event. At the start, hors d'oeuvres were offered, and as night approached, light dinner items were switched in, followed by dessert in the later hours.

All of the funds raised go to the charity. Thanks to the generosity of the hotels and Junior Achievement board members with connections there, the food and beverages were provided by the properties, and rental fees were waived.

"The funds raised by the event enable Junior Achievement to accomplish our mission to provide programming to students grades K-12 with an emphasis on business and financial literacy, economics, workforce readiness and entrepreneurship," Manzella said. "We take volunteers from the community, and we give them a set of activities and lessons. They go into the classroom, teach these concepts to kids and inspire them at the same time."

Junior Achievement is an international organization, established in 1919. The Las Vegas branch was started in 1996.

The tour treated participants to stunning views of the city and luxury amenities of the suites usually seen only by the rich and/or famous. At the Palms, participants saw a rotating circular bed, floor-to-ceiling windows and a glass-walled pool hanging out beyond the walls of the hotel. The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas bedroom included a hanging chair, and the suite had an open-air balcony overlooking the Bellagio's fountains. The Venetian suite had a workout room, a sauna and a walk-through closet. Each suite was unique, but they shared a spectacular elegance.

The guests ranged from professionals to Internet entrepreneurs to visitors looking for an unusual experience on their vacation. Several were repeat customers, as the suites on the tour change each year.

"It's good to see parts of Vegas we don't normally see," said Dr. Ren Zhang, who was doing the Suite Holidays tour with his wife, Kari. "The town relies on its service industry, and a lot of people work to serve the guests. With this tour, we get to see what the guests see while supporting a good cause."

The Zhangs were most impressed with the suite at the Westgate this year, which they said was one of the most impressive they had seen in the three years they've been doing Suite Holidays.

"It was the size and the extravagance that was so impressive," Kari Zhang said. "Even though the decor is an older style, it was overwhelming. How many bathtubs do you need in one bathroom? You needed instruction for the shower heads."

She wasn't exaggerating. At least one of the showers had multiple shower heads and handles and carefully written instructions on how to use them. The suite also included an enclosed outdoor patio with a pool, a large bar and a huge living room suite with a grand piano. Like several of the suites, a pianist was on hand, performing songs for the guests' enjoyment.

This year's holiday event netted $72,000 for the organization. Manzella said JA plans to have the event return next year, probably in early December again. Next year's participating hotels and suites have not yet been picked, but as it will be the local branch of the charity's 20th anniversary, it's likely to be even more impressive than previous years.

"We may just have to do something special for that," Manzella said.

Visit jalasvegas.org or call 702-214-0500.

— To reach East Valley View reporter F. Andrew Taylor, email ataylor@viewnews.com or call 702-380-4532.