Hotel Review Of Vegas’ Swanky New Hidden Gem You’ve Probably Never Heard Of

The ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas – A First Look

With so many hotels in Las Vegas, it can be difficult to choose a best option. I’ve managed to snag some of my cheapest-ever hotel stays while in the city of Lost Wages. The ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas marks one of my few award stays in town. The brand-new property is part of the Marriott Tribute Portfolio, and with it’s interesting style and atypical Las Vegas location, I figured it is a great candidate for a comprehensive review.

Booking the New Todd English Hotel

I was initially disappointed when I started looking for hotel options for an April meetup in Las Vegas. Prices were higher than pretty much any other time I’ve visited. The most budget-friendly option seemed to be the Hyatt Place near the airport on points. I have no FHR credits like Benjy.

However, with two Marriott certificates to burn, I decided to check the Bonvoy availability, not expecting anything appealing. Then the ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas popped up in the list, for exactly 50,000 points per night. Too perfect?

The hotel is brand-new, which is why I’d never seen it in any previous search for Las Vegas hotels. At time of booking, it wasn’t even open. With going rates of $249 per night and no resort fees (unlike many other properties in town), I decided to bite. Prices would increase to $499 per night by the time I arrived, making Marriott Bonvoy free night certificates an excellent choice for the 2-night stay.

ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas: Initial Impressions

The ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas sits in the Arts District, halfway between the north end of the Strip and Fremont Street, an unusual location for a hotel. I arrived at the hotel on foot, walking from the Fremont Street area.

The hotel is a brand-new development in an area that is going through revitalization. With its four-floor height and just 74 rooms, it is quite unique among Las Vegas hotels. The exterior art at the hotel helps it fit right into the neighborhood.

You enter the hotel from either Main Street or 1st Street. The lobby is small, which should be expected for a property as boutique as The ENGLiSH Hotel. There’s all-day coffee and fruit-infused water offered across from the front desk. To one side is a small, inviting area if hanging out in the lobby is your thing.

Check-in went smoothly. I could tell the staff are new and are still figuring out the system, but they were friendly and upbeat. Welcoming staff plus the great hotel color and design made me eager about the rest of the stay.

What I didn’t expect (and would never expect to see at a domestic hotel) was a small board welcoming all their Bonvoy elites to the hotel. I bet this gets old quickly and the hotel drops the gesture.

Branding Everywhere

One thing’s for sure: you won’t ever forget you’re at The ENGLiSH Hotel while you’re there. From welcome mat to hallways, elevator to towels, Todd English’s name is everywhere. Yes, it’s even on the toilet paper.

I’m getting ahead of myself, though. More on the odd bathroom design in a minute.

I was given a room on the second floor. There are only four floors to the hotel, which means nothing has much of a view. The best view is honestly out the end of the stylish and well-lit hallway where you can see the Strat is the distance It’s a reminder of The ENGLiSH Hotel’s unique location in Las Vegas.

Standard Deluxe Room

When I booked my stay, I noticed how small The ENGLiSH Hotel rooms are at just 235 square feet. This is well below average, and tiny when compared to some of the rooms you can get at comparable hotels on the Strip.

For a small room, though, it’s nice. The floor-to-ceiling windows let in tons of light, the bed is comfortable, and I loved the style of the furnishings. I could pass on the art that was chosen, but the colors fit the room.

The corner chair is the only place to sit in the room aide from the bed. This leads me to my primary complaint about the room: its lack of a desk. This is a hotel amenity I expect and need. Luckily, I didn’t have much work to do while in Las Vegas, but working on a laptop from bed or a chair is not my thing. Desks should be a given.

You do have quiet the bar cart. Not every day you find this in a hotel room.

Both the nightstands and their contents are super cool as well. Kudos to whoever designed The ENGLiSH Hotel.

Things get either awesome or awkward once you head into the bathroom. It has a simple, clean design that I found very appealing. The shower is one of those half-wall/door designs I dislike, but this one worked better than any other I’ve used. Which means the bathroom did not end up soaked, nor did the shower flood the bathroom.

The awkward part is that the bathroom is completely see-through. The glass has some heavy tinting on the outside, so when the bathroom lights are off, it’s difficult to see inside. But when the lights are on, you can see everything, including someone on the toilet. The bed also offers front-row seats to whoever happens to be showering.

My first thought was that this hotel is utterly impossible choice with kids. But that’s a non-issue, as guests at The ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas must be 21+.

I’m not a fan of the new wall-mounted soap and shampoo many hotels offer these days, but what they have stocked here is one of the best I’ve used.

The towels provide yet another reminder of where you’re staying, lest you forget for even a moment.

Not much of a view from the second floor. Not that things would be all that much better from the fourth (top) floor. The east side of the hotel should offer the better views.

Overall take on the room: small and missing a desk, but great style and design.

Eating at The Pepper Club

One might have expected for the restaurant to be called The ENGLiSH by Todd English. But no. The hotel offers The Pepper Club, which is open for all three meals. The restaurant is partially detached from the hotel and much larger than you’d expect for a 74-room establishment, which tells me it’s trying to establish itself in its own right.

Here’s the restaurant seen from 1st Street.

The Pepper Club has both indoor and outdoor seating. Outdoors was perfect on this April morning. I can’t imagine this will be the popular choice in midsummer, but it was among guests during my stay.

The indoor design is excellent as well, with an island bar, a handful of tables, and a few cool booths along one wall. At one end past the two-person high-top tables is a garage-style door that opens to the outside.

As a Bonvoy Platinum member, I was offered both a $10 per day food and beverage credit and daily breakfast. I’d thought this would be an either-or, but the hotel made it clear that I would receive both. The breakfast credit will cover the $12 American breakfast.

The weekend brunch menu is a bit different than the weekday breakfast menu with a handful more options.

For a hotel breakfast, this is one of the best I’ve had in a while. Great coffee, perfectly cooked scrambled eggs, quality bacon, and a delicious hash brown cake. Service the first day was forgettable, but the two restaurant staff working Sunday morning were downright fantastic.

I ended up having a late night snack right before The Pepper Club closed on Saturday night. The lunch and dinner menu featuring Japanese cuisine is not what I expected. I hope it’s a hit in the Arts District. The sushi was good, but prices are a bit high, especially when I know I can get good sushi at Tekka Hand Roll inside the Cosmo for about half of what I paid here.

A couple things to note about eating at The Pepper Club at the ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas: you’ll be hit with both a minimal venue fee and an automatic gratuity. The hotel does not charge a resort fee, which is a huge plus. But be aware of these charges when eating.

The Pepper Club also serves in-room dining, offering a sub-selection of their regular menu.

Pool

Across from The Pepper Club is the hotel pool, which is about the size you’d expect for a boutique hotel. The outdoor area looks nice, although I didn’t spend any time there. Not once did I see anyone in the pool or poolside during the stay. With a lot of great pools in Vegas, this is not a major selling feature of The ENGLiSH Hotel.

The ENGLiSH Hotel Arts District Location

If there is one thing that will either be a major selling point or total non-starter, it’s the location of The ENGLiSH Hotel. I wasn’t even aware of Las Vegas’ Arts District until this trip. The hotel sits right in the middle.

Sandwiched between the Fremont Street area and the north end of the Strip, it’s a revitalized commercial-industrial neighborhood filled with bistros, bars, and art galleries. And lots of street art. Lots.

The quiet compared to the Strip, is a major plus, in my opinion. Walking or jogging in the Arts District is also like 10 times better. I enjoyed the street art and loved Vesta Coffee Roasters, the one coffee shop I visited.

Getting Around Vegas

Now the tough part. If you want to get to either the Strip or Fremont Street, The ENGLiSH Hotel isn’t convenient. Fremont Street is a 15-20 minute walk, and unless you’re there during the scorching summer heat, I’d opt to walk.

The Strip is a different story. I jogged to The Strat, which is just over a mile away. So, unless you really love walking, getting anywhere on the Strip by foot is not gonna happen. Rideshare will be necessary. Alternatively, you can ride the Deuce, which has a stop a block from The ENGLiSH Hotel. At $8 for a 24-hour bus pass, this made enough sense for part of my stay.

For those who need to be in the middle of the action, you’ll probably hate the hotel. If you want to avoid the insanity of Las Vegas, but still be in Vegas, this is your sorta place.

Final Review: The ENGLiSH Hotel Las Vegas

If you’re in the mood for a low-key stay away from the buzz and activity of The Strip, then add The ENGLiSH Hotel to your Las Vegas list. The comfortable rooms (keep in mind the bathroom!), excellent breakfast, quiet location, and great staff made it my favorite Las Vegas stay ever. I’ll happily stay here again, even suffering through the lack of a desk.

Disclosure: Miles to Memories has partnered with CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Miles to Memories and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers.

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