An LA Times article about Sam Nazarian’s plan for a nearly-finished hotel he just acquired in Hollywood got me thinking that this could be a model for at least one of the towers at the Sahara–if things ever turn around enough to justify the renovation:
The former Palihouse, which Nazarian estimates is about 85% complete, is already different from traditional hotels. Its average room is 800 square feet and contains a kitchen, washer and dryer. The target customer is “a new generation of bohemian do-it-yourselfers,” Nazarian said, who are tired of “big box hotels that are over-designed and over-built.”
He hopes to attract guests in the entertainment industry who come to town to work on extended projects, he said.
“The size of the room and its apartment-like nature allows people to stay short term or long term,” Nazarian said. Room rates haven’t been set yet.via Sam Nazarian to take over, finish Hollywood hotel – latimes.com.
Could something like that work on the Strip? There are plenty of people who come to town for extended people and, if they have the budget, would want something on the Strip.
Nazarian’s SBE Entertainment owns the Sahara, and it’s no secret that it was going to be major-ly remodeled before the economy took its nosedive. From what I remember of the plans, they were premised on appealing to a similar demographic.
Maybe this is how Vdara or Veer Towers should be repositioned: an extended stay Strip option, with weekly rentals. No washers and driers that I know of in Vdara (I didn’t see all the suites), so laundry service would be an issue.