New Las Vegas Hotel For Cannabis Lovers Joins World’s Largest Dispensary

Elevations Hotels and Resorts has the notion of getting high built into its name, and in big travel news, the Arizona-based group is bringing it unique form of hospitality to Las Vegas this spring. The company describes its brand ethos as “focused on creating modern, contemporary and intimate experiences. Daringly designed, yet incredibly down to earth, each destination sets out to inspire a travelers inner adventurer spirit through enticing dining offerings, technology-centric amenities, cannabis-inclusive atmospheres, and a lifestyle-driven membership offering access to perks, events, community, and more.”

To date, the company’s small portfolio includes some lower profile properties throughout the Southwest including a Motel 6 in Tucson, a few Best Westerns, a few Greentree Inns, and most notably, the historic Clarendon Hotel & Spa in Phoenix, which claims to be Arionna’s first cannabis-friendly hotel.

But the company’s new flagship will be The Lexi in Las Vegas, already home to several major dispensaries. After becoming the nation’s top choice for live entrainment tourism, culinary tourism, gaming tourism and most recently spectator sports tourism (read more about Las Vegas’ unique appeal to traveling sports fans here), Sin City seems to be cementing its grip on cannabis tourism. It is already home to Planet 13, a retail giant that claims to be the world’s largest dispensary – and a tourist attraction in its own right.

Self-described as the Planet13 SuperStore Entertainment Complex, it includes a Mexican-American bar and restaurant with specialty cocktails, a cannabis wedding venue, and in true Vegas style, a number of immersive attractions, such as laser art, 3D visual experience, LED interactive floor, water feature, aerial orb and of course, a robot show. But now, if you stay at the new Lexi, you don’t even have to bother visiting the retailer, which delivers its cannabis, as well as its food (the latter through GrubHub).

Elevations is in the process of converting its existing Artisan Hotel into The Lexi, scheduled to be completed sometime in April, just three months away (the Artisan is remaining in operation during the process). The result of the multi-million dollar rebrand and redesign will be a 64-room boutique hotel that will be the first in Las Vegas to introduce the idea of cannabis-friendly hospitality. All guest rooms and suites have been completely redone and are essentially new, including an entire fourth floor that will be designated cannabis-friendly. On this level, each room features a state-of-the-art RestorAir filtration system that employs Advanced Oxidation Cell (AOC) technology. It’s worth noting that the rest of the hotel is not for smoking and Elevation seeks to normalize the idea of cannabis in travel, The Lexi is also focused on creating a premium hospitality concept for all guests.

Other additions include an all-new culinary and cocktail program, with a Cajun-inspired steakhouse concept helmed by Executive Chef Jordan Savell, Season 19 Hell’s Kitchen finalist (Celebrity Chef Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant, inspired by the hit TV show, is also found here in Vegas, at Caesars Palace). There’s also the new Artisan Bar & Lounge, The upgraded Lexi Pool (with a spring/summer pool party season designed to provide a “high-energy good time”) with outdoor bar, and a new grand lobby that welcomes guests as well as locals seeking a fun place to hang out. The lobby was designed to be the nucleus of The Lexi social scene, transforming for live music and intimate entertainment concepts, with high-ceilings, an indoor water feature, and a walk-up cafe that will offer breakfast, late night treats and cocktail service.

The Lexi will also offer a membership initiative as part of the brand’s Elevations Nation program, a community “for individuals with a wanderlust mindset, cannabis enthusiasm, and taste for new experiences.” Members will enjoy invitations to inclusive events, wellbeing activities and more.

Elevations president and CEO Alex Rizk said (via release), “The Lexi allows the Elevations Hotels and Resorts brand to truly showcase our commitment to creating a new type of hotel concept that is defined not only by our acceptance and normalization of cannabis in the hospitality space, but also by our dedication to reclaim storied properties and transform them for the modern-day travelers. With The Lexi our goal is to provide guests with something truly new in Las Vegas.”

The Lexi is located a few blocks west of the northernmost end of The Strip (Las Vegas Boulevard) on West Sahara, the cross street just below the Strat casino hotel, the last Strip property before entering the eclectic Las Vegas Arts District and then Downtown (“Old Las Vegas”). It is not a great pedestrian location, but one highlight for those who get hungry while enjoying the elevated experience is that it is very close (easily walked) to the iconic Golden Steer Steakhouse, a Sinatra hangout that is also one of my favorite eateries in Vegas, an independent restaurant among the oldest in the city, with a great atmosphere and delicious food.

It’s also a very good location for exploring many top off-Strip attractions, including interactive arts and entertainment district Area 15, the amazing, one-of-a-kind, “Must-See” Lost Spirits distillery cum theme park (if you go you’ll thank me), immersive arts collaborative Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart attraction, as well as Downtown, the Arts District and related attractions such as the fantastic Neon Museum, Freemont Street Experience, Downtown Container Park and Mob Museum.