Shopping, dining and gaming are a standard at every Las Vegas resort, but never in the history of the town has it been as charming and relaxing as it is at the new MonteLago Village at Lake Las Vegas.

Located about 25 minutes east of the Strip off Lake Mead Drive, MonteLago Village is designed to resemble a quaint Italian seaside town, complete with cobblestone streets, village squares, and a small marina. Take some time to appreciate what the architects and builders have done here -- long, rambling, clay-tiled rooflines, jutting balconies and recessed terraces, trickling fountains, intricate stone- and woodwork, and a light-washed, candy-colored paint scheme that completes the faithful recreations of everything from Italianate villas to a rock-walled church.

According to my guide, each of the buildings was designed with a specific retail purpose in mind. For instance, certain spaces were intended to be clothing stores, so they built them with dressing rooms. Others were intended to be bakeries, so they included the ovens. Unlike most shopping facilities, which are one-size-fits-all and then converted to their eventual use, the shops and restaurants that make up MonteLago village were destined to be there long before an actual tenant was selected.

As of this writing, only about one-third of the shops and restaurants are open, but they give a clue as to the unique, boutique nature of the offerings. One store features exclusive perfume and cosmetics, while another has jewelry. A fine art salon is included, as is a golf apparel and accessories store to outfit you for the nearby championship courses. Apparel stores are featured also, but this is not the type of place where you'll find a Gap or Limited. By the time the whole thing is occupied in early 2004, there will be dozens of places to spend your hard-earned money.

Como (a casual steakhouse), Tutti Gelati for Italian ice cream, a candy store, and the omnipresent Starbucks round out the food-and-beverage options right now, but more is on the way.

Up the hill from the marina is the MonteLago Casino, a 50,000-square-foot facility with the latest slot and video poker action (all with ticket-in, ticket-out technology) and the usual table games (blackjack, craps, roulette, and three-card poker). It's much more subdued than most casinos, with the flashing lights and miles of neon kept to a minimum. Although I didn't actually win anything here, I liked the space and was especially impressed with the staff and dealers, all of whom were unfailingly polite and friendly.

If recreation is on your mind, there are sailboat and paddle-boat rentals, plus fly fishing, hiking and biking trails, and those championship golf courses in the neighborhood.

But the real draw, as far as I'm concerned, has less to do with the actual things to do and more with the overall experience. You've been up half the night gambling and drinking, seeing show after show, running from tigers to volcanoes, and you really could just use a break, couldn't you? Come take a stroll through the village and along pathways through gardens that line Lake Las Vegas. Even though it was microwave-oven hot the day I visited, I didn't mind the heat because the atmosphere of the whole place is so darned charming.

To get to MonteLago Village and Casino, take Interstate 15 (the freeway right next to the Strip) south to the 215 east, as if you're going to the airport. That will meander through the southern reaches of Las Vegas and eventually turn into Lake Mead Drive. Go another 6 miles or so and look for the signs pointing to Lake Las Vegas.

MonteLago Village and Casino
Lake Las Vegas Parkway
Henderson, Nevada
Store and restaurant hours vary
Casino open 24 hours
Vegas4Visitors Grade: A

This Week's Trivia

Q: Excalibur is the only major hotel-casino on the Strip whose name starts with the letter E. What letter of the alphabet starts the most, with 4 major hotel-casinos directly on the Strip starting with that letter? ANSWER

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