The Cosmopolitan vs ARIA (Which Las Vegas Hotel is Best?)
Suppose you’re planning a trip to Las Vegas and trying to decide between staying at The Cosmopolitan or the ARIA Resort & Casino. In that case, it’s important to know the differences between these two properties in order to choose the best hotel for your stay. So, how does a trendy hotel like The Cosmopolitan compare to the high-end luxury of the ARIA Resort & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip?
The Cosmopolitan is the right choice if you want a luxury hotel with a room that has an outdoor balcony overlooking the Strip. While ARIA is the best choice for those wanting to experience luxury in an ultra-modern property with a vibrant party scene. Both hotels have a prime location on the Vegas Strip.
The Cosmopolitan and the ARIA Resort & Casino are both 5-star hotels located in the heart of The Strip in Las Vegas. The Cosmopolitan aims for a feeling of private urban residence with luxury features, while ARIA prides itself on being technologically advanced with very modern architecture and amenities.
Both properties offer an impressive amount of services and features, so how do you choose between these hotels for your next trip to Las Vegas?
We’re going to compare The Cosmopolitan vs ARIA based on the criteria that is important to most guests when choosing a Las Vegas hotel. By the end of this article, you will know which of these Las Vegas hotels is the one for you.
First, let’s quickly compare The Cosmopolitan and ARIA at a glance in the tables below.
| Category | The Cosmopolitan | ARIA |
|---|---|---|
| Room Price | From $147 per night | From $125 per night |
| Resort Fees | $45 per day before taxes | $45 per day before taxes |
| Parking Fees | Free Self-Parking & Valet for hotel guests | Self-Parking: $18 daily Valet: $30 – $35 daily |
| Location | Busy mid-Strip area | Busy mid-Strip area |
| Major Shows | None | None |
| Pools | – The Chelsea Pool – Boulevard Pool | – 3 full-size pools + 21 and up pool club at Liquid within the property |
| Spas | – Sahra Spa | – The Spa at ARIA |
| Nearby Attractions | – Bellagio Fountains – Eiffel Tower | – ARIA Fine Art Collection – The Shops at Crystals – Skybar at the Waldorf Astoria |
- Name: The Cosmopolitan (aka The Cosmo)
- Address: 3708 S Las Vegas Blvd
- Casino Floor: 110,000 sq ft.
- Year Built: 2010
- Number of Rooms: 3,027
- Check Current Room Rates
- Name: ARIA Resort & Casino
- Address: 3730 S Las Vegas Blvd
- Casino Floor: 150,000 sq ft.
- Year Built: 2009
- Number of Rooms: 4,004
- Check Current Room Rates
The Cosmo vs ARIA: Standard Room Comparison
Both hotels have a selection of different room layouts available, however, for comparison’s sake, we’re going to compare what is considered to be the standard room for each hotel.
The Cosmopolitan: City Room QQ
The standard room at The Cosmopolitan is called the City Room QQ. With 460 sq. ft. of living space, and two queen beds, this room works well for up to four people traveling together and is great for families with kids.
The room comes decked out with the latest technology, including sophisticated entertainment systems. You’ll find a plasma-screen television that includes access to personal subscription services like Netflix and Pandora, as well as high-speed Wi-Fi.
In addition, each room comes with a large luxury-style bathroom with a double sink vanity so multiple people can be getting ready for a night out on the town at the same time.
The City Room has large floor-to-ceiling windows (some of the City Rooms have smaller windows depending on availability) with views of the surrounding city and mountains, but it is the only level of room at The Cosmo not to have a balcony.
One of the greatest features of many of the rooms at The Cosmopolitan is that they come with an expansive outdoor terrace with gorgeous views of the Strip (including a spectacular Bellagio Fountain view).
The Cosmo is the only major resort on the Strip to have balconies in the majority of its rooms (2,200 rooms out of 3,027 rooms have balconies), but in order to get a balcony, you’ll need to step up to the next sized room the Terrace Studio room for about $40 more per night (in my opinion the views are worth it!).
| The Cosmopolitan | ARIA |
|---|---|
| City Room QQ: – 460 ft² (42.7 m²) – Two Queen beds – Flat-screen plasma TV – In-room wifi – Floor-to-ceiling windows with city view – Cozy seating area with two chairs – Desk – Luxurious bathroom w/ dual vanity sink – Shower or bathtub – High-end technology controls amenities throughout the room – Max guests, 4 | Deluxe King: – 520 ft² (48.3 m²) – 1 King bed w/ 300 thread count linens – 42″ (106cm) LCD HD TV – In-room wifi – Floor-to-ceiling windows – Seating area with two chairs – Desk – Dual vanity bathroom sink – Soaking tub – One-touch technology controls lighting, curtains, music, wake-up – Max guests, 3 |
ARIA: Deluxe King Room
ARIA Las Vegas is an ultra-luxury hotel featuring beautiful modern glass architecture throughout and is the largest hotel in the world to have received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for meeting green building standards.
Highlights of the room include 520 sq. ft. of living space, a large king-sized bed (triple sheeted with 300 thread count linens), a desk, and a comfortable seating area. These rooms have stunning views of the city and/or the Strip from huge floor-to-ceiling windows. They all include a stocked mini-bar, expressive artwork, and an in-room safe.
The ARIA is particularly proud of its high-tech amenities, which include a 42-inch LCD television and a room control system to customize surroundings like curtains, lighting, and temperature. Each room has a 10″ tablet (similar to an iPad) to control each one of these features.
You can sit on the bed while using the tablet to control the lighting throughout the room, automatically open and close the blackout window curtains, change the thermostat, and control the television.
In addition to the room-wide wifi connection, the room also has a panel with connection ports for gaming consoles, MP3 players, DVD players, and laptops.
The bathrooms come with plush robes, 100% cotton linens, dual granite vanities, a shower with a bench, and a luxury soaking tub.
Casinos: The Cosmopolitan or ARIA
Both hotels have large casinos on their properties, with ARIA’s casino being slightly larger.
ARIA Casino
ARIA, as befits a mega-resort in Las Vegas, has an on-site casino with 150,000 sq feet of gaming floor that includes slots, table games, and a race and sports book.
The ARIA casino is different from traditional Las Vegas casino designs, however, because the architecture allows for natural light to enter through skylights and exterior windows (It’s strange but nice to see natural light in a casino!)
The Cosmopolitan Casino
The Cosmo, on the other hand, has a slightly smaller 110,000 sq foot casino where you’ll find slots, casino tournaments and events, table games, and a sportsbook. You can join the Identity Membership & Rewards program to receive points for every $1 spent in the casino and get exclusive offers to use in the casino, poolside, and other areas of the hotel.
The Cosmopolitan & ARIA: Bars and Lounges
Both The Cosmopolitan and ARIA have numerous bars and lounges scattered throughout their properties. You’ll never go hungry or thirsty at either resort, but knowing a little about the venues available may help narrow your decision a bit.
The Cosmopolitan Bars & Lounges
There are plenty of different bars and lounges here with their own themes and highlights. The largest is The Chandelier which houses three lounges over three levels. This famous bar is actually located inside a giant three-story crystal chandelier! It has elements of a playground, art exhibit, and cocktail haven all in one!
Other lounges at The Cosmo include:
- Ghost Donkey – is a secret Mezcal & Tequila Lounge – which features snacks and drinks with a Mexican flavor.
- The Barbershop Cuts and Cocktails – the front is a barber shop, with a Prohibition-era lounge in the back with vintage cocktails and whiskey.
- Vesper Bar – a modern lounge offering sophisticated cocktails in style.
- Marquee Nightclub & Dayclub – a large event space featuring world-famous DJs, several dance floors, and a pool deck. This is where the party happens!
- CliQue – avant-garde, high-end lounge filled with stylish people. It serves artisanal cocktails and small plate dishes served in a swanky environment.
- Race & Sports Book – it serves unexpected dishes and cocktails and has views of the LED screens displaying horse races and sporting events.
ARIA Bars & Lounges
ARIA also offers many different bars and lounges throughout the hotel, including:
- Lift Bar – open 24/7 and serving signature cocktails in a relaxed setting.
- Lobby Bar – this comfortable bar is the perfect place to chill before heading to dinner or out for the evening.
- Gem Bar – is a modern bar serving craft beers and organic cocktails in the heart of the casino floor.
- Sports Bar – has comfortable lounges surrounded by TVs displaying sports games in every direction.
- Baccarat Lounge – a relaxing and luxurious lounge offering an intimate bar experience along with some classic jazz.
- High Limit Lounge – you can enjoy a cocktail and play a high-stakes game here at the same time.
- LIQUID Pool Lounge – an adult-only pool lounge that offers live DJs and a day-club experience.
Here’s a link to an article on our website with much more information about each of the bars and lounges at Aria.
Restaurants and Dining: ARIA vs Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan and ARIA each have a multitude of restaurants and cuisines available in-house. Each resort has a wide range of dining options available to suit different budgets and occasions.
Restaurants at The Cosmopolitan
The Cosmopolitan has a very large selection of restaurants and dining options, including:
- Overlook Grill – adjacent to the Boulevard Pool, this casual dining area serves breakfast, brunch, and lunch.
- Wicked Spoon – serving multicultural cuisine that