New Linq Hotel & Casino redefines Vegas’ center

Not too long ago, you may have found yourself schlepping past this stretch of the Strip without even turning your head. Now, good luck suppressing a “wow!”

In October, the former Quad Resort & Casino reopened as the tastefully reinvented The Linq Hotel & Casino, adjacent to the Linq Promenade and in the center of Sin City’s nightlife. When fully complete next year, The Linq will feature 2,253 rooms, 244 suites and 28 cabana rooms with private access to the all-new pool area. Since opening, it’s become a magnet for trendsetters and partiers alike.

The hotel’s fresh urban aura defies Vegas stereotypes and builds on the property’s theme. “With the Linq, we pioneered the creation of a new type of experience for the Las Vegas visitor,” said Tariq Shaukat, executive vice president and CCO of Caesars Entertainment. “The Linq Hotel & Casino continues this groundbreaking approach -- a ‘Vegas original’ socially minded resort at the heart of the Strip.”

The standard Linq room features a clean, contemporary aesthetic with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the city or the iconic 550-foot High Roller observation wheel. Uniquely cool touches include complimentary board game delivery to rooms, curated Spotify playlists piped through in-room audio and easy connectivity thanks to a cutting-edge television-based ordering system, Sonifi.

The upbeat Linq Hotel & Casino includes table games like roulette and craps, a car-themed Winner’s Circle and the exciting Big Six wheel.

With so much going on at the open-air Linq Promenade, there’s no need for Linq guests to worry about taxis or shuttles during their stay.

Eat at Guy Fieri’s new Vegas Kitchen & Bar, the charismatic chef’s first Vegas restaurant. The “twisted farm food” of Hash House a go go remains, as do the scrumptious eats, sublime tequilas and “sexiest bull on the Strip” at Chayo Mexican Kitchen + Tequila Bar.

The unforgettable bowling and live music combo that is Brooklyn Bowl, an offshoot of the NYC location, was dubbed “one of the most incredible places on earth” by Rolling Stone.

The hotel’s new lobby bar, 3535, has a loungey vibe with deejays, wine taps and a 35-item infusion cocktail menu, Vegas’ first. O’Sheas casino and pub offers a fresh take on the shenanigans of its original location. Meanwhile,

Tag Sports Bar revolutionizes gaming with digital casino games, including a must-play hologram blackjack table.

Truly a day-night attraction, the walkable area is also a shopper’s paradise, featuring celeb-endorsed boutique Kitson, the novel Polaroid Fotobar, go-to hat shop Goorin Brothers and many other boutiques and outlets.

Overlooking this (and the desert and mountains beyond) the cornerstone High Roller delivers an exhilarating perspective during its 30-minute revolutions. Recently voted as one of the top places to take a “selfie” by Travel + Leisure, the wheel has become a crucial “done that” for any visitor.

-Paul Rogers, Brand Publishing Writer