LAS VEGAS – Opening a hotel without a casino in this gambling mecca is something like building a "beach resort" in the Sahara Desert without a pool. Only a chain so secure in its brand, its impeccable service and its world-renowned amenities would even think of taking such a gamble.

So it should come as no surprise that Hong Kong-based Mandarin Oriental Group, owner of some of the most distinguished and unique hotels in the world, rolled the dice and built a casino-less resort right in the middle of the Las Vegas Strip.

And now, even the skeptics agree that MO Las Vegas is the best property, with or without a casino, in this glitter capital.

The high-end Asian chain hit the jackpot with its Las Vegas resort, mainly because it does not offer gambling. MO Las Vegas is an oasis of calm and gamblers just love it.

“I like staying here because it allows me to get away from the noise and bright lights of the casinos,” says the man with whom I’m sharing MO’s high-speed elevator.

“I can gamble all day and be pampered all night — and that makes me a winner,” says the stranger as we step into MO’s dazzling Sky Lobby, a visual delight that has few equals.

Looking past the charming receptionist and through the huge picture windows behind her, I see the Vegas Strip spread out until it meets the dramatic desert landscape that rings this fast-paced city.

“We have the best view of the Strip,” boasts the young woman as she hands me my keys and directs me to a set of guest elevators that take me down to my room — the 23rd floor lobby is the high point of this hotel and guest rooms are located below.

Gambling is never far away from MO Las Vegas, though. The crown jewel of CityCenter, a new entertainment and shopping complex, has a neighbour — the 4,000-room Aria Hotel — which offers one of the biggest casinos in town.

Above: The hotel's Asian-themed spa is one of the best in North America.

And MO is not the only hotel in Las Vegas void of gambling — the Four Seasons down the Strip and Vdara, another CityCenter occupant, do not have casinos on their premises either. (The Trump Hotel was denied a gaming license by the State of Nevada, so it also does not offer gambling at this time).

But what really makes a stay at MO Las Vegas unique is the things you get here that can’t be found anywhere else in town, like a five-star spa and a five-star restaurant — Twist.

“We’re the only triple five-star property in Las Vegas,” proudly proclaims Denise Randazzo, the director of marketing and communications for MO Las Vegas, a hotel that should be awarded a sixth star on good looks alone.

“We allow our guests to step back and take a deep breath because Las Vegas can be overwhelming at times,” says Randazzo, a veteran of the Las Vegas scene who helped Steve Wynn open several properties in Nevada and Macau.

There’s no better place for gamblers to unwind than in MO Las Vegas’ elegant holistic spa, which is staffed by America’s best therapists who have been trained in the “art” of massage therapy by spa director Jennifer Lynn.

Lynn, the one-time personal trainer for Wynn, was lured to the Mandarin Oriental because of the Asian chain’s “spa culture.”

“Mandarin Oriental gets it when it comes to spas,” says Lynn, a spa purist who travels frequently to Thailand, a country where massage therapy is a religion. Mandarin Oriental’s properties in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in northern Thailand are considered the best spa resorts in the world and Lynn’s aim is to get her facility included in that elite group.

“I go to Thailand to broaden my knowledge and what I learn there, I bring back to Las Vegas and share with my therapists, who in turn are able to give our guests the ultimate spa experience,” says the charming director. “It’s important that my staff have an appreciation for spa culture.”

My spa experience at MO Las Vegas begins with an introduction to JP, a soft-spoken attendant who welcomes me to the opulent men’s lounge with a cup of chilled chakra, a fruit-infused drink which, he tells me, “corresponds with the different-coloured chakras (energy centres) in the body.

“The theory is, if you consume food or drink the same colour as your chakra, the energy centres in your body will be strengthened and reinforced,” JP tells me as I sample the sweet-tasting tea.

Above: The Mandarin Oriental is a chic and trendy hotel.

“For example, red raspberries reinforce the red heart chakra and orange strengthens the orange-coloured solar plexus chakra, and so on.”

After enjoying MO’s state-of-the-art steam rooms, pools and hot tub, JP hands me over to my therapist Samantha, whose use of contemporary and ancient spa techniques soon has my body in a state of bliss.

Samantha, one of 25 therapists employed in the elegant facility that spans two floors of the hotel, tells me a “spa is more than a hotel amenity,” and talks glowingly of her time at MO Las Vegas where she says “it’s not just the guests who feel good about being here.”

Back in my palatial suite, which also offers jaw-dropping views of the Vegas Strip, I indulge in the incredible in-room amenities one comes to expect at a Mandarin Oriental property. Each of the 392 guestrooms features floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the glitter of Las Vegas beautifully and, as you’d expect in a property of this stature, come complete with cutting-edge entertainment systems.

But who wants to stay in their room when there are restaurants like Twist and MOzen Bistro to enjoy on property?

Twist, the five-star room governed by three-star Michelin Chef Pierre Gagnaire, stands out from the Strip’s over-hyped “celebrity chef” restaurants, where both the prices and food are hard to digest.

Gagnaire, a classically-trained French chef who also owns restaurants in London, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai and Korea, delights sophisticated palettes with dishes that awake the senses.

“I want to put emotion and intelligence into every one of my dishes,” says Gagnaire, whose tastefully decorated 23rd floor room serves up classic French cuisine with a modern spin.

MOzen Bistro stays true to the hotel’s Asian roots by offering up dishes perfected in Japan, China and Thailand. At night, MOzen transforms into Bento and features Japanese cuisine inspired by the traditional bento boxes.

After savouring the culinary delights MO Las Vegas offers, guests usually drift into the 82-seat Mandarin Bar off the Sky Lobby to watch the dazzling neon light show along the Strip.

There’s no doubt in my mind that the biggest winners in Las Vegas are those who stay at the Mandarin Oriental.

Information
– MO Vegas is located at 3752 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas.

– Room rates start around $200 U.S. a night but watch for specials.

– The hotel sits right next to Las Vegas’ best high-end shopping centre.

– To make a reservation, go to Mandarin Oriental's Website.

– Air Canada and WestJet have regular daily service to Las Vegas.