Part of the enigma of the USA is that there is a Comic code that ensures moral values are upheld by comic heroes of legendary violence, and similarly in Nevada gambling and prostitution may be legal in some counties, but the licensed gaming is balanced by local laws prohibiting children under 18 on the gaming floor, supplemented by a ‘curfew’ on youngsters that puts them off the streets after ten at night. This underlying morality code may be why when entering the Wynn the guest is not immediately confronted with the gaming floor, which is hidden behind banks of planting and trees, althogh this does create a sense of discovery when it is entered - a piece of theatre within the theatre.

Reaching bedroom floors from reception means walking across the gaming floor via a wide carpeted walkway. A walkway also leads across it into the ‘Esplanade’, where there are restaurants, more shops and which leads to the meeting and conference rooms. With over 220,000 square feet of conferencing given the number of users the design here is important in that it needs to carry a sense of place and comfort whilst enabling the masses to move. It makes an interesting contrast with corridors leading to the Sands conference and exhibition areas which are by comparison institutional in feel - here the detailing, size of the plasterwork, the ornate plasterwork in the ceiling create a visual busyness that successfully combats the emptiness that many such large circulation spaces otherwise can carry.

Careful design ensures that lift lobbies feel a comfortable size. Split into two lobbies the focal point is the large floral display between them. The bedroom floors also have set pieces whilst the curve of the floor plan, means sight lines down the corridors are short avoiding any tunnel effect by disguising distance and removing perspective.

The standard bedrooms are large. Floor to ceiling windows with electrically operated curtains and sheers make the most of the views. Bathrooms are large with a separate w.c. and two wash hand basins, a soaking tub and separate shower. The overall effect is strangely average, because despite the generosity of space the casegoods lack finesse, the artwork looks cheap and the color, whilst it is there it is not as effectively used as in the public areas. Some of this may be down to the lack of cornices, but it is more likely an overall lack of subtlety – a lack of fineness in the furniture for example.

"Part of the enigma of the USA is that there is a Comic code that ensures moral values are upheld by comic heroes of legendary violence"

In the suites the design works better, and again this is because of the large scale. With their own treatment rooms for spa treatments and massages, large bedrooms, huge lounges with a bar etc. these are very generous spaces. Looking at both standard bedrooms and the suites it is no wonder US tourists feel ripped off when they come to Europe – it is rare that European hotels are developed to allow room sizes on this scale.