A $415 million renovation of the Sahara Hotel, the SLS Las Vegas features more than 1,600 rooms in three towers. Creative Director Philippe Starck and global architects Gensler conceptualized every element of the guestrooms, restaurants, and social atmospheres inside this lifestyle-driven resort from SBE. The Lux Tower occupies the Sahara’s old Alexander Tower, which was built in the early 1960s. During the total revamp, SBE’s development team, led by Joe Faust, gutted the building down to the concrete structure in order to create an all-suite product. To gain the additional space, they took every three guestrooms and constructed two. They also modernized the exterior by removing balconies and replacing them with a new curtain wall system. “In the Lux Tower, we didn’t have huge budgets, so we tried to give people a little bit of a different sense of luxury,” Faust says. “We didn’t have the money to put in marble and millwork everywhere, but that is of less importance to this generation, the younger demographic that SLS Hotels typically appeal to.”
Life’s Rich Tapestry
Ghost-like tapestry wall coverings, manufactured in Paris, feature a cameo of a queen above the headboard. Her yellow hair and pink lips add a splash of Warhol-esque color. “The whole tapestry idea goes back to the SLS South Beach,” Faust says. “Starck thought it would be softer and give the room a different appearance. The tapestries basically become your artwork and your wall covering.”
Instagram Moments
Another carryover from the SLS South Beach, ceiling mirrors above the beds have been a huge hit with guests. “It’s become an Instagram society and people take pictures and do all sorts of fun stuff,” Faust says. “We’ve gotten more people talking about the mirrors on the ceiling than anything else.”
Take a Peek
Peek-a-boo showers—with fabric flaps or, in some cases, mini blinds for those who prefer a sense of privacy—add to the playful, cheeky tone of the design. “It’s got a little bit of sexiness to it,” Faust says.
