In Las Vegas, it’s not uncommon for a nightlife concept to be scrapped when it gathers dust, to be quietly shuffled offstage and replaced by something shinier and with a little less age on it. But this is not always the case.
Ghostbar opened along with the Palms Casino Resort in 2001, a sort of nightlife spaceship-cum-treehouse perched 55 stories above the Strip. As part of the property-wide $50-million renovation this year, though, Ghostbar received a top-to-bottom makeover, giving the 12-year-old club a more sophisticated, age-appropriate wardrobe in a color scheme of white, black and fuchsia.
The former furnishings have been replaced with sexy high-back, black leather settees. Wainscoting and crown molding details were added to the walls and ceiling to give the room a more upscale, finished appearance. And with the addition of Murano-style chandeliers and a fireplace nook filled with candles, Ghostbar has essentially become the party apartment of your dreams. Additional new features include a more centrally located DJ booth — a damask-patterned acrylic booth, to be exact. This move of bringing the beat maker into the limelight is seen throughout the city now that DJs are not merely providing the soundtrack to your night, but are themselves an attraction.
Beyond Ghostbar’s 14-foot floor-to-ceiling doors, or the wraparound skydeck overlooking the Strip, secondary bars have been moved out of the way to afford unobstructed views. And better banquette seating arrangements create more general admission space, yet another burgeoning movement in Las Vegas.
Ghostbar opens at 8 p.m. for guests who want to enjoy happy hour, the view and open seating. At 10 p.m., the lounge transitions into a nightclub with bottle service and DJs spinning Top 40, pop and hip-hop. But nighttime is not the only right time here. Ghostbar opens at 1 p.m. on Saturdays (while the pool activities are on hiatus) for GBDC (Ghostbar Dayclub), a high-energy experience featuring themes, costumes, adult-friendly piñatas, high-end beer bongs and go-go dancers.
While the bar itself did not receive a physical makeover, the drink menu did, and it now includes an all-rosé Champagne cocktail menu by Southern Wine & Spirits mixologist and spirits educator J.R. Starkus featuring Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé Champagne. The creations include takes on the classic Bellini and margarita, floral notions such as the Rosé Garden (Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé, Skyy Infusions passion fruit, spritz of rose water) and Hibiscus Dancer (Perrier-Jouët Blason Rosé, Absolut Vanilla, St-Germain, hibiscus flower), and one more out-there idea, the Thorny Pear, which marries Champagne with Fireball whisky. “Sometimes cocktails are an accident and sometimes you get lucky,” Starkus says. “This was a combination of both!”
Photos Courtesy of Palms Resort Casino
