Luxury Casinos: Amid the newer additions to the Las Vegas Strip is the Encore Casino, a luxurious gambling paradise.

Located just next to the Wynn Hotel, the luxurious Encore faces Las Vegas Boulevard so that guests can easily access the casino.

Billing itself as "A casino that defies convention," the Encore is home to all your gambling favorites in a classically decorated atmosphere.

Roger Thomas, executive vice president of Wynn Design and Development, traveled the world to find just the right touches for each corner of the luxurious casino, drawing on historical and mythological influences.

He says, "Encore's Tower Suites are a refuge of sophisticated chic-simple in color, intricate in texture and layered in details that both read the elegance of tradition and forecast the drama of the future," said Thomas.

For example, the baccarat lounge is home to pocket doors adorned with a peacock motif embroidered in silk and metallic gold thread on gold and green silk, images borrowed from designs by James Abbott McNeill Whistler, an American-born, British- based artist who created the Peacock Room, which was deconstructed and is currently in the collection of the Freer Gallery of Art at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

The many table games offered at Encore include: Baccarat, Black Jack, Big 6 Caribbean Stud, Roulette, European Roulette, Let it Ride, Mini Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker and Casino War. Guest may also play Black Jack in the pool area as well.

If slots are favorites, then one of the 800 slot machines are sure to make you a winner. In addition to slot classics, Encore also offers exclusive slot machines, like the Windfall as well as updated favorites with more bells and whistles and bigger jackpots.

For poker players, Encore offers a special room devoted entirely to the game. With 26 tables, there is a poker game going on for all levels and all limits, from $4 tables to $200 and higher. Poker choices include Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Low and a variety of others. Real poker lovers will also enjoy the No Limit Hold'em Daily Tournaments at Wynn Las Vegas. If you're going to plan a trip to Sin City, consider the Wynn Classic, a 3-day tournament coming soon.

In addition to the games, you can also bet on current upcoming sporting events and races happening in the US.

Although the casino is the centerpiece of the resort, when you do manage to tear yourself away from the tables and slots, relax in the lavish spa, "a sanctuary of surpassing beauty." The large spa offers a stunning array of transformation rituals, massages, facials body treatments as well as a full-service salon. Designed by Todd-Avery Lenahan, principal of ABA Design Studio, the custom décor of the 70,000 square foot space is filled with potted palms and robust orchid beds, intricate sparkling walls of bronze mirror and champagne-colored Venetian glass chandeliers define the area as one of Encore's "must see" grand spaces.

At night, enjoy XS, a decadent nightclub devoted to giving guests a night of extravagance. For a more secluded evening, check out tryst and party by an amazing waterfall. For an arty vibe, Encore also offers Blush, with an onyx lit dance floor.

In addition to the clubs, Encore also offers an array of unique bars and lounges throughout the resort as well as five celebrated chefs creating unique dining experiences based on different international cuisines. From Asian to American, there is a dish for every palate. Each space has its own special feel, thanks to careful design details, including the Egyptian styled Host Lounge.

Guests can also enjoy Lenahan's touch in the guestrooms. Filled with modern furniture in a classic palette, guestrooms at the Encore contains the largest flat-screen television used in any standard guestroom in the U.S

For game fans, Encore is an elegant casino with all the extravagant amenities of a luxury resort and even more.

For LxM Carly Zinderman