One of the few things you would expect to encounter on a trip to Las Vegas is getting in trouble for smoking weed. Not only is cannabis legal in the state of Nevada, but come on, it’s Vegas, there are way crazier things going on out there! However, that’s exactly what happens to many visitors who choose to toke in their hotel rooms or out in public. So, with legal smoking options limited to “private property”, and since so few designated consumption lounges exist, what’s a traveler to do when they want to unwind with a little bit of 420 in sin city?
The demand for smoking space is growing fast, and an off-strip property named The Lexi is answering the call. Their CEO just announced on Tuesday that they will be transforming their newest location into Vegas’ very first, cannabis-friendly hotel.
Smoking in Sin City
As mentioned briefly above, the legal smoking scene in Vegas is pretty abysmal. You’re not allowed to smoke cannabis on the strip or anywhere else public, although many people do it anyway, even before it was legal people have been all over the city; and you can’t smoke weed in hotel rooms either. Many people will just get a room that allows for cigarette smoking and smoke weed in there but technically, it is still prohibited and some hotels specifically warn against weed on the premises since they are required to adhere to federal law. And obviously, you can’t smoke in the car or while you’re driving, so that leaves one of a handful of small, off-strip dispensaries with smoking lounges, a friend’s house if you’re lucky enough to know someone in the area, or nothing at all.
Again, a lot of people choose to break the rules and smoke wherever they feel like. It is sin city after all, and the vibe there is certainly “anything goes”. But since it’s illegal to smoke in public, you’re doing so at your own risk. And as much as I stand by the idea that ridiculous rules are meant to be broken, it would be really unpleasant to be fined for smoking weed while you’re on vacation… in Vegas, of all places.
Plans for the new property
As per the news release, the Artisan Hotel Boutique, which is currently an adult-only, erotic-themed hotel, was purchased by Elevations Resorts and Hotels for $11.9 million and will undergo a multi-million dollar renovation to convert it into The Lexi. The press release stated the property will include a “new 64-room hotel concept that will be the first in Las Vegas to introduce the idea of cannabis-friendly hospitality.” All the guest rooms will be renovated, as well as the lobby and other businesses within the hotel.
The entire fourth floor will be designated as “cannabis-friendly”, and will be retrofitted with a “state-of-the-art RestorAir filtration system that employs advanced oxidation cell technology,” hotel officials said. Additionally, the property will update the onsite restaurant to a Cajun-inspired steakhouse that will be managed by Chef Jordan Savell who has worked at numerous high-end restaurants and also participated in season 19 of Hell’s Kitchen. The Lexi will also offer live music, a water feature, a walk-up cafe for breakfast, cocktail service and late-night snacks (there’s a heavy emphasis on food for us hungry stoners). The Lexi pool will also get a facelift with a European-style, summer pool party theme.
“The Lexi allows the Elevations Hotels and Resorts brand to truly showcase our commitment to creating a new type of hotel concept that is defined not only by our acceptance and normalization of cannabis in the hospitality space, but also by our dedication to reclaim storied properties and transform them for the modern-day travelers,” mentions Elevations CEO Alex Rizk. “With The Lexi our goal is to provide guests with something truly new in Las Vegas. We plan to personalize the guest experience through our unique Elevations Nation membership clubs, as well as through our distinctive on-property programming, and via partnerships within the community.”
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A formal opening date hasn’t been set, but Rizk said it would occur sometime in early April. Rizk’s company already owns a cannabis-friendly hotel in Arizona, the Phoenix-based Clarendon Hotel. Following its success, Rizk decided to open a much-needed 420 hotel in Las Vegas as well.
“For our cannabis-friendly rooms, we allow vaping, dabbing, flower, etc. We do not allow tobacco products to be smoked in the room due to the lasting smell and residue,” The Clarendon shared on its website. “Since we are currently a split-use hotel with cannabis and non-smoking rooms, we do ask that any smoking take place in your cannabis-friendly room and not in the public areas of the hotel. Vapes and smokeless products can be used in outdoor public areas, not including the restaurant.”
Final Thoughts
Space is limited, since only one floor out of the 64-room property will allow for cannabis smoking, but if you’re visiting Las Vegas any time after April, it’s worth checking out if you can book a stay. I’ll certainly try to get a room there for my next visit, so stay tuned for a property review once it’s open!
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