Luxor

Step into ancient Egypt with this resort. With its gigantic pyramid, it remains one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Strip. When it opened in 1993, the project was originally known as “Project X” before eventually taking the name Luxor, inspired by the Egyptian city. To create a convincing atmosphere, designer Charles Silverman traveled to Egypt three times, and Egyptologists were even brought in to supervise the historical theme of the complex. The pyramid itself rises 30 floors and today contains the largest atrium in the world by volume, with nearly 29 million cubic feet of interior space. The hotel rooms are arranged along the sloping walls and are reached by unusual elevators known as “inclinators,” which travel at a 39-degree angle instead of moving straight up and down. In front of the entrance you can see a massive replica of the Great Sphinx of Giza, more than 30 meters tall, whose body shelters the covered entrance to the hotel. But the most spectacular feature is undoubtedly the beam of light shining from the top of the pyramid, known as the Luxor Sky Beam. Made up of dozens of powerful xenon lamps, it is considered the most powerful artificial light in the world and can be seen from more than 400 kilometers away from the air on a clear night. Over the years, the interior of the resort has been modernized to soften the original themed atmosphere and attract a more adult clientele, while keeping the exterior architecture that remains one of the most distinctive silhouettes in Las Vegas.