When The Cromwell Became Something Else
In early 2026, a familiar corner of the Las Vegas Strip will complete an unlikely transformation. The Cromwell, a boutique hotel that opened in 2014 on the site of the old Barbary Coast, is becoming the Vanderpump Hotel. Lisa Vanderpump, the reality television star and restaurateur, is putting her name on the building. More importantly, she’s redesigning nearly everything inside it.
The partnership between Caesars Entertainment and Vanderpump represents more than celebrity branding. It’s a bet that reality TV fame, combined with hospitality expertise and design sensibility, can reimagine what a Strip hotel means. Vanderpump isn’t just licensing her name. She’s involving herself in every detail, from lobby aesthetics to room amenities to casino floor design.
This level of celebrity integration is rare in Las Vegas hospitality. Most celebrity restaurants operate as licensing deals with limited actual involvement. The Vanderpump Hotel demands something different. If it works, it could redefine how entertainment personalities engage with the city’s evolving landscape.
The Reality TV Factor
Lisa Vanderpump built her American profile through Bravo’s reality television empire. She appeared on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” before spinning off “Vanderpump Rules,” which documented operations at her Los Angeles restaurants SUR and Pump. The shows made her a household name while showcasing her design aesthetic and business acumen.
That visibility matters in Las Vegas where recognition drives traffic. Tourists who watch Vanderpump’s shows know her style before checking in. They arrive with expectations about what a Vanderpump property should feel like. This pre-existing relationship between brand and consumer is exactly what Caesars Entertainment wants to leverage.
The timing works particularly well. Reality TV has evolved from guilty pleasure to mainstream entertainment. Viewers develop genuine connections with personalities they follow across seasons. Vanderpump’s loyal audience represents a demographic that travels to Las Vegas regularly. Converting that viewership into hotel guests is the opportunity Caesars is betting on.
Recent BravoCon events demonstrated Vanderpump’s drawing power. While other “Bravolebrities” promoted beauty products and clothing lines, Vanderpump discussed hotel design philosophy. The distinction mattered. She’s positioned herself as someone building hospitality businesses, not just lending her name to products.
The Design Philosophy
Vanderpump describes her aesthetic as “sexy elegance and comfort.” This isn’t corporate hotel-speak. Her existing venues demonstrate what those words mean in practice. Vanderpump Cocktail Garden at Caesars Palace combines lush greenery with ornate details. Vanderpump à Paris at Paris Las Vegas feels romantic without tipping into kitsch. WOLF by Vanderpump at Harveys Lake Tahoe balances rustic mountain lodge with sophisticated dining.
The Vanderpump Hotel will extend these principles across 188 guest rooms and suites. Through her design company Vanderpump Alain, created with partner Nick Alain, she’s developing custom furnishings and lighting fixtures. The rooms will feature in-room amenities she personally selected. This attention to detail aims to create cohesive experience rather than generic luxury.
The casino floor renovation might prove most challenging. Casinos resist dramatic aesthetic changes because operators fear disrupting revenue patterns. Gamblers develop attachment to specific machines and table locations. Vanderpump must balance her design vision with Caesars’ operational requirements. Getting this right matters enormously because the casino floor generates most property revenue.
The lobby and front desk area receive similar treatment. First impressions determine whether guests feel they’re experiencing something special or just another hotel. Vanderpump’s track record suggests she understands theatrical arrival moments. Her restaurants create atmosphere immediately upon entry. The hotel needs to do the same at larger scale.
The Business Model
The Vanderpump Hotel isn’t replacing The Cromwell’s existing amenities. GIADA, celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis’s restaurant, remains. Drai’s Beachclub and Nightclub continue operating. Bound lobby bar and Interlude casino lounge stay open. The Caesars Sportsbook keeps its footprint. What changes is how all these elements integrate under Vanderpump’s overall vision.
This approach acknowledges reality: successful hotel renovations build on what works while addressing what doesn’t. The Cromwell’s location at Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road is nearly perfect. The bones of the property are solid. The challenge is differentiation in a market where every casino tries to stand out.
Vanderpump’s existing Strip presence gives her unusual leverage. Guests at the hotel can easily visit her other venues. This creates natural synergies. Someone staying at the Vanderpump Hotel might have dinner at Pinky’s by Vanderpump at the Flamingo, then nightcap at Vanderpump Cocktail Garden. The ecosystem reinforces itself.
Pricing strategy will be crucial. Vanderpump emphasized she doesn’t want to “price myself out of the market.” The hotel needs to feel accessible to her core audience, not just high rollers. This philosophical commitment to reach regular customers, not just whales, could distinguish the property from ultra-luxury competitors.
The Competitive Context
The Vanderpump Hotel enters a Strip market that’s simultaneously overcapacity and underserved. Vegas has plenty of hotel rooms. What it lacks is distinctive boutique experiences that feel personal rather than corporate. Most Strip properties aim for mass appeal. Vanderpump is betting on targeted appeal to her established audience plus curious tourists.
The boutique positioning matters because it sets expectations. Guests choosing the Vanderpump Hotel aren’t comparing it to the Bellagio’s scale or the Cosmopolitan’s nightlife. They’re evaluating whether it delivers the Vanderpump experience they expect based on her other venues. This narrower comparison gives the property more control over success metrics.
Competition comes from other celebrity-affiliated properties. Nobu Hotel within Caesars Palace proved that high-end boutique hotels can thrive on the Strip by offering distinct experiences. Virgin Hotels Las Vegas positioned itself as lifestyle alternative to traditional casino resorts. These properties demonstrated market appetite for hotels that break conventional Vegas formulas.
The Vanderpump Hotel adds reality TV fandom as competitive advantage. While Nobu leverages culinary prestige and Virgin trades on Richard Branson’s brand, Vanderpump brings emotional connection viewers developed through years of television. This relationship economy is relatively new to Las Vegas hospitality but potentially very powerful.
The Caesars Calculation
Caesars Entertainment partnered with Vanderpump on multiple venues before proposing a hotel. This progression matters. The company observed how her restaurants performed. They tracked customer response, revenue patterns, and operational consistency. The hotel deal emerged from demonstrated success, not speculative celebrity appeal.
Sean McBurney, Regional President of Caesars Entertainment, described the evolution: “We’ve had phenomenal partnership with Lisa, developing three very successful restaurants in Las Vegas. Now we get to take Lisa’s vision and expertise to the next level.” The language suggests intentional escalation based on proven results.
For Caesars, the Vanderpump Hotel solves several problems simultaneously. It refreshes an asset that needed repositioning. It deepens relationship with a celebrity partner who drives traffic. It creates content opportunities around the renovation and opening. And it establishes a model for similar partnerships if this one succeeds.
The financial structure likely involves shared risk and reward. Vanderpump invests significant time and creative energy. Caesars provides capital and operational infrastructure. Both parties benefit if the property performs well. This alignment of incentives matters more than specific deal terms.
The Implementation Challenge
Executing hotel renovation while remaining operational is complex. The Cromwell continues hosting guests throughout the transformation scheduled for completion in early 2026. Construction must happen without disrupting adjacent properties. Guest complaints need management. Revenue can’t collapse during transition.
Vanderpump’s design company must coordinate with Caesars’ construction teams. Custom furniture and fixtures require manufacturing lead times. Installation schedules depend on room availability. Even small delays cascade into larger problems. Project management becomes critical success factor.
Staff training presents another dimension. Vanderpump’s properties emphasize service that feels personal rather than scripted. Teaching employees to embody this approach requires more than standard hospitality training. The culture she’s building at the hotel must extend from executive team through front-line workers.
Marketing the transformation requires careful timing. Announce too early and guests might delay bookings waiting for completion. Announce too late and competitors capture market attention. Caesars and Vanderpump must build anticipation while managing expectations about what’s actually changing versus what’s staying the same.
The California Connection
Vanderpump’s relocation to Nevada from California adds interesting subtext. She’s cited Nevada’s favorable business climate compared to California’s regulatory environment and tax structure. This move signals more than lifestyle preference. It suggests long-term commitment to building Nevada-based business portfolio.
For Las Vegas, attracting successful California entrepreneurs matters strategically. The state’s proximity and population make it the Strip’s largest feeder market. When high-profile business owners relocate and invest, it validates Nevada’s business-friendly reputation while strengthening economic ties between states.
Vanderpump’s California roots also inform her Nevada approach. Her Los Angeles restaurants succeeded partly because they felt distinctly Californian. The Vanderpump Hotel needs to feel distinctly Las Vegas while carrying forward her design sensibility. This balance between place and personality will determine whether the concept translates effectively.
Notes for Stakeholders
The Vanderpump Hotel transformation offers lessons for anyone working in hospitality, celebrity branding, or entertainment business:
Celebrity involvement must be authentic, not superficial. Licensing deals that slap a name on existing products rarely create meaningful differentiation. Vanderpump’s deep involvement in design and operations makes the hotel genuinely hers.
Reality TV creates emotional connection that traditional advertising can’t replicate. Viewers who’ve watched Vanderpump for years feel they know her. This relationship translates to brand loyalty more effectively than celebrity endorsements.
Boutique positioning allows success at different scale than mass market properties. The Vanderpump Hotel doesn’t need to compete with mega-resorts. It serves narrower audience willing to pay for targeted experience.
Successful renovations build on existing strengths while addressing weaknesses. Keeping GIADA and Drai’s signals confidence in what already works. Changing rooms and common areas focuses investment where change creates most value.
Partnership structure matters as much as partnership partners. Alignment of financial incentives and operational responsibilities determines whether collaboration succeeds or creates conflict.
The Opening Act
The Vanderpump Hotel completes its transformation in early 2026. Reservations will be available before opening, giving eager fans chance to book early. Social media will document every detail of renovated spaces. Reviews will analyze whether reality matches expectations. And Las Vegas will watch to see if celebrity hospitality can work at hotel scale.
For Lisa Vanderpump, the hotel represents her most ambitious Las Vegas project. Success here elevates her from reality TV personality who owns restaurants to hospitality entrepreneur with legitimate Las Vegas portfolio.
For Caesars Entertainment, the hotel is calculated risk with substantial upside. If it works, they’ve created replicable model for partnering with celebrities who bring actual expertise plus audience.
For Las Vegas, the Vanderpump Hotel is another example of the city constantly reinventing itself. The transformation isn’t just construction and interior design. It’s a test of whether personal brand can compete with corporate hotel formulas in the world’s most competitive hospitality market.
Key Takeaways:
- The Cromwell transforms into the Vanderpump Hotel in early 2026, marking Lisa Vanderpump’s first full hotel concept
- Vanderpump is deeply involved in all design aspects through her company Vanderpump Alain
- The 188-room boutique hotel features custom furnishings while keeping successful venues like GIADA and Drai’s
- Reality TV visibility creates pre-existing emotional connection between Vanderpump’s audience and the hotel brand
- Caesars’ partnership evolved from three successful restaurant collaborations
- Boutique positioning allows success at different scale by serving targeted audience
- Vanderpump’s Nevada relocation signals long-term commitment to building her business portfolio
- Pricing emphasizes accessibility to core audience rather than exclusively targeting high rollers
