A night at the Bellagio

I don't know about you, but the one place I've always wanted to stay in Las Vegas is the Bellagio. Its Italian charm and famous fountain shows make it seem like the most romantic hotel in the city. (And, along with shopping at Caesar's Palace, they're just about the only things I like on Vegas Boulevard anyway.) So when Matt and I found out that there was a military discount of more than 60% on the night of the ball, we jumped on the opportunity. We made reservations for the cheapest, most basic room possible, and then asked how much an upgrade to a lakeview room would be when checking in. Just three measly Hamiltons later (that's $30, folks), we waltzed into our 24th-floor room with this view:

It was amazing! We watched a good dozen or so water shows in their entirety. The room itself was big and beautiful, and even the bathroom was roomy and luxurious.

We checked in bright and early so we'd have plenty of time to explore and get ready for the ball, and I'm glad we did! The Bellagio is such an impressive hotel and we had fun wandering around the non-casino areas while eating gelato from their popular chocolate shop.

Meanwhile, the pools were calling our name! It was a scorchingly hot day and they looked so terribly inviting from the hotel windows that we couldn't pass up the chance to take a dip. It was so nice to lounge around the pretty pools and soak up some sun on Autumn's first Saturday.

Bellagio Pool from Ashley D on Vimeo.

Of course, the main event was the Air Force Birthday Ball that evening. If you missed that post, just keep scrolling down or click here to see more! After the ball, we meandered around the indoor gardens for awhile and grabbed a late-night snack before heading back to our room. The picture of Carolyn holding her heels is one of my favorites from the whole evening! She's my hero for rocking heels all night in her third trimester.

The view from our room was even better at night, with all of Vegas lit up below us. Meanwhile, we kept the after party going strong in our hotel room with Sportscenter, pillow fights, and jumping on the bed, followed by a few goodnight kisses overlooking the fake Eiffel Tower.

We enjoyed an incredible night's sleep in that comfy bed and didn't wake up until the late hours of the morning. It was heavenly! Matt and I enjoyed one last stroll around the gardens and then headed off to church. Happy Sunday, indeed.