Did the Cosmopolitan Lose Its Cool?

Everyone said MGM would ruin it. Now over a year into the transition… what do you think?

Jan 14, 2026

Everyone said MGM would ruin it.

That the minute the ink dried, the sex would be sandblasted off the marble, the cocktails would get watered down, and Cosmo would quietly turn into just another Strip property with a chandelier.

It’s been over a year since the full MGM migration.

So… did it?

2018 Pano Shot I took from the balcony of a BLVD Tower Terrace One Bedroom suite

There have been two Vegas hotels that I’ve genuinely loved and felt excited to walk into every single time: Hard Rock and the Cosmopolitan.

Sure, I always say Vdara feels like home, and often is, but that’s also my one complaint. Home doesn’t always spark adrenaline.

With Hard Rock gone, Cosmo is the sole survivor of a resort that still excites me.

I love that version of Vegas that’s sexy and gritty, not pornography, not burlesque cosplay. but the raw, unapologetic kind of sexiness that isn’t afraid to wear fishnets and a corset to dinner, show PDA, and not give a single shit who’s watching.

If you could turn that feeling into a hotel?

For me, that’s the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas.

When the Cosmopolitan opened in 2010, it didn’t feel like Vegas as usual. It felt slutty in all the right ways. Polished marble. Dark corners. A lobby that felt like something might happen, or already had. The Chandelier Bar wasn’t just a bar, it was a mood. A place where you didn’t ask questions and definitely didn’t make reservations.

And then there were the balconies.

Still one of the most underrated, quietly genius design decisions on the Strip. Not some fake Juliet nonsense, real terraces, real space, real Vegas breathing back at you. Sure, people joke about swan-diving into the Bellagio fountains (and yes, there have been incidents since opening), but let’s be honest: most of us were far more interested in late-night sex with neon in the background. Facing whichever direction felt right at the time. I’m not going on record saying I haven’t done that.

Cosmo always understood exactly who it was.

Then MGM showed up.

In 2021, MGM bought the operations. In 2022, the deal closed. Identity Rewards was on borrowed time. M life, sorry, MGM Rewards was coming. And Vegas Twitter collectively clutched its pearls.

“MGM is going to ruin it.”

“They’re going to strip the soul.”

“It’s going to turn into Aria’s drunk, boring cousin.”

You’ve heard the script.

Here’s what people actually complain about now.

First: the rooms.

Some of them are showing their age. Worn carpets. Tired fixtures. That “this was hot ten years ago” feeling. A full renovation isn’t scheduled until 2027, though the Chelsea Tower penthouses just got refreshed in late 2025, which tells you exactly where priorities live.

Second: the little stuff.

I hear some drinks are being pre-batched now. The Verbena, that iconic Cosmo margarita with the electric flower that makes your mouth go numb. It doesn’t always hit the way it used to. (according to wifey, anyway, I never liked it) And years ago, you never needed a reservation for the Chandelier Bar. Now? There’s a hostess on certain levels, like it’s a nightclub. That alone tells you the vibe shifted a bit.

Third: corporate fear.

Some people are mad purely on principle. MGM is one of the Big Two. Cosmo used to feel like it wasn’t owned by anyone. Now it very much is. And for a certain kind of Vegas person, that’s unforgivable.

But here’s the part nobody wants to admit.

Cosmo still has some of the best offerings.

Block 16 is still one of the best food halls in Vegas. Period. I’m a sucker for Hattie B’s, and I’m not pretending otherwise. The speakeasies are still stacked, Ghost Donkey (impossible to get into), Barbershop (live music, always a good time), and the Ski Lodge at Superfrico, which I’m dangerously close to just calling a regular bar now that it has velvet ropes… but it’s still worth checking out.

Superfrico itself? Still chaos. Still psycho Italian energy. The old Opium/OPM show may be gone, but the acts remain nightly, and The Party dinner show was a legit hit. I did a full newsletter on that, and yes, I’ll link it again because it deserved the attention.

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Cosmo also remains home to Zuma, my favorite “this bill is fucking stupid but worth it” restaurant in the city, plus a lineup that still punches above its weight. Eats, like China Poblano, Amaya, LPM, STK. Beauty & Essex…. And even the shops don’t feel like generic mall trash. Stitched is still the coolest men’s custom suit store on the planet. Not a paid plug. Ask for Alex. Tell him Jason sent you.

So did MGM ruin it?

Honestly? I haven’t really noticed a meaningful drop in offerings. When I stayed here pretty exclusively after Hard Rock closed, I got offers constantly. Now that I’m Gold with MGM, the discounts actually feel better than before. I strongly recommend any balconies that face the Fountains, and an even bigger plus if you can get in the Boulevard Tower

Does Cosmo feel exactly like 2014 Cosmo?

No.

But nothing in Vegas does.

What I don’t see is the soul being stripped out. I don’t see Bellagio-lite. I don’t see Aria 2.0. I see a property that’s aging, coasting in a few spots, tightening up in others, but still holding onto its identity harder than most Strip resorts ever do.

Cosmo is still on that edge between luxury and sultry. Still sexy. Still slightly dangerous. Still the place you book when you want Vegas to feel like Vegas, not a convention center with slot machines.