How El Cortez Took Its Jackie Gaughan Suite to a New Level of Luxury

El Cortez stuns with a restored 15th-floor penthouse suite.

At a time in which hotels are increasingly reliant on chat bots, touch screens and voice-activated technologies, Las Vegas’ iconic El Cortez is leaning on its classic appeal to lure guests, reintroducing founder Jackie Gaughan’s famed 15th-floor penthouse suite to the public. Restored to reflect the years in which Gaughan and wife Bertie called it home, the 2,700-square-foot suite features two master bathrooms, a pink marbled bathtub direct from the 1980s, a bar, kitchen and balconies offering a 180-degree view of downtown.

But it’s the little things that stand out—pastel pink-colored walls, era-appropriate lighting, the original intercom system and brass door handles molded into Gaughan’s initials. The suite’s old-school appeal has drawn the interest of photographers and music video directors (Ellie Goulding’s “On My Mind” music video was filmed there), and those who love to romanticize Las Vegas history will feel right at home within its rose-colored walls.