JONATHAN ADAIR reports from the fantasy capital of the world…

JAY SARNO, the man behind Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, was the first man to recognise exactly why people came to Las Vegas.

"It wasn't the gambling that attracted people. It was the fantasy." He understood that people came to get away from whatever was at home… to lose themselves in Las Vegas!

Las Vegas is a fantasy; where else can you sample so may different parts of the world on a vast biblical scale? The hotels can only be appreciated when you're there.

The investment in proportion and detail is simply unbelievable.

LOSE YOURSELF: a world of entertainment awaits the visitor to the wonderland that is Las Vegas. The Luxor (a reproduction of the Sphinx sits in front) is just one of many spectacular hotels worth a look

From the walk under Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, to the elevator to the top of the Eiffel tower; from a gondola ride through the Venetian canals to St Marks Square, to a trip to the excavated treasures of King Tut's tomb… you will be spellbound.

Before going we had been told: "three or four nights is loads for Vegas," - believe me it is not!

The city built on gambling has so much to offer, from the Grand Canyon to the Mount Charles ski resort, and renting a car for a few days gives so many options within striking distance of the world famous strip.

Our first view of LasVegas was from the plane on arrival at Macarron Airport. The sight of the enormous hotels dominating the skyline almost took our breath away.

The Luxor Hotel, our base for the three-night break, is a glass pyramid. With a giant sphinx at the entrance it's an imposing sight! It has obelisks and hieroglyphics and a full size replica of King Tut's tomb, while at night a powerful searchlight beam reaches 10 miles into the sky from the top of the pyramid.

This truly is one of the fantasy Las Vegas hotels, with more than 4,000 rooms, its own Imax cinema witha 360-degree seven-storey screen, 29 shops, Nurture spa and two theatres showcasing stars like Earth Wind and Fire, Leanne Rimes and Liza Minnelli. And that's not to mention the three acre swimming pool!

Three nights? I could have spent three days in the hotel alone and still had the fantasy experience.

One of the things that hits you straight away is that ALL of Las Vegas is on a grand scale, the size of which I had never experienced before. It gives room to relax, and do what you want to do. Although a very busy place night and day, there is plenty of space for everyone, and you certainly don't get a feeling of so many people in one place.

There are hundreds of hotels, shows, restaurants, shops, entertainment and of course plenty of gambling machines to go round.

Two of the top restaurants we experienced were the StripSteak in the Mandalay Bay Hotel and Casino and the Fusia in the Luxor Hotel.

The StripSteak has a wonderful atmosphere and modern design with a mix of business clientele and those tourists looking for that special restaurant experience that will live long in the memory.

The quality of service gives you a first taste of the culinary delight you are going to experience. The care taken in describing the quality components in the food and the imaginative cooking methods leaves you excited that you're going to experience something really special.

I can say we were certainly not disappointed. I could write reams on the flavours and tenderness of the Angus fillet, but I could never do justice to the sophisticated food prepared that evening.

Make sure you ask one of the staff to give you the background to the art on the main wall; this will truly give you a feel for the quality and detail demanded at the StripSteak.

Not to be outdone, the Fusia in the Luxor is an equally enjoyable experience. This Pan Pacific, Chinese restaurant was an indulgence, with some familiar food with a wonderful new twist. The executive chef Gerald Trujillo has created a menu with combination ingredients and flavours that produce the most mouthwatering dishes.

I took the advice of our hosts and had the Dim Sum - truly amazing - followed by Tile fish, a new experience with the most wonderful sauce enhanced only by the four potato side - definitely worth a try.

At this point we were treated to a culinary memory to die for, a selection of four sweets served on a polished granite slate, the presentation of which I will never forget, only bettered by the taste of each dish.

Las Vegas was not my idea of a setting for wonderful culinary experiences; but I certainly got my eyes opened with these two gems in the desert.

When planning the trip to Las Vegas our main priority was including a trip to the Grand Canyon… a true wonder of the world and a dream destination for my wife Isobel for as long as I can remember.

We had taken advice from our friends who had been there, and they all agreed that we should splash out and go by helicopter to the base of the Canyon.

Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters is the only company certified to fly both the south and west rim and has three exclusive landing sites at the bottom. The company has various tours but we settled on the 'grand celebration tour'.

We were picked up from the hotel in a courtesy mini-bus with a few other couples, all of whom like us had that expression of excitement and trepidation. It is that wonderful feeling that you are only half an hour from the truly wonderful sight of the Canyon, and in my case, from my first helicopter flight.

The near 40 years experience of Papillion has the pre-flight routine down to a fine art and certainly the trepidation had diminished as we walked out to the Helicopter.

The pilot introduced us to our fellow passengers, a couple from a local town who were celebrating a birthday and Bill and wife from California on a trip up the west Coast. Certainly Bill had no problems with the trip, apart from the fact it was his first time on a Chopper with doors - he was a Vietnam Vet!

The tour took us over the historic Boulder city and the magnificent Hoover Dam, and up to Lake Mead. The narrated flight gave an insight into the amazing landscape below.

As you approach the Grand Canyon you only get a glimpse of the mighty experience to come. The Grand descent takes about two minutes, down 4000 ft with a view of rock formations dating back millions of years. It's impossible to take it all in and every view is breathtaking.

We landed beside the Colorado River in the Base of the Canyon. This is quite a privilege, as it is sacred ground to the Native American Indian, and we were treated to a picnic lunch served under the authentic "Ramada".

I could have stayed for hours but time was limited, and the flight back took on a different feel as we all knew we had experienced something very special. If you can take this trip when you're in Las Vegas, do it! It is money well spent and certainly adds to the fantasy.

T-AIR-IFFIC TIME: Isobel Adair takes a break for lunch during a helicopter trip along the Grand Canyon with Papillion Grand Canyon Helicopters, the only company certified to fly both the south and west rim of the Canyon

The early morning helicopter trip had us back in Las Vegas for lunch-time so we decided to visit a few more of the awesome hotels. This is a great excursion as you go from one hotel to another and see the wonderful attractions…the lions within the MGM Grand, the dancing fountains outside the Bellagio or the moving statues in Caesar's Palace.

Las Vegas is absolutely full of great attractions and museums so you will never get bored if you're not into gambling all the time. Must-see sights range include Madame Tussauds and the Stratosphere Tower, the highest Structure west of the Mississippi. You can get into the history of Las Vegas at the Lost Vegas gambling museum or the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum.

We found the Las Vegas Power Pass a great value way of gaining not only discount admission, but a superb guide book and a way of getting great deals at shops and restaurants.

If shopping is as important to you, as it is to us, Las Vegas will not disappoint.

Whether you visit the wonderful shopping complexes within the hotels, especially Caesars Place and the Venetian, (attractions in their own right), or the great value Las Vegas Outlet Mall or Premium Outlets, you'll find something for every budget.

It is hard to cover the full gambit that is Las Vegas, all I can advise is that when you're making up that list of destinations you must see, put Las Vegas towards the top. You'll ll not regret it.

I know I will be back!

GET THERE:

The writer flew to McCarron Airport, Las Vegas, non-stop from Manchester with bmi, which operates three flights weekly during the summer season and

two weekly in winter. For more info log on to www.flybmi.com

For Papillon Helicopter Tours, tel 702-736 6322

or log on to the website www.papillon.com

For information and booking the Luxor Hotel, www.luxor.com