Happy Travel Surprises from the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas

Travel is often full of unpleasant surprises. That's why it's been such a pleasure to start the new year at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, where smile-inducing surprises have been as common as freshly minted resolutions. The first surprise was before I even arrived at this hipster-meets-Hollywood glam high rise hotel wedged between Bellagio's pirouetting fountains and Aria's sleek lines and curves:

• The Cosmopolitan's status as a Marriott Signature Collection property meant I could book one of their fabulous suites for points.
• The chill weather took a warm afternoon by the pool off the menu, so I was thrilled to see the Boulevard pool transformed into an ice skating rink, surrounded by cozy fire pits.
• Meals at the resort's fabulous collection of restaurants fall firmly into the "expensive but very much worth it" category. In between the mouth-watering tapas at Jaleo and the deliciously artistic sushi at Blue Ribbon, a tiny hallway leads to an old-school pizza joint with the best slices this side of New York.