ARIA_-_Convention_Center

The VAR Guy spent most of this week at Breakaway, meeting Juniper Channel Chief Frank Vitagliano and picking up lots of technology rumors on day one and day two of the conference. The event, as you may suspect, was held at the Aria Resort and Casino.

During a chat with our mystery blogger, Vitagliano mentioned that Juniper will host its January 2013 partner summit at the Aria. Not by coincidence, HP has hosted multiple partner conferences at the Aria.

So what makes the Aria so darn good at hosting technology conferences and partner summits? Here are seven key points:

1. Great Logistics: The conference area isn’t too far a walk from the actual Aria Casino. A bonus: You don’t have to walk through the Casino to get to conference area.

2. Natural Light: The multi-floor conference center has a massive glass wall that delivers natural sunlight. Indoor landscaping makes you forget you’re in a city of sand and concrete.

3. Free WiFi Everywhere: From the hotel room to the conference sessions, the Aria has one massive WiFi network. It was free to CompTIA Breakaway users this week — though The VAR Guy doesn’t know if CompTIA somehow picked up the bill for attendees. Oh, and the WiFi actually performs — everywhere.

4. Near (Enough) to the Strip: Want to go out and party a bit? The Aria is close enough to the Las Vegas strip for easy walking, but far enough away to keep you away from the commotion.

5. Easy-to-Navigate Meeting Rooms: Jumping from a main conference session to a breakout session? The side-by-side rooms and easy escalator system let you get to your next meeting really, really fast.

6. In-hall Seating: Want to hold a meeting in the hallway? Comfortable seating is everywhere.

7. Heading Back To Your Room?: Okay, so the electric curtains — controlled by your TV remote — are sort of cool.

The VAR Guy’s one complaint? The Aria’s check-in lines were especially long this week, with some guests waiting on lines as long as 45 minutes. That’s a serious shortcoming. But once you’ve got your room key, the Aria offers easy living for tech conference guests.