I imagine Empire Omerta owner Lux Voxel to be someone who, in First Life, spends his weekends trawling through Europe’s antique markets.  

That’s because, bursting with an eclectic array of artworks and decor, the Empire Omerta Hotel immerses guests in a world where every nook and cranny tells a story, creating an ambiance that is pretty unique.

My initial review of Empire Omerta in April 2023 left me impressed, and returning for a New Year's stay with Luana provided an opportunity to explore the new Maverick Suite and delve into the recently unveiled Entertainment Area, for the purposes of this post.

The Maverick Suite

The third suite that the Empire Omerta has on offer, this costs 1450L a night.  For that you get two bedrooms, a living / sitting room, and a bathroom.

Luana wondered why Lux doesn’t just knock through the wall to create one large bedroom and bathroom to offer more space.  I assumed this was done because it is done to house double date couples, as group travel is quite popular in the SL vacation scene.  

But, if you go as one couple like we did, you will find the bedroom at the far end of the hall to be a better bet for you. This contains a Royal Bed from Gezi.  Though it includes cuddle (not sleeping) and MF adult anms, it is worth noting that the bed is also inclusive, offering MM and FF options. Full marks there, as many hotels and resorts still fall short in this area.

The bathroom has a Gold Elm. Jessa Clawfoot Bathtub, worth noting this is not INM compatible. Given the number of couples who use INM, some facility might be advisable.

Where the Empire Omerta really excels is in RP services, which Lux is constantly adding to - more on that later. 

However, while Luana was in the suite, a maid came by to clean just like in First Life, even spotting a small texture glitch that she was going to report back to the management.  It’s these little details that are appreciated, and I’ve found that Lux always actively wants to hear guest suggestions and feedback.

We also had the option of having a three course dinner served to us in the suite, with the same menu offered as in the downstairs Vitalis Restaurant.

The Entertainment Area

The Empire Omerta is starting to adopt a kind of Freemium Model, which combines the facilities of a private club and exclusive hotel, where many areas are group gated.

Group membership gets you exclusive rates for stays, for dinner and access to the  majority of the floors of the brand new Entertainment area.  This consists of:

1 - Tower of Records - the only part of the Entertainment Area open to all.  This is often used for events and private functions (for example, Wandering NY’s Kaiden Tray had a surprise birthday party here the other week), and also includes a games room.

2 - Sushi and Tease - as the name suggests, this is a sushi restaurant, due to open in mid January.  Dinner for members will be 500L per person.  This will also offer RP ‘geisha date’ services at 1000L for 30 minutes.  The venue looks fantastic, and we’ll certainly be returning here.

3 - The Members Spa - this is a really sumptuous spa.  In my opinion, one of the best in SL.  Again, there are RP services on offer, and the RP area also includes a private changing and dressing area.

4 - The Pregnant Mermaid is a cabaret venue suited to live performances, with a more intimate library style sitting area on a mezzanine level.

5 - The Movie Room is a small cinema, reminiscent of a lot of very small arthouse cinemas I’ve come across.

6 - Finally, The Wager Room bills itself as an “intimate performance venue” that can be booked by up to four couples, though I think it would be better for two (four people).  Here you can hire artists from the Empire Omerta roster to come and give you a performance in a more exclusive setting.

When it comes to RP, the list on offer is extensive and growing. As well as the dinner service (in-room, in Vitalis Restaurant and soon in Sushi and Tease), there are spa services, the geishas, and a ‘maid service’ at 750 (I was told that what the maid provides beyond cleaning is discretionary).

Overall

I think what Lux has done here is the way forward for Second Life Hotels.  Though a handful of RP-heavy private resorts like Highlife’s Aspen do manage to thrive, and get people coming for two or three night stays, I am just not sure there is a wide enough market for many of these places.

As a result, making your Hotel more of a private club is smart.  In fact, many member clubs in London and other cities do this.  Membership is the main attraction, but there are rooms the members can book at a cheap rate.

At the moment, there’s enough on offer for free to give people an introduction, via the public areas of the Hotel and the Tower of Records club.  And then, the 500L membership fee is a steal considering what it gives you.  I would suggest joining now as this is I believe an increase is on the way for 2024.

So, does the Empire Omerta offer something different than what you’ll get in your normal Second Life routine?  Absolutely yes.  This is a very unique and different experience.  Highly recommended.

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