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When it comes to her staff, Lisa Vanderpump has one rule: “Give me anything but don’t give me boring.”
Over 15 years, the reality TV star and restaurateur has taken her own advice. She became a fan favorite on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Then she produced a decade’s worth of drama with her spin-off Vanderpump Rules. Vanderpump has leveraged her celebrity and business acumen into an empire of restaurants, television shows, wine brands and dog rescues.
Where some might criticize reality TV and its stars for being fictitious and scripted, Vanderpump is anything but. Last month, Nevada’s Silver State Equality awarded Vanderpump with the Equality Visibility Award for her allyship and LGBTQ advocacy. And with three Strip restaurants, another in Lake Tahoe, and plans to transform the Cromwell into Vanderpump Hotel next year, she’s deeply invested in Las Vegas.
Vanderpump bought a $5 million home in Vegas in 2024, though she still splits her time between her Beverly Hills estate where she manages something of a small zoo. “I’ve got two little horses, miniature horses. I’ve got four swans, I’ve got seven dogs,” Vanderpump tells the Weekly. “I found a house in Beverly Hills, if you can believe it, that’s zoned for livestock. I have all these animals here, so I can’t imagine them running around the golf course where I live in Vegas.”
We checked in with Vanderpump about her upcoming hotel takeover, her LGBTQ advocacy and more.
You’re quite busy. But one thing I admire about you is how you’ve still been able to create such an authentic presence in Las Vegas.
I love Vegas. I remember going there when I was very young. I remember thinking, I’ve never seen anything like it. Growing up in London, we’re spoiled with the incredible architecture and the history. But when you come to somewhere like Vegas, it’s like this is the playground of the world. I feel safe there as well. It’s a place where you can go out, whether you’re going to Pinky’s, or whether you’re going to Delilah, or whether you’re going to see a show. There’s so much to do, and there’s so much fun to be had.
Vanderpump à Paris
Photo by: Courtesy/Ernesto Garrido
When I think of your restaurants and what you’ve covered on your shows, you’ve always created a safe space, especially for LGBTQ people. What’s the driving factor behind that?
In London, I used to have … the Shadow Lounge, which was the most iconic gay club. I was taught to be judgmental but not about your religion or your sexuality or the color of your skin or where you’re from, but to judge people on their heart. As a straight ally, I want to encourage the straight community to educate their children to be judgmental about the right things, not about any of those [other] things, because you’ll miss out on a lot of great people.
My parents were like that. They were very inclusive. My father was a creative director. He came from this kind of feeling of ... it was the ’60s in London. Bisexual, straight, Black, white, this, that—it didn’t matter. And I don’t understand where this anger comes from. It’s so wrong. The gay community has moved forward with marriage equality. And as we try to move forward with racism and everything, let’s not ever go backwards.
I’ve also taken it upon myself to always shine a light on LGBT youth. This year in Vanderpump Rules, I had some in-depth conversations with a young gay man that’s worked with me for many years. And then we obviously always show Pride. I shine a light on the gay community. Now, does everybody like it? No. Do I care? No.
Feels like you’re really going big with the Vanderpump Hotel next year. How did that idea come together?
I’ve had a lot of success with Caesar’s Entertainment and I love them madly. They give me such respect when they give me so much autonomy in our design choices. When I met them and started getting business, I didn’t know how they would be. I mean, you read all these books about Old Vegas and think you get chucked off a roof if you disagree [Laughs]. Well, no, you don’t, apparently!
I think the brand’s really good, and they’re always looking to do something more interesting. And I love that about them. So for me, I’ve done Wolf [By Vanderpump], which was in the Top 25 restaurants in the U.S. on Yelp reviews. That was really important to me, because that’s the people speaking, and it was nominated for best design, and so was Pinky’s. Then I had Vanderpump à Paris, which came ... because I lived in France for quite a few years. Then I had the Vanderpump Cocktail Garden. And then they were like, “Well, how about a hotel?” I thought maybe they wanted me to design something, but they knew that I’ve got an ego [laughs].
So they knew exactly where to hit you.
They were like “How do you fancy a Vanderpump Hotel on the Strip?” Yes! They were like, “Would you like to think about it?” No! [Laughs].
We’re not going to price ourselves out of the market. We’re not going to be that. It’s going to be fun and sexy. It’s the same with my wines. They score over 90 points where it matters. And they’re still only in that medium price range. I won’t just go, “I’m gonna charge thousands of dollars for a room tonight.” It’s going to be a sexy, boutique hotel, and it’s going to be done in pieces. We’re gonna start with one bar, I’m not allowed to say which bar, and then we’re gonna do the lobby. We’re gonna just Vanderpump it.
Your restaurants have such distinct personalities. I was hoping Cromwell would get that Vanderpump treatment.
As much as we can. It’s definitely going to have the kind of humor as well that we bring to it. I love design. That is a real passion of mine, and to have a partner that we can play together, and create spaces ... like when we delivered Wolf, I know that they probably thought, “What on earth are they gonna do there in Tahoe?” And people love it. They love it so much, we’re opening another one in Arizona next month.
With three restaurants now on the Strip, have you given much thought to making a Vegas-themed Vanderpump show?
When I first started Vanderpump Rules, social media wasn’t even really that prevalent, so things have moved on. It’s a little naughtier but it’s a lot of fun. And then I have Vanderpump Villa. I don’t think I have the time to produce another show, really, while these two are steaming along and doing so well, because I produce them as well, you see. A lot goes into that.
How do you decide what your greatest career milestone is when you have so many great projects?
When the hotel opens, that might be my greatest achievement because I don’t think many people get to do that. Designing and opening my own restaurant in Vegas, that’s also an achievement. But my greatest achievement is not killing [husband] Ken Todd after 40 years of marriage [laughs]. But also saving 3,000 dogs as well and many thousands internationally.
Anything else you want to share?
I think Vegas is wonderful. They’ve embraced me so much ... even the local community. I’ll go to a restaurant and people will be like, "Lisa!" I go to this restaurant that’s just off the Strip called La Strega and it’s got a great chef. She always comes over, and I think it’s because they’ve seen me with Gordon Ramsay so much. I always say I’m much nicer than Gordon. But I do love Gordon Ramsay, I have to say. I enjoyed doing the show [Gordon Ramsay’s Food Stars] with him because I got to kick him in the back [laughs].
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