Forget everything you think you know about the Las Vegas pool scene. Sure, the mega-resorts still offer great places to cool off while baking under a hot desert sun, but the today's hottest pools are more like Sin City's stylish and sexy nightclubs. They're designed for the young and attractive who are willing to spend the same as a night on the town in an afternoon. Instead of chirping children, expect to hear the latest club cuts spun by live DJs. Rather than reserving a table for bottle service, here it's all about cabanas and daybeds. And in lieu of getting hot while dancing till dawn, it's all about cooling off until the sun sets. Plan on trading in that iced tea for a signature cocktail; there's even a red velvet rope and a long line of would-be revelers waiting for entry. (Oh, and a lot of these new pools offer European-style sunbathing—that means topless, but not gratuitous.)
Mostly developed during the last couple of years, this trend is still in its nascent stages, and most people are still completely unaware these places exist. For those in the know, they add an entirely new component to a Vegas vacation. One caveat: you have to be 21 or older to enter.
A good tip is to not send gaggles of guys to these places alone, as it's all about keeping ratios of men and women in check. If a group is more than four men, tell them to either get several women to join the group or break into pairs and enter at different times.
Where to Sunbathe
Now in its fourth season, Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is a bawdy bastion for revelers who didn't get their fill on Saturday night. Held every Sunday, this near five-acre playground gets about 3,000 people on an average weekend, while holiday weekends can attract up to 7,000. And they all want the same thing—to ratchet up the excitement of the traditionally lazy Sunday afternoon.
Renting a cabana can cost anywhere between $1,000 and $10,000 (that's not a misprint!) depending on location and weekend. They're dispersed between trees, a babbling brook, waterfalls and sandy beaches and they come with VIP service, naturally, and feature plasma TVs, telephones, refrigerators, personal misting systems and more. If your clients don't want to dish out the big bucks, they can also just grab a complimentary towel and find a poolside spot.
Rehab takes place every Sunday through September and is from noon to 7 p.m. Admission is $30 for men and $20 for women. Hotel guests are free (up to four guests per room). Call the lead VIP host Adam Nixon at 917-406-5469 for the ultimate hook-up, and visit www.rehablv.com .
Oozing with the aura of what you'd expect from a laid back
pool party thrown by a Hollywood celebrity, Bare is a sexy, contemporary
and chic refuge from the fray of the typical
One highlight is a dipping pool featuring a see-through wall. The temperature ranges from cool to hot-tub hot depending on weather and time of day. Bare is open daily from 11 am to 7 pm. Admission Monday through Thursday is $10 for women, $30 for men. Friday, Saturday and Sunday: $20 for women and $40 for men. Visit www.barepool.com or call 702-791-7442.
Open from 10 a.m. until sunset,
Sexy Havens for Sunbathers
Though it's exclusively for hotel guests, the 11-acre
tropical oasis, Moorea Beach and Mandalay Bay Beach, is a sun
worshipper's haven. Featuring a manmade beach and wave pool,
Just opened is a $30 million expansion featuring a casino,
open air restaurant and new luxury cabanas dubbed Villas Soleil. Each has
modular seating and day beds, a restroom, wet bar, 50-inch flat-screen TV, MP3
player, safe, ceiling fan, changing area and a private deck overlooking the
beach. They're priced from $750 to $2,000 for the day or can be rented for an
evening concert. For booking information contact
Located center Strip at
Day beds at Venus range from $150-$250 and cabanas range from $425-450 for a half day and $475-500 for a full day. Admission is free for hotel guests (except Saturdays, when it's $20). It's open Wednesday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For cabana and outdoor spa reservations, call 702-650–5944.