Best Pool with Best Location on Las Vegas Strip
 

I've already read through the last 250 posts or so in Nevada looking for info on the pools in Vegas. We were going to consider Mandalay Bay for the pool area, but now I'm hearing it's quite a trek to mid-strip / action. We will be 5 girls and won't have a car, so we'd probably need TWO cabs, which I'm assuming will be a pain. We'd like to be in walking distance of the cool hotels to check out, the various casinos, shopping, dining etc.

Anyway, of the mid-strip hotels, we are looking for the BEST POOL AREA (but we also want a nice overall hotel and rooms too!)

Have been hearing: Mirage, Ceasars...

Any info on these AND other hotels to consider would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

Pool for what ages? Major factor in decision.

For adults -- the Wynn is by far the best.

For children -- Mandalay.

Mirage is okay/good for both.

Hi labonds..
I second the Wynn..just got back today and new is so key in Vegas and their pool is stunning and the rooms and the proximity to other hotels/shopping mall is perfect and deals are to be had right now..
wynnlasvegas.com or maybe expedia.com
Have fun..

Haven't been to the Wynn yet but I would say the Mirage.

Mandalay Bay has a fantastic pool but it is last hotel on the south side of the strip and it is a trek (or cab ride) to the main section of the strip.

labonds,

Vegas is NOT a town for walking! My philosophy about Vegas is "Everything is further away than it looks and you can't get there from here". From the door of the Bellagio Hotel to the street (i.e., the Strip) is probably a haf a mile.

IMHO rent a midsize sedan. I just came back from Vegas on Monday. There was free parking in all the hotel garages. I think in the it will save you money.

It's possible to take cabs without too huge a hassle, but you're right to consider location. I don't mind walking, but if you're visiting in the hotter months, walking is a pretty bad option.

Wynn: I love Wynn, but it's north strip, with a location only a bit better than Mandalay.

Flamingo: perfect location and a very good pool. However, the hotel is old and somewhat worn. The rooms, resetaurants, and casino are nothing special. I've stayed there a few times, and will stay there again - but it's not in the same class as a place like the Mandalay.

Mirage: very nice pool, very nice hotel, with the common areas recently redone to appeal to a young crowd. It's a little north of The Flamingo, but still in a good location. However, the standard rooms are small compared to the Mandalay, and the standard bathroom is very small indeed. If there are several people in a room, upgrade at least to the Tower Room (I think that's the name - it's the same as the standard room, but with a big bathroom).

The Mirage has a great pool (very Hawaiian/tropical feel to it). The location of the Mirage makes it very easy to go in either direction so you can walk to just about anyplace along the strip. Standard rooms are good sized (we stay at the Mirage a couple of times a year). Bathrooms are smallish in the standard rooms but there is a vanity outside the bathroom for extra space. They do have rooms with larger bathrooms but they cost more. Lots of stuff going on in the hotel (restuarants, bars, nightclub and all recently renovated - the rooms get renovated starting in 2007).

Since you are not specifying a budget here it's hard to recommend anything other then my own preferences.

The Mandalay Bay is a nice hotel - but it is too far down the strip for us, it's ok if you are not going to leave the hotel.

Wynn's is overrated I think. It's new so it's "in" right now. This is just my opinion tho.

Ceasar's is too big, you walk forever in there. It's fun to visit the Shops at the Forum tho, don't miss that.

Taking cabs back and forth gets expensive, but you can split the fares with 5 of you. Alot of cabs in Vegas (actually almost all) are Vans so perhaps all 5 of you would fit. I am not sure if there are rules about that. When I've been there with 3 other friends all 4 of us went in one cab.

I agree the pool at the Mirage is nice, but it's a zoo. Chairs are lined up one after another. If you don't get there when they open and stake out a spot, you'll be lucky to get anything at all. The pool area at the Bellagio is much nicer IMO.

unless you are fussy about the room (which you won't be in much) i would go with the flamingo and pay a bit extra to get a strip view room. also ask for one of the newly renovated rooms. the pool area is really nice and the location of the hotel can't be beat.
second choice, i'd go with mirage.
as long as you are all in decent shape, you can walk most anywhere without having to use cabs. if i stay at center strip (flamingo) i usually head one direction for one day/night and then head the other direction for the next day/night. cuts down the amount of walking somewhat.

I'd have to agree with the others that the Mirage offers the best combination of location, pool, and overall niceness of the hotel and rooms. It can get very crowded, but if you can afford it, you can try to rent a cabana for the day ($200-250).

Caesars is very nice as well, but the hotel is a bit more expensive. They also have a topless pool area, if you're interested in that sort of thing.

You all can take 1 cab together, they put you into a mini van which allows 5 passengers. You may have to wait a little longer if no mini vans are in the cab line, but typically it is only a few minutes before ones rolls around (if they are not already there of course). The Flamingo has a nice pool and is center Strip, also the Mirage has a very nice tropical pool, same good center Strip location.

Pool for adults or children? It makes a big difference.

Also, from my experience, location on the Strip isn't important. It's not like you're going to walk in the 110 degree heat. Distances are much farther than they look on a map.

Caesars.

We've stayed at THEhotel at Mandelay. It was new so we got a great deal. The pool <i>is</i> great at Mandelay, but it's way to far down on one end to walk the strip, although reasonably close to a few great casinos. We walked to/from Bellagio and that was more than enough in the desert heat, even at night. The Wynn was not quite completed while we were there, but as TahitiTams said, new <i>is</i> everything in Vegas. So try the Wynn--you might even find a great deal!

Caesar's pool is GREAT if your group is adults. Their pools offer nothing, like water slides, for children, but they do have lots of cabanas for rent and a topless bathing area. They also have a HUGE hot tub!

You really can't beat Caesar's center-Strip location!

Wow - thanks everyone for the great response!

We are 5 female adults - celebrating our 10th college reunion year. So we don't care about &quot;kids&quot; pool stuff, just a nice pool and atmosphere for adults.

We are going Aug 24 - 27 so it's going to be scorching as I can imagine (however my husband just returned from his &quot;guys&quot; weekend and said the heat doesn't feel as bad as it does here in Atlanta but it's so darn humid here!)

I also learned about the minivan cabs, and he said that they cabbed it all over. As many of you mentioned, things are further apart than they appear!

We don't have a budget set exactly, but we'll know when it gets to be too much. We found the following prices (avg) per night on Expedia last week:

OOPS. Here they are:
Luxor $136
Aladdin $142
Treasure Island $152
NY NY $152
Paris $174
MGM Grand $187
Mirage $195
Mandalay Bay $223
Ceasars Palace $243
Bellagio $272

We didn't look any higher than the 272 / Bellagio rate so I guess that's where the WYNN fell.

If we plan to take cabs, then maybe location isn't that big of a deal anyway? Arg! I don't know....

HI..
If you want no kids then I would do either the Wynn, Bellagio, The Hotel at Mandalay or Ceasars..
Kids will be a huge issue on most of the other hotels because it is the last weekend before Labor Day..
Nothing more obnoxious then screaming kids all day long..
We payed $119 a night but that might be because we always stay there but if you can get a 2 bedroom suite that would work out perfectly for all you girls..
The minivan cabs fit 5+ and it is cheap and you can always get a cab..
It was over 110 degrees but it is a dry heat.. the monsoons might be moving in while you are there and kick up the humidity..
You will not want to walk really anywhere in the heat, except to the pool.
Overall, you are going to have a blast but go more higher end..it will pay off for all of you in the end..

You might consider Priceline. I'd also consider renting a car (they're pretty inexpensive in Vegas). Reason being, cabs on the strip can be a hassle. I was there recently during the week and off peak time and had to wait 20 minutes to catch a cab (each time). Next time I go, I'm renting a car. Regardless, have fun!

Mandalay Bay, of course.

since when is 1/2 mile major walking? i just came back from a 2 mile walk and could walk more.

Go, Stephanie! ;-) Now don't go putting all us &quot;mature&quot; gals to shame. :)

For your group, without a doubt, stay at the Wynn. No contest.

bayou:

I'm 41 not exactly a youngster.

A pool was a big consideration for my husband and myself. We were there in June. We also were not interested in being with many children. The Mirage was by far the best pool I had the opportunity to visit. I didn't see the Wynn or Belagio and the hotel was out of my price range. There is a childrens pool at the Mirage which helps. It has a tropical feel to it with a winding pool and a great waterfall. There are also many trees for shade. We loved the Pool at the Mirage, and would highly recommend it if a pool is a consideration. The location is good as well. You can hop on the bus to get around. We also didn't have a car but found this location fine for all purposes. We did see the Flamingo hotel which was a top contender and it is not as it was in its day or the pictures depict it to be. I would have been dissapointed if I would have stayed there. The rooms at the Mirage are fine we were upgraded to a volcano view which is not worth paying extra $$$.

Let us know how the girls' week-end goes!! Next year, I'll be joining my old gang of friends from high school for a similar trip.
I can walk for miles in some places, but Vegas isn't one of them. I was there for a convention held in August at the MGM Grand, but stayed at the Luxor (whose rooms were not very impressive and that whole inclinator stuff was way overhyped). On paper, the distance between the two spots didn't look bad, but the reality of slogging back and forth between them in heels, business dress and stockings was exhausting. After the first two days, we quit hoofing it and took taxis.

Love the Mirage pool. Tropical and plenty of shade. We also enjoyed breakfast outside in the poolside restaurant. You might want to look into the cost for the Tower rooms at the Mirage. A suite in the tower might make more sense than separate rooms, and the club floor has snacks all day long.

Bugswife1,

Me too! I LOVED the Mirage pool it was the best!!! I saw Monte Carlo, New York New York, MGM's and flamingo, nad Mandalay Bay and I was pleased with my choice. I tried to check out Wynn and the veneitian Pools but you needed to be a hotel guest to go up the elevator. Mandalay Bay is very off the beaten path. I would also think since it has the wave pool it would attract more children. The Mirage was totally Awesome!! Good Drinks poolside.

I hesitate to advise five women in the prime of life on their own for a weekend in Vegas as I'm a guy in my verrry late 40s (if early 50s counts as very late 40s) who has always been there with my spouse (we have a great time and go to visit our money 2-3 times a year), but here goes. I've never stayed at the Mirage, but the pool is supposed to be nice. I have stayed at the Flamingo many times, and the pool area is beautiful. They have music geared toward a young crowd pool side most nights. I couldn't recommend paying extra for just a strip view at the Flamingo, especially a lower or middle floor - it was just not that special. The views of the pool area are all very nice. Once we requested a room on the Flamingo Road side toward the front corner (the strip) on an upper floor. That gets you a good view of the Bellagio fountains. Oddly, the bathrooms are slightly larger in the rooms in the north wing, however. Compared to the other casinos, the Flamingo has great location, lower price, a great pool, and a decent mid priced buffet with the most entertaining view of any buffet - overlooking their wildlife habitat with flamingos and swans and other birds and waterfalls and koi swimming around. The rooms are just nice hotel rooms. We walk all around that corner, Ballys (connected by tunnel to Paris), Bellagio, Caesars Palace, even in the heat (it will be hot, but you'll experience the wonders of a negative heat index because of the low humidity - drink lots of water). A long shot as to accomodations - If you know someone who owns a timeshare at the Hilton Grand Vacations Club at the Flamingo, which is just across the Flamingo pool area, you might ask if they can get you a one bedroom or two bedroom apartment on an open season reservation. Those are unreserved units available only to owners for cash rental starting 30 days before the date. A one bedroom (full kitchen, living room with sleeper sofa and separate bedroom) goes for $80 weekday and $100 weekend. A two bedroom (same plus another bedroom and bath) goes for $100 weekdays and $120 weekends). Only an owner can make the reservation, and it's pot luck, whatever is available. You can check them out at hiltongrandvacations.com. As to taxis - we take taxis all the time &amp; don't bother to rent a car any more unless we are driving outside the city. You will wait for a taxi when shows are getting out, but for us that's better than driving on the strip and parking in remote hotel garages which is no fun at all. Last trip we also got 24 hour passes for the new double decker buses that go up and down the stip, all the way downtown, for $5.00. They are new and clean and fun and great for sightseeing. Good luck, don't wait too long make a hotel reservation &amp; have a wonderful time.

Labonds;

Food for thought. My 30 yr old daughter and her &quot;old&quot; college friends like to do Vegas getaways whenever possible. They are all west coast girls and they swear by the Hard Rock Hotel, they say it has the best pool in Vegas. I get the impression the Hard Rock is more of a younger crowd. I just read in the Sunday Travel Section that they have a swim up blackjack table right in the pool.

It is not on the strip however.