we are visiting las vegas for the first time and trying to decide where to stay. the pool is an important factor in the decision... looking at mandalay bay, mirage and others. any advice?

Use the text search above and do a search! There have been enough posts on this subject (just lately) to fill a book!

Love the pool at The Bellagio (but it's huge), the Venetian (also huge). Mandalay Bay is a great property but at far end of strip and cabs can be expensive and the traffic heavy especially on weekends. Four Seasons pool is smaller, gorgeous and more private, but location isn't the best. Mirage is very old and tired.

Emily,
Who is "we"? Husband, kids? I think Bellagio is beautiful, but they are so unfriendly to children.
By all means , stay on the south part of the strip. Do not even consider Circus, Circus(gag, gag).
I really liked MGM Grand the best- it is huge, but it has it all! It's the best for kids, but I think anyone would enjoy it.Check out the forum for opinions, and look at www.mgmgrand.com to view the hotel. They have a fabulous pool.I always book Vegas through a discount hotel reservations site on the internet. Look at several before you book-the difference in prices varies 30 % at times.Getting around is easy and cheap, and food is very good and cheap in Vegas. Have fun!

My husband, myself, and our 12 yr old son stayed at Mandalay Bay last April and had a great time. My son loved the pools and so did I. They have a river pool, a wave pool, and two other pools as well. The pool area does get crowed so therfore it can be had to find chairs sometimes. They have a nice snack shop by the pool to get drinks and sandwiches. We had no problems getting around. There is a free tram to take you to the Luxor and Excalibar. From ther you can walk to MGM, New York, etc.

Mandalay Bay has fantastick pools.
I believe the Bellagio has 5 pools.
I have stayed at the Rio which is off strip but has 2-3 pools and Ceasars,pools used to be good, and now stay at the Bellagio.
Do a search on Las Vegas,there are a few discussions on pools and eating in Vegas, you should find out all you want to know.Good luck!

My choice when I visit Vegas is the Hotel Monte Carlo. The pool area is nice, they have a wave pool, regular pool and lazy river pool. They also have terrific dining options within the hotel. The hotel is pretty much central to all the others and in a good location. You can take the tram to the Bellagio next door. The Hotel Rio is not located on the strip, but off of it and traffic can be nasty between going back and forth to the strip. I personally think Mandalay Bay is too far down from the other hotels and a bit pricey w/ their restaurants, etc. Have fun!!

I love the pool at Bellagio. I know most people think they don't like kids there, but last summer I took my son who was 15 months old everyone treated him wonderfully. The pools weren't crowded at all. They have 2 very large pools that are heated and have a maximum depth of 4 feet, so it was very easy to walk around in the water with my toddler. They have three smaller pools that aren't heated and are VERY cold. The area is beautiful.

I saw the pool at Mandalay Bay and it would be great for older kids. The wave pool and lazy river pool looked awesome, but it was very crowded. I've never seen the Monte Carlo pool, but I know people who've raved about it.