We will be staying at the Venetian (for a conference). My wife enjoys laying out by the pool. By the post here, the Venetian pool are AVG. at best.

I heard about the Mandalay pool and other hotels with better pools.

Are all the pools limited to hotel guests only, or can you buy a "pass" or get into use the pool some other way?

Thanks.

Guests only - no passes that I'm aware of. Some properties however (Bally's and Paris as examples) allow use of their pools if you are staying at one or the other hotel. And I've had some success with "just walking in", at Flamingo (reasonably near the Venetian and rated as a top LV pool) and Luxor (very nice). This time of year you might too, find that that works. But I wouldn't count on it.

Mandalay scans your room key as you enter. They used to charge a day fee for non-guests but not any more. At Caesars, you have to be with a hotel guest.

thank you both for the reply.
kinda disappointing about the Mandalay bay hotel. I heard it had a nice setup.

Mandalay does have an awesome pool area but it can get very crowded and it's really not fair to have a guest pay $500/nt for a room (busy weekend) and give up pool space to a local who paid 10 bucks to hang out. If you're into water slides and stuff, there is a Wet N Wild on the strip and there are discount coupons everywhere.

Rugtown, the pools at the Venetian are actually very pretty, but it is a more sedate lounging pool area so perfect for some, but if you want more fun and action this wouldn't be the place. Crazy thing is the pools are on the roof of a 2 or 3 story area of the casino/convention area, not on the ground like the others. But the area itself is very pretty with lion water spouts beautiful tiled pools and planters all over.