Pools in Las Vegas
 

Hi, dh and I along with my sister and her husband plan to be in Las Vegas from Aug. 7 to the 10th. We would like your opinions about the strip hotel pools. Right now we're thinking the Mirage but we can be persuaded by your experience. Many thanks

The Mirage pool is an excellent choice. It's one of the nicer pools in Vegas, and some of its lounge chairs are in the shade - a real plus in August. I liked the Mirage pool a little bit more than the Flamingo pool, but not quite as much as the Mandalay Bay pool (however, Mandalay Bay is poorly located).

Like most pools in Las Vegas, lounge chairs are hard to find during hot weather. At the Mirage, people lined up a little before opening time, then made a dash for the prime lounges. Many then left the pool entirely, not returning for hours - but hogging chairs in the mean time. If you can't find a lounge chair, your best bet is to tip one of the beach attendants. They often have a way of turning up a chair or two.

If you're not wanting to be bothered by LOTS of kids at the pool, try Caesar's or Bellagio - both have more "adult" oriented pool areas. The pools at the Mirage and Flamingo (and Tropicana) are over-run with kids all summer long - which may or may not be be a consideration for you. As another poster noted, Mandalay Bay has a great pool but it is located too far away from center strip (IMO). Keep in mind that August is the very peak of the inferno here in Las Vegas so a lot of the time it's just too hot during the day to even be at the pool - think eggs frying while you're trying to relax .... But for short periods of time it can be refreshing to jump in and get wet, but laying out on the lounge chairs with triple digit temps can be too much for many folks, especially those who aren't used to the heat.

Mandaylay Bay has a wonderful wave pool and lazy river. Yes it's away from center of strip but you still can get around on monorail or bus. The Monte Carlo also has a lazy river and nice pool area.

You might also consider renting a pool cabana for the day...

Hello bogger,
Have you checked out:
www.cheapovegas.com ?
Lots of good info about hotels, restaurants, etc. Click on the section "Best swimming" in the upper left, then click on each hotel listed. Gives a good review on those hotels' pools.

Happy travels!

The best pool experience for adults is at the Wynn.

www.wynnlasvegas.com

Enjoy!

Here's a pools link: http://www.vegas.com/resorts/pools/
I think there was another one posted, so I'll keep looking.

Here's another: http://www.vegashotelpools.com/

Just got back recently for a week long stay at THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay and the "beach" is exceptional. There's a regular pool area, cabanas, etc. and there is a lazy river that you can rent a tube and relax in or...there's the beach with real sand and a wave pool. You actually think you MAY be at the beach and then you realize it can't be - you're int he middle of the desert!

sorry, clicker fingers tonight.

meant to add was there for a conference and was also at Monte Carlo a couple of years ago for another conference and the pool does not even compare.

We're staying downtown at the Golden Nugget next month, so looking forward to the new pool there. Still small compared to strip props, though it looks very nice. :-)

bogger - what type of experience are you looking for in the hotel and the pool? Are you svelte hard bodies with disposable income looking for a place to swim, be seen, and have the coolest pool side drinks? (Caesars, Bellagio, and Wynns, by reputation) Are you 20/30 somethings looking for fun, music, actually getting into the water, not too many kids? (Mirage, according to reviews and comments on several threads here - I've not been there). Do you like to watch kids cavorting in the pool and want thumping music in the evening? (Flamingo - but there is also a smaller pool in an upper level above the main pool that is a bit difficult to find and doesn't have so many kids. The stairs to this pool are before you get to the main pool.) Do you want a wave pool? (Mandalay Bay) Keep in mind that in August, it may be too hot to be in/around the pool in the middle of the day.

Also, bear in mind that when thunder and lightening threatens, the pools close. August is the most likely month.

The Flamingo pool is nice visually (lots of interesting curves and palm trees throughout) however ... HOWEVER ... we (3 women) were just there on the Memorial Day weekend and ... OMG!!! Frat party atmosphere doesn't quite adequately describe the scene. People drinking beer and smoking whilst standing up to their waists in the pool. Balls being batted around and inadvertently (of course) into the space of people just trying to relax.

I don't know if it is such a "gong show" all the time but I would imagine it is somewhat like that all the time.

We even tried the "adult pool" to see if it was more sedate ... NOT. A couple of gals were topless (freshly purchased ???) and there was VERY loud, thumping club music playing and just as much drinking and smoking in the pool.

I would definitely do The Bellagio pool for a quiet more calm atmosphere.

I spent two days at the MGM, and really enjoyed their pool.. there is more than one pool and a lazy river.. it wasn't hard to find chairs and the drink service was very good.
There weren't many younger people either, mostly couples or friends in groups.. it was nice to relax, swim and read and have a quieter place to veg out. J((C))

Each pool has something to offer but my favorite is Caesar's. I have not been to Wynn or Bellagio's pool so cant compare them but I have been to Mirage, Mandalay Bay, Flamingo, Monte Carlo, and a few others and Caesar's get my vote. It does not, however, have a wave pool or lazy river feature.

Boxer is right about the club music (that's why I mentioned the thumping music in my post) and the party atmosphere. I've never seen it reach / descend to frat party level, but I've not been there on Memorial Day. (There was a wild bunch of optomotrists one July.) I've also never encountered any ladies, newly enhanced or otherwise, who have dropped their tops in all the years we've been staying at the Flamingo and the HGVC at the Flamingo. Now I'm depressed... :}

Caesar's pool has a "European bathing" area in the back that is topless optional. And since they have no wave pool, lazy river, etc., there are very few kids. No loud, thumping club music, either!

Do any of these pools become any more relaxing (no thumping music, fewer kids) if there in March, April or May? BTW, we are not in the svelte hard-body category, LOL. We're looking for eomething mid-strip too.

Hopefully, by definition, there will be fewer kids in the spring while school is in session.

We have been to LV in April and the pool atmosphere depends on the weather. Some of the pools are not heated and therefore although the sun is hot the water is still chilly. The quiet pools for relaxing and reading are Bally's and Paris. You can also find a quiet area at Monte Carlo away from the lazy river and wave pool. Haven't been to the Aladdin since they started renovations so I don't know if they have done any work in the pool area there.

Has anyone been to the pool in Paris. We are staying at Bally's and their pool is closed in November but I called Paris and Bally's customers can use their pool.

kit, it is going to be too cold in November in Las Vegas to use an outdoor pool.

The pool at Paris is a very nice, quiet area. It may be too cold to swim but if you have a sunny day the pool area will be a great place to relax, read a book, catnap or have a cool one. I like going to the pool for a bit of "quiet time" whenever I'm in Las Vegas.

Snowflake
That is why I wanted the pool too. Thanks to you and Go Travel for answering my query.

Last visit to Mirage's pool was awful. Lounge chairs were literally touching each other, like sardines in a can. It was difficult to find 2 chairs together, which finally ended up being in the middle of a row. Hard to even get to the chairs w/o spilling others' drinks. It was very much like college spring break, loud, empty cups not cleaned up, absolutely awful.

Lounge chairs were literally touching each other, like sardines in a can.

This was my experience at the Venetian a couple of weeks ago, too. If your lounge is in the middle of a row, you literally have to crawl onto it. Not a pretty picture (me doing that, I mean!)

For those that are finding this thread recently: 2011

My husband and I took our annual trip to Vegas last Spring, and seeking a quiet, calm pool to relax around before our gourmet chef's tastings in the evening. We booked at the Paris as it was SUPPOSED to qualify for our quiet criteria. Alas! There was loud, thumping dance music/live DJ most of the day. So, we found we had downgraded the pool ambiance for more quiet - only to find the Paris had changed their 'mood' around their large bathtub they call a pool. Not private - not quiet... be forewarned!