Casino sights in Las Vegas
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Mirage
With a tropical setting replete with a huge atrium filled with jungle foliage and soothing cascades, the Mirage captures the imagination. Circling the atrium is a vast Polynesian-themed casino, which places gaming areas under separate roofs to evoke intimacy, including a popular high-limit poker room. Don't miss the 20,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, with 60 species of critters hailing from Fiji to the Red Sea (including puffer fish, tangs and pygmy sharks), in the hotel registration area. Out front in the lagoon, a fiery faux volcano erupts hourly after dark until midnight.
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Bellagio
Fans of eye-popping luxury, along with movie buffs who liked Ocean's Eleven (several key scenes were shot here) won't want to miss Steve Wynn's Vegas' original opulent pleasure palazzo. Inspired by a lakeside Italian village, the Bellagio is now a classic fixture of the strip, perhaps best known for its dazzling choreographed dancing fountain show that takes place every 15 to 30 minutes during the afternoon and evening. Other highlights include the dreamy pool area, a swish shopping concourse, a European-style casino and the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art. Don't miss the hotel lobby's showpiece: a Dale Chihuly sculpture composed of 2000 hand-blown glass flowers in vibrant…
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Caesars Palace
If you want to glimpse a vision of the pre-Bellagio version of quintessential four-star Las Vegas, Caesar's is your first stop. When it debuted in 1966, this Greco-Roman fantasyland captured the world's attention with its full-size marble reproductions of classical statuary and its cocktail waitresses clothed as goddesses. Bar girls continue to roam the gaming areas in skimpy togas, and faux-ancient Muses guard the high-roller rooms. The Colosseum showroom hosts mega- concerts featuring international icons like chanteuse Celine Dion. Don't skip a stroll through the curious mix of haute couture and cheesy Roman spectacle at the Forum Shops.
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Cosmopolitan
Hipsters who have long thought they were too cool for Vegas finally have a place to go where they don't need irony to endure – much less enjoy – the aesthetics. Like the new Hollywood 'IT' girl, the Cosmo looks good at all times. Expect a steady stream of ingénues and entourages, plus regular folks who enjoy contemporary design. With a focus on pure fun, it avoids utter pretension, despite the constant wink-wink, retro moments: the Art-o-Matics (vintage cigarette machines hawking local art rather than nicotine), and possibly the best buffet in town, the Wicked Spoon. The va-va-va-voom casino lives up to the hotel's name, and the hotel bars – from a James Bond-esque…
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Encore
A slice of the French Riviera in Las Vegas – and classy enough to entice any of the Riviera's regulars – Steve Wynn has upped the wow factor, and the skyline, yet again with the Encore. Filled with indoor flower gardens, a butterfly motif and a dramatically luxe casino with scarlet chandeliers, it's an oasis of bright beauty. Botero, the restaurant headed by Mark LoRusso, is centered on a large sculpture by Fernando Botero himself. Don't miss the elegant Baccarat room with its jeweled peacocks, or the stunning casino bar. Come summertime, the Encore Beach Club throws one of the hottest pool parties in town.
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Flamingo
Back in 1946, the Flamingo was the talk of the town. Its original owners – all members of the New York mafia – shelled out millions to build this unprecedented tropical gaming oasis in the desert. Today, it isn't quite what it was back when its janitorial staff wore tuxedos; think more Miami Vice, less Bugsy. Drop by during the madhouse afternoon happy hours to sling back massive margaritas. Out back is a wildlife habitat with magnificent gardens where Chilean flamingos and African penguins wander, and 15 acres of meandering pools and waterfalls filled with swans and exotic birds.
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Golden Nugget
Downtown's royal jewel has serious panache, thanks in part to gorgeous Dale Chihuly-inspired glasswork everywhere you look. No brass or cut glass was spared inside the swanky (and lively) casino, known for its nonsmoking poker room; the RUSH Lounge, where live local bands play; and some of downtowns' best restaurants. Don't miss the gigantic 61lb Hand of Faith, the world's largest gold nugget, around the corner from the hotel lobby.
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Hard Rock
Beloved by SoCal visitors, this très-hip casino hotel is home to one of the world's most impressive collections of rock and roll memorabilia, including Jim Morrison's handwritten lyrics to one of the Door's greatest hits and leather jackets from a who's who of famous rock stars. The Joint concert hall, Vanity Nightclub and 'Rehab' summer pool parties attract a pimped-out, sex-charged crowd flush with celebrities.
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Mandalay Bay
Almost everything at 'M-Bay'is a spectacle, if you know where to look. There's a constellation of star chefs' restaurants, the sky-high Mix lounge atop THEhotel, where couples escape to THEbathhouse spa. High-stakes gamblers will appreciate the classy casino and cutthroat poker room, while those who prefer observing the survival of the fittest in nature will appreciate Bay's Shark Reef, a walk-through aquarium that's home to thousands of submarine beasties. M-Bay is connected to Luxor by the eclectic Mandalay Place shopping mall.
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Palms
Equal parts sexy and downright sleazy, the Palms attracts notorious celebrities and gossip standbys (think Britney Spears) as well as a younger, mostly local crowd. While critics claim the Palms' glory days are waning, others rave that its restaurants and nightclubs remain some of the hottest in town. Highlights at the Palms include a 14-screen movie theater with IMAX capabilities and a 1200-seat showroom, the Pearl. PS: Don't take the elevator to the Playboy Club expecting debauchery à la Hef's mansion: while a few bunny-eared, surgically enhanced ladies deal blackjack in a stylishly appointed lounge full of mostly men, the sexiest thing about it is the stunning skyline…
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Hard Rock
Beloved by SoCal visitors, this trés-hip casino hotel is home to one of the world's most impressive collections of rock and roll memorabilia, including Jim Morrison's handwritten lyrics to one of the Door's greatest hits, Madonna's cone bra and leather jackets from a who's who of famous rock stars. The Joint concert hall, Vanity Nightclub and Rehab summer pool parties attract a pimped-out, sex-charged crowd flush with celebrities.
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Luxor
Only a faint echo of Egypt's splendid ancient city, the landmark Luxor has a 40-billion-candlepower beacon visible to astronauts in outer space that shoots up out of its jet-black pyramid. Out front are a 10-story crouching sphinx and a sandstone obelisk etched with hieroglyphics. The interior is adorned with huge Egyptian statues and an audacious replica of the Great Temple of Ramses II. The confusingly laid out casino has a sub-par spread of table games and slot machines.
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Circus Circus
From the outside, Circus Circus looks bedraggled and pretty cheesy – and it is. Yet let's be honest: kids go crazy for this stuff. Suspended above the casino is the Circus Circus Midway, where acrobats, contortionists and trapeze artists freely perform daily every 30 minutes until midnight. The revolving carousel of the Horse-a-Round Bar, made infamous by gonzo journalist Hunter S Thompson's Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, has views of the stage and can feel hallucinogenic even to those who are completely sober. Cheap beers, cheap eats and cheap thrills like 24-hour beer pong rule Slots A' Fun, just a drunken stumble away. Out back of the casino hotel, kids will dig the…
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El Cortez
Downtown and in the mood for blackjack? Head to the deliciously retro El Cortez, Vegas' oldest continuously operating casino. Going strong since 1941, it's one of the only joints in town where the slots are the real thing. If you hit the jackpot, you'll enjoy the clatter of actual coins – none of that newfangled paper ticket nonsense. For an all-out retro evening, duck into the Flame Steakhouse and you'll swear Bugsy Siegel himself might wander in. The coral dining room is the color of a Hollywood starlet's handbag and the menu (Steak Diane, wedge salad) is straight out of 1941.
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Imperial Palace
The blue neon-roofed pagoda facade and faux-Far East theme are unbelievably hokey, but the zany atmosphere inside the casino is quite all right. Elvis fans, rejoice: the King never leaves the building.
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MGM Grand
With a sprawling 5000 rooms, gaming areas equal in size to four football fields and a slew of fancy restaurants, the MGM is easy to get lost in. Owned by movie mogul Metro Goldwyn Mayer, the shimmering emerald-green 'City of Entertainment' co-opts themes from classic Hollywood movies. The casino consists of one gigantic circular room with an ornate domed ceiling and replicated 1930s glamour. Out front, it's hard to miss the USA's largest bronze statue, a 100,000lb lion. Popular attractions include a lion habitat.
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Planet Hollywood
Lest you mistake that Planet Hollywood is to Hollywood what the Hard Rock is to rock and roll, two steps into the casino will instantly clear up the difference. We're not sure what the inordinate number of scantily clad women gyrating on poles above the table games have to do with the movies, but if that's your thing, plunk down your cash on blackjack in the Pleasure Pit. The coolest movie stuff actually hangs in some of the most inconspicuous places, like by the elevators or in the hallways: go figure.
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Stratosphere
Standing over 100 stories, the three-legged Stratosphere is the tallest observation tower in the US. While the casino recently received a much-needed remodel, skip it and head straight to the elevators. Atop the tapered tower is a revolving restaurant, a circular bar and indoor and outdoor viewing decks offering the most spectacular 360-degree panoramas in town. To get there, ride the USA's fastest elevators, which ascend 108 floors in 37 ear-popping seconds. Up top, queue for adrenaline-pumping thrill rides.
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Tropicana
As once-celebrated retro properties go under, the Tropicana –keeping the Strip tropical vibe going since 1953 – just got (surprise!) cool again. The massive renovation shows, from the airy casino to the lush, relaxing gardens and pool area with its with their newly unveiled Nikki Beach Club. Nope, this isn't your father's Tropicana – although he'll probably enjoy it too. The happy hour under illuminated palm trees on Café Nikki wooden deck is one of our favorite sunset secrets.
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Wynn Las Vegas
Steve Wynn's signature (literally, his name is written in script across the top, punctuated by a period) casino hotel stands on the site of the imploded 1950s-era Desert Inn. The curvaceous, copper-toned 50- story tower exudes secrecy – the entrance is obscured from the Strip by an artificial mountain of greenery. Inside, the resort comes alive with vibrant colors, inlaid flower mosaics, natural-light windows, lush foliage and waterfalls. The sprawling casino is always crowded, especially the cutthroat poker room. Acclaimed director Franco Dragone created Wynn's dreamy production show, La Rêve, in a specially constructed theater-in-the-round, where a million-gallon…
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Western
Whether you’re looking for 5¢ video-poker machines or blackjack tables with $3 minimum bets, make a start at the Western casinos.
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New York-New York
Give me your tired, huddled (over a Wheel of Fortune slot machine) masses. The frenetic mini-megapolis New York-New York features scaled-down replicas of the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty, with a Coney Island-style roller coaster wrapped around the exterior. Claustrophobes beware: this Disneyfied version of the Big Apple can get even more crowded than the real deal. Eateries and a handful of fun bars – from dueling pianos to perfectly poured Irish pints – hide behind colorful facades from Greenwich Village and Times Sq. Upstairs, kids dig the Coney Island Emporium arcade.
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Palazzo
The Venetian's pretty but less interesting kid sister, the Palazzo may be younger but she's hardly the scintillating life of the party. The decor exploits a variation on the Italian theme to a somewhat predictable effect, and despite the caliber of the Shops at Palazzo and the star-studded dining – including exhilarating ventures by culinary heavyweights Charlie Trotter, Emeril Legasse and Wolfgang Puck – the luxurious casino area somehow exudes a lackluster brand of excitement.
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TI (Treasure Island)
Yo, ho, whoa: although traces of the original swashbuckling skull-and-crossbones theme linger at this casino hotel, TI's shift from family-friendly to bawdy and oh-so naughty epitomizes Vegas' efforts to put the 'sin' back in 'casino.' One-armed Playboy bandits have replaced the playful pirates, plastic doubloons and chests full o'booty. Several times nightly, the spiced-up and totally cheesy Sirens of TI show stages a mock sea battle between sultry temptresses and renegade freebooters.
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Paris-Las Vegas
Adorned with fake Francophone signs like 'Le Buffet,' Paris-Las Vegas is a Gallic caricature that strives – with admirable effort – to capture the essence of the grande dame by re-creating her landmarks. Cut-rate likenesses of the Hotel de Ville, Opéra, Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées and even the River Seine frame the property. Check out the new Chateau Beer Gardens, where a mediocre beer list is redeemed by gorgeous views from the terrace.
Of course, the signature attraction is the Eiffel Tower Experience. Ascend in a glass elevator to the observation deck for panoramic views of the Strip, notably the Bellagio's dancing fountains.
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