The
Turkish-style hammam, and restaurants that include outposts of Scarpetta, Estiatorio Milos, and Beauty & Essex. Its edgy art collection (extending from the top floor to the parking garage), wild New Year’s Eve performances, and outdoor concerts under the Boulevard Pool’s massive marquee (go for the boozy ice-skating in winter) have secured Cosmo’s spot as the favorite of Vegas’s hippest visitors. With brand-new penthouses, the hotel is newly catering to the high-roller crowd. 702-698-7000; cosmopolitanlasvegas.com
THE CROMWELL
This boutique hotel plays host to Giada De Laurentiis’s eponymous restaurant, Salvatore Calabrese’s bar Bound, and the rooftop Drai’s Beachclub & Nightclub. The rooms are quirky, with a steampunk vibe, but the hotel is one of the best-located for those who love to walk the Strip. 702-777-3777; thecromwell.com
DELANO LAS VEGAS
The breezy sophistication of Miami’s original Delano meets grandly modern desert décor at this boutique hotel at Mandalay, which occupies its own tower. The more than 1,000 suites each measure at least 725 square feet and feature a white-on-white color scheme. Don’t miss the serene Bathhouse Spa or Alain Ducasse’s 64th-floor kingdom, the French Riviera-themed Rivea. 702-6327888; delanolasvegas.com
ENCORE LAS VEGAS
Wynn Las Vegas’s sister resort is home to a dynamic collection of suites, restaurants, and indoor/outdoor entertainment venues, including Encore Beach Club and XS Nightclub. INSIDER TIP: The Tower Suite lobby bar is one of Las Vegas’s power rooms for casual meetings and drinks with clients. 702-7707000; wynnlasvegas.com
FOUR SEASONS LAS VEGAS
This rare boutique Four Seasons hotel provides a casino-free respite from Vegas gaming. Guests have their own entrance and elevator, as well as access to babysitters, making this a family favorite. The brunch at the recently renovated Veranda is a huge draw, and the restaurant is the weekday breakfast and lunch spot of local and visiting power brokers, casino executives, and Hollywood elite. 702-632-5000; fourseasons.com
GREEN VALLEY RANCH RESORT, SPA & CASINO
Just a short drive from the Strip, Green Valley’s lush Mediterranean-style resort has an award-winning spa and a clutch of great new restaurants, including Bottiglia (Italian) and Borracha (an upscale Mexican cantina). Just renovated at 15 years old, the 500-room resort is newly glam—its lobby lined in travertine marble from Peru, its promenade featuring Spanish limestone columns, and its Race and Sports Book boasting 12-by-21-foot high-def LED video displays, the best in the industry. 702-617-7777; greenvalleyranch.sclv.com
HARD ROCK HOTEL & CASINO
Embrace Vegas’s rock ’n’ roll spirit at this memorabilia-filled resort with multiple nightlife venues, theaters, and action-packed pools, located one mile off the Strip on Harmon Avenue. Plenty of guests come for concerts at The Joint and stay for the outrageous pool scene. Meals at the 24/7 diner Mr. Lucky’s are one of the best deals in Las Vegas, and there’s a lesser-known (but no less delicious) Nobu outpost. Culinary Dropout and Pink Taco both have outdoor patios that overlook the pools. 702-693-5000; hardrockhotel.com
JW MARRIOTT LAS VEGAS RESORT & SPA
This grand Spanish colonial-style resort 20 minutes west of the Strip on 50 acres of gardens is a locals’ escape for its Spa Aquae and one of the best‚—and most sedate—pool scenes around. It’s also minutes from TPC Las Vegas, and its new steakhouse, Hawthorn Grill, fronting a waterfall and tropical foliage, is set to become one of the west side’s popular eateries. 221 N. Rampart Blvd., 702-869-7777; marriott.com
MANDALAY BAY
The gold-plated palace at the south end of the Strip is the focal point of a resort complex that also features a sprawling pool playground, aquarium, and events center. 877-632-7700; mandalaybay.com
MANDARIN ORIENTAL
Traditional Eastern influences mix with a minimalist modern aesthetic. A hidden gem is Twist, by Michelin three-star chef Pierre Gagnaire, for its witty takes on traditional French cuisine. After lounging in the spa (inspired by Shanghai in the 1930s), head to the 23rd-floor Tea Lounge for breathtaking views. The cabanas around the hushed, very grown-up pool are some of the best in town. 702- 590-8888; mandarinoriental.com
MGM GRAND
Guarded by a 45-foot-tall bronze lion, this massive 5,000-plus-room hotel is home to the nightclub Hakkasan and restaurants from celebrity chefs Emeril Lagasse, Tom Colicchio, and Masaharu Morimoto (the brand-new Morimoto Las Vegas), among many others. INSIDER TIP: Formerly available only by invitation, The Mansion at MGM Grand, a decadent 29-villa retreat within the resort, can now be booked by anyone (60 days in advance). Luxuries like antique furnishings and a Michelin three-star Joël Robuchon restaurant abound. 877-880-0880; mgmgrand.com
THE MIRAGE
The Mirage’s tropical grounds channel the spirit of Polynesia with an erupting volcano, a saltwater