Different strokes for different folks, different tribes for different vibes…it seems to sum up the universal appeal of The City of Sin, right? Because you can be anyone in Las Vegas, and find any entertainment to suit your tastes, if only you look (and spend) hard enough.
Vegas, it has to be said, is a juggernaut of a place, imposing, intimidating, exhilarating and infuriating in equal measure. If you’re planning on a trip to strut the Strip, then it’s best to compartmentalise a touch, to get the most from your experience. Today, we’re breaking things down a little for you, with these tips on 5 of the best casinos in Las Vegas for divergent tastes.
BEST FOR FOODIES: CAESAR’S PALACE
Las Vegas is one of the world’s premier places for fine dining, attracting top notch chefs from all over the globe keen to cash in (and serve up) on the city’s hunger for opulence and indulgence. Here you’ll find three-star Michelin level restaurants rubbing shoulders with more down-to-earth diners, all-you-can-eat buffets and globe trotting menus, all within a chip’s throw of each other.
They say that it’s easy to leave Vegas broke, but you certainly won’t leave hungry, and it’s at Caesar’s Palace where the latter part of this maxim is most aptly realised. Indeed, there aren’t many places in the world where you’ll find Gordon Ramsay, Guy Savoy, Bobby Flay and Nobu Matsuhisa all under one roof. In fact, there aren’t any such places except Caesar’s Las Vegas. There’s also the Forum Food Court and Bacchanal Buffet for those looking for the quintessential, all-you-can-eat Vegas dining experience. Better pack a pair of elastic waisted trousers for this one.
BEST FOR COCKTAIL CONNOISSEURS: THE COSMOPOLITAN
Where better place in the world to enjoy a cocktail than in Las Vegas, the City That Never Sleeps, in a casino resort which (poetic licence at the ready) was named after a cocktail; the Cosmopolitan. Even if you’re not a fan of the famous marriage of vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice and lime, you’re sure to find something quaffable in one of the resort’s world-renowned bars.
Of the seven bars here, the pick of the bunch is perhaps The Barbershop Cuts & Cocktails, which offers haircuts out front while out back, a prohibition-era hidden lounge serves up vintage whiskey to guests reclining in plush leather armchairs. Be sure to try the house special Golden Dram, containing White Label scotch and bitter orange; delicious! Or, if you’ve just won big, how about an Old Rip Van Winkle, aged for 25 years and available for a modest $25’000.
For a different vibe altogether, more glitzy and less underground, try The Chandelier; three levels of opulence which will have you thinking you’re in a particularly gauche art exhibition. Such surroundings combined with their signature drink, a nod to Alice In Wonderland aptly named ‘We’re All Mad Here’, and you’ll truly feel like you’re tripping. Mind the stairs on the way down!
BEST FOR SWIMMING: MANDALAY BAY
We’re sure we don’t need to tell you twice that Vegas gets hot. Really hot. Yep, the temperatures are truly sweltering and in the summer months are consistently over 40°C. Even in October, when the heat is said to subside, average temperatures still regularly reach heights of 27°C. Okay, so we ended up telling you about five times, but anyway…
As such, you’ll need somewhere to cool off; and it shouldn’t always be in the air conditioned halls of the major casinos. That would be too easy. Enter one of the world’s foremost famous aquatic playgrounds: Mandalay Bay Beach.
Sitting on 11 acres of prime real-estate in Sin City, the Mandalay Bay Beach is a manmade city made of water within a city. There are 8 different pools in total, including a 1.6 million gallon wave pool which can generate huge waves off up to 6ft; try riding one of those after one of Vegas’s famous all-you-can-eat buffets. If water sports aren’t you’re thing, for a slower pace, there’s a lazy river with a mellow current where you can gently float along on a rubber ring.
Oh, and there’s also a beach with 2700 tons of real Californian sand – yep it is quite literally a beach in the middle of a desert.
If you’re after there places to cool off from the sweltering heat, here are 5 of the best pools in Las Vegas for your perusal.
BEST FOR PENNY SLOTS: ARIA
If you’re looking for a slice of the action but don’t want to bet the big bucks, you might want to try low stakes penny slots. But before we go into that, let’s clear things up, the name “Penny Slot” is something of a misnomer. Don’t let the name fool you, penny slots don’t actually have a penny slot. Instead, you slide a dollar into the machine and get a hundred plays.
All the casinos have penny slots, but for a top notch experience, we suggest Aria. It happens to have of the largest slot-machine floors on the strip and the floor is alive with a machine symphony of slot sounds – most modern machines have around 400 sound effects. Wow.
Should you be looking to make your own luck, according to Vegas insiders, machines closest to pedestrian traffic are often set up to win, in order to lure other onlookers in. Whether this is true or not, who knows.
Remember that these machines are built to be both fun and addictive. As with any form of gambling, the slot machines, both online and physical, should be approached with caution.
BEST FOR ELVIS IMPERSONATORS: PLANET HOLLYWOOD
Phew, how about some real, stereotypically, quintessentially Vegas fun? Yep, it would be a crime to leave the City of Sin without catching a performance from its most famous ever resident. And at Planet Hollywood Resort you’ll find the premier Elvis impersonator show in the world; ‘All Shook Up’.
Considered the ultimate tribute show to The King, performances start at 6pm daily, with tickets starting at $34. Backed by a three piece band, you’ll see a high-octane, hour and a half extravaganza of Elvis Presley’s greatest hits. So, put on your blue suede shoes, hit the strip and make for Planet Hollywood with haste. Viva Las Vegas, indeed.