Splash Time: 8 Best Hotel Pools in Las Vegas

The Venetian celebrates an Old World Italian theme, but feels brand new, especially since the entire pool deck underwent an extensive renovation for the 2020 season. The cabanas are now among the largest and most lavish on the Strip with couches and other furniture that wouldn’t look out of place in a living room. A few even have their own private plunge pools. The deck is massive with 10 heated pools, stretching on the third floor roof between the main Venetian hotel and sister Palazzo. Daybeds within the water are a nice touch.

Despite its expansive size, the pool area has a few secluded spots with gardens and sculptures to accent the Southern Italian image. The Aquatic Club is for adults with house beats by a live DJ and a refreshing lineup of cocktails. It’s great for couples who want to unwind without any children in sight.

Spritz is a new poolside bar and restaurant where guests can enjoy food and, as the name suggests, variations on a Spritz cocktail. After a long day in the sun, get in a workout or massage at the Canyon Ranch Spa and Fitness Center, which is also where you’ll find Truth & Tonic, one of the only 100% vegan restaurants on the Strip. That’s just scratching the surface for the Venetian, where even the least expensive rooms feel like suites, and gondola rides travel down the center of the Grand Canal Shoppes.

The Hotel Bellagio is best known for its iconic fountain shows, upscale shopping, and the colorful Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in the lobby, where lavish floral exhibits change with the season. Yet the resort is about more than over-the-top attractions.

The Mediterranean-inspired pool area is a quiet escape from the chaos of the Strip. No dayclubs. No party scene. Just five secluded swimming pools nestled between rows of well-manicured trees. Lounge chairs or daybeds in the Cypress Garden are less expensive than cabanas, but still allow plenty of pampering with drinks, food, and poolside massages.

After a long day of swimming and sunbathing, let loose at the new Mayfair Supper Club, which makes dinner feel like an entertainment experience. The restaurant features live musicians and dancers who navigate between tables and perform on a stage in the center of the dining room. It’s like a dinner and show in one with floor-to-ceiling windows revealing the famous Bellagio fountains as the backdrop. Fountain views are also available to most guest rooms booked on the east side of the hotel’s two towers. They’re well worth the upgrade charge.

It’s no secret why The M Resort is a popular, welcome alternative to the bigger, more elaborate hotels on the Strip. Located in southwest Henderson, The M has a stylish, modern image, spacious accommodations, and easy parking for visitors driving in from California on Interstate 15. Yet it’s just 10 miles directly south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard.

The hotel’s contemporary styling continues in the M Pool complex, which includes two heated infinity-edge pools, spa tubs, and wet decks for sunbathing in lounge chairs dipped in shallow water. Curtains surround some of the daybeds to help block out the sun.

DayDream is a more reserved dayclub concept, where adults can book cabanas and have a small pool all to themselves. Restaurants at The M Resort include Anthony’s Steakhouse and the Hostile Grape wine bar. It’s also close to Henderson attractions like the Lion Habitat Ranch and SPEEDVEGAS exotic car racetrack.

The Cosmopolitan has a sleek, modern image that carries over to each of its three pool decks. The Boulevard Pool overlooks the Strip with clear views of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris casino. The deck hosts weekly movie nights in the summer and winter with classics screened on the hotel’s digital marquee.

By comparison, the Chelsea Pool is more quiet and a better fit for families who favor seclusion and simplicity. Marquee Nightclub has its own pool that often transforms into a daytime party spot. It’s surrounded by bungalows, which are actually three-level townhouse-style suites with direct access to the pool deck. They’re strictly for the party crowd—or anyone who doesn’t mind dance music pumping hard and fast next door.

The party atmosphere is also felt at STK, a steakhouse and lounge in one. Other restaurant highlights at the Cosmopolitan include the fresh Mediterranean fish of Estiatorio Milos and é by José Andrés, a small hidden dining room that welcomes just nine guests for two seatings each night while serving inventive tasting menus based on European gastronomy.

Make a point to visit Chandelier, a three-level cocktail bar surrounded in crystals. It’s one of the most social meeting spots on the Strip. When it comes to guest rooms, the Cosmopolitan is the only high-rise on the Strip with open-air balconies.

The colorful, tropical theme of Mandalay Bay is on full display in the resort’s expansive pool complex, great for families. Mandalay Bay Beach brings together nearly 3,000 tons of sand, an enormous wave pool, and a long, winding lazy river for a perfect waterside escape. Kids will enjoy building sand castles or bodysurfing in the waves. Adults may prefer the neighboring Moorea Beach Club, which is 21-and-over and allows topless sunbathing.

As one of the largest resorts on the Strip, Mandalay Bay has loads of attractions. After wolfing down upscale sushi at Kumi or elevated Mexican food at Border Grill, dance the night away at Light Nightclub, or catch the excitement of Michael Jackson One, a Cirque du Soleil production dedicated to the music and legacy of the late pop singer.

Downtown Las Vegas is where you’ll find the Fremont Street Experience, an outdoor pedestrian mall lined by the bright lights of casinos old and new. The Golden Nugget is one of the best hotels on the promenade, even if just for the pool deck.

The centerpiece is a 200,000-gallon shark tank that’s home to dozens of rare, unique exotic fish. The best part—you can slide down a water slide that goes through the middle of the tank. It’s a quick ride that lasts just a few seconds, so you’ll want to go down a few times. The three-story pool deck includes a waterfall, large built-in cabanas, and a quiet adults-only area on the top level.

Any stay at the Golden Nugget isn’t complete without a walk down the Fremont Street Experience, which has a massive overhead LED video canopy that displays free shows every hour. Wander in and out of the casinos, but make sure to cross Las Vegas Boulevard and check out the bars and restaurants of the Fremont East district. The Downtown Cocktail Room is a dark and seductive speakeasy that set the standard for the craft cocktail scene in Las Vegas many years ago.

At first, the Cancun Resort seems relatively simple. No big restaurants or fancy bars. The lobby is functionally plain. But that no-frills feeling disappears once you head outside to the backyard pool deck. The main swimming pool has a towering Aztec-inspired pyramid with a circular hot tub inside and wide waterfall that dramatically flows down the exterior. Adults will appreciate the scenery, but kids are more likely to gravitate to one of two long, twisting waterslides.

Aside from an engaging pool deck, the Cancun Resort has large condo-style guest rooms that typically include a living room, dining area, and kitchen with a full refrigerator, oven, and microwave. With a location on Las Vegas Boulevard that’s about four miles south of the Strip, Cancun is a carefree destination for families who favor convenience, but still wish to be in easy driving distance to Las Vegas attractions.

Based on the number of hotel rooms alone, the MGM Grand is the largest resort in Las Vegas. With a distinctive bright green exterior, it dominates the south end of the Strip. Yet while it glows at night, its sprawling pool complex draws most of the action during the day. Families will feel at home at the main pool complex, which includes four large pools, three mini-whirlpools, waterfalls, and a lazy river in a desert oasis decorated with palm trees.

Neighboring Wet Republic is one of the most popular dayclubs on the Strip. It has a fresh new look for 2020, thanks to a multimillion-dollar renovation that welcomed an upgraded sound system, high-definition LED video screens, and renovated bungalow-style cabanas with private plunge pools. Wet Republic was toned down to feature a less-crowded, lounge-like atmosphere following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The party continues at night at Hakkasan, a nightclub that’s attached to a Cantonese restaurant of the same name. But for a truly dignified dining experience, feast on a multi-course menu of French cuisine at Joel Robuchon. With chandeliers, drapes, and luxurious table settings, it’s almost like having a meal inside a private mansion.