Ultra Lounges

For the typical clubbing experience, nothing beats a top Las Vegas nightclub but ultra lounges and bars can be used for a pre-party or after party experience. The lounges may have a dance floor and music but are often an in-between destination for an hour or two. Here are some of the famous Vegas ultra lounges.

Bar Vdara at Vdara is this hotel’s lobby bar open 11 am everyday and closed at 3 am from Sundays to Thursdays and 4 am on the weekends. It is a standard bar with no food and roughly average Vegas nightlife pricing. They have about 15 beers that start at $7 and a regular cocktail such as a martini starts at $14.

The unique aspect is the outdoor seating which also has 2 swings. During nice weather the bar might just barely qualify for being a destination type of lounge but for most will be an average place to get average priced drinks at a convenient location.

Vdara • 2600 West Harmon • 89109 • 866-745-7767 • www.vdara.com

Blush at Wynn is billed as a boutique nightclub or a somewhat smaller club but it is more like a lounge with a strong ambiance of silk lanterns and an Onyx underlit dance floor. The crowd tends to be mixed with a number of younger denizens given free passes if they are attractive and female. Although they don’t call themselves an ultra lounge they are one of the better ones in Vegas.

Wynn • 3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S. • 89109 • 770-7000 • www.wynnlasvegas.com

The Duece at Aria will have high limit Blackjack, a small dance floor and food from Union—another Brian Massie restaurant. Because it will be run by the same group that manages the Jet and Bank nightclubs as well as the Fix, Stack, and Brand restaurants, the music, design, food and drink should work fairly well. The dealers and gaming operation might have more of a learning curve unless that has been subcontracted from the Aria casino.

Pricing at Light Group properties is typical for upscale Vegas such as cocktails in the mid teens, beers in the high single digit dollars and full meals in the $30 entrée range. The concept of the Deuce is something for everyone.

Aria • 3730 Las Vegas Boulevard South • 89109 • 866-359-7757 • www.AriaLasVegas.com

Mandarin Oriental Bar at Mandarin Oriental is on the 23rd lobby floor, open everyday from 5 to 2 pm. Well decorated with an excellent view, prices are high. Vegas nightlife pricing for martinis usually ranges from $11 to $17 but starts at $20 here. Nightlife beers are $6-$9 but Mandarin Oriental starts at $10. They have about 10 beers to choose from.

They have small appetizers such as Kobe beef, tuna tartare, lobster, etc. that come in 2 spoons, each set of spoons between $5-$16. Although they are quite good, it is expensive to amuse bouche your way to feeling full at $10 a pop. The view is good enough for a pre or post clubbing stop although the drink pricing will limit some to a short visit.

Mandarin Oriental • 3752 Las Vegas Boulevard South • 89109 • 702-590-8888 •www.mandarinoriental.com/lasvegas/

Mix at Mandalay Bay (also a very good 1 Michelin star restaurant) has a spectacular view facing north almost directly up the strip. There is VIP seating in an upper level and the patio has the great view. The crowd
tends to be older than is typical for a night club.

Mandalay Bay • 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S • 89119 • 632-7777 • www.mandalaybay.com

V Bar at the Venetian is actually a better choice as an ultra lounge simply because it doesn’t try too hard. There is no cover, drinks are about mid-priced for Vegas which means they are cheap compared to most Vegas nightlife venues and you can get some dancing in as well.

Part of the reason that it is not always mobbed is that it is set apart from the heavy casino foot traffic. It is where some of the Venetian restaurants and the Blue Man Group theater are located.

If you use ultra lounges correctly, you are hitting them for a less frenetic atmosphere than a club and hopefully getting your drink on without busting a budget. This bar fills that need perfectly. Unlike most ultra lounges you are actually better off hitting V earlier than later since some Tao fallout will be crowding it out later in the evening.

Venetian • 3355 Las Vegas Blvd S • 89109 • 414-3200 • www.venetian.com

Foundation Room at Mandalay Bay has a richly appointed mansion feel with pretty good food. You can look North up the strip (the Mandalay Bay sign slightly blocks the view) which is one of the best views in Vegas. The crowd is one of the older among the lounges and nightclubs in Vegas but often fairly lively.

As a private membership club, only Mondays get very crowded when it is open to the public. Membership is $2,250 for a year.

Mandalay Bay • 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S • 89119 • 632–7614 • www.houseofblues.com


Playboy Club at the Palms has a unique Playboy mansion type of feel and a great view. It is also downstairs from Moon which means you can go clubbing upstairs at a good nightclub and then sit and chat or play blackjack with the Playmate dealers who are very, very hot if not mathematically gifted. Be sure to count your hands yourself. Men’s rooms are great too.

Palms • 4321 Flamingo • 89103 • 942-6832 • www.n9negroup.com

Eyecandy at Mandalay Bay has easy in the middle of the Mandalay Bay casino floor and has no cover. You can dance a little, play with their interactive touch tables and in an hour or so, when you start getting bored, move on to the next hotspot. Because ultra lounges are not great for a full evening, any lounge that has few pretensions can fill that pre-or post party need and this bar is geared just for that.

Mandalay Bay • 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. S • 89109 • 632-7777 • www.mandalaybay.com

Noir at Luxor is for serious celebrity watching if you can get in and your reservations don’t guarantee that you will. The décor is crystal, leather and very upscale with the most expensive drink prices of any ultra lounge in Vegas with bottle service minimum at $500. This is more the after-party type of ultra lounge and you also have access to LAX which is a fairly good but not great club in Vegas.

Luxor • 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S • 89109 • 262-4000 • www.luxor.com

Shadow at Caesars has live dancers behind opaque screens and outstanding flair bartenders. If you are using lounges as an intermediate step between clubs or other lounges, this club makes a lot of sense since there is a lot of open seating.

Caesars • 3570 Las Vegas Blvd. S • 89109 • 731-7110 • www.caesarspalace.com

Cathouse at Luxor is chef Kerry Simon’s combination restaurant and ultra lounge based on an old bordello theme. It is well decorated and has attractive waitstaff in lingerie. Another advantage is that on Wednesdays it has extended hours which makes it perfect to unwind from a hectic clubbing night.

Luxor • 3900 Las Vegas Blvd. S • 89119 • 262-4228 • www.cathouselv.com

Ghostbar at the Palms has one of the best views in Vegas unless you are afraid of heights. The glass floored balcony has a sweeping view and you can see down into the pool below. It can be a little unnerving but exciting as well.

The crowd is often a bit younger than some of the other lounges. There may also be more variation in the gender attendance than some others.

Palms • 4321 Flamingo • 89103 • 942-6832 • www.n9negroup.com

Tabu at MGM was a pioneer in ultra lounges but by today’s standards is more a small lounge with a small dance floor and higher than average drink prices. Many of the tables are set aside for VIP service and on some nights remain unsold.

Drinks are roughly the same price as the major night clubs or the teens for a good quality cocktail. Crowds are usually light until about 1-2 am when the lounge becomes more active. If you want a post-clubbing lounge or simply want to be able to tell friends back home you went to an ultra lounge, Tabu will fill the bill.

MGM • 3799 Las Vegas Blvd S. • 89109 • 891-7129 • www.mgmgrand.com

Sugarcane at the Palazzo is one of the newest ultralounges with both good food and excellent surroundings. However, it can only be recommended for one reason: it is not crowded and you hate crowds as in really, really hate crowds. Sushi Samba (the Sugarcane’s restaurant) has a Peruvian Japanese (there are a lot of Japanese in Peru) menu and it is actually pretty good. If you are a loner who wants the Peruvian influenced Asian cuisine this may be the perfect evening for you.

Palazzo • 210 E. Flamingo • 89169 • 607-0700 • www.sushisamba.com