Best Lounge
VOODOO LOUNGE
Rio
3700 W. Flamingo Road
With all the monolithic hotel towers that went up in the ¹90s, few of them offered their penthouse views to anyone but the highest of rollers. Small wonder that the Rio had an instant hit on its hands in early 1997, when it opened to the public two top floors of its new tower, complete with an outdoor patio and fun bands inside. In second place, the Bellagio's Fontana Lounge has a less-lofty but still-impressive view of the hotel's lake. A dry response to this category suggests more people are renting videos than hoisting martinis.
Our Pick:
CORAL REEF LOUNGE
Mandalay Bay 3950 Las Vegas Blvd. South
It's not so much the acts who play here -- goofy Rod Stewart imitators and what have you -- as much as geography that makes this one a favorite. Most casino lounges are set off on their own, but this one makes you feel like you're where the action is. The lounge seems to rise right out of one of the most-trafficked areas at Mandalay Bay, the crossroads where the restaurant corridor meets the casino proper. Most people entering or leaving the hotel use the garage entry near this lounge as well, making it a prime place to kick back and people-watch.
