Best hotel for pool/sportsbook combo

This is quite a long way out, but I will be going to Vegas with some buddies for the second weekend of March Madness. Who knows what kind of trouble we'll get into at night, but from the time we wake up until about 9pm or so we'll be at 2 places: the pool and the sportsbook. That's a large portion of the trip, so these 2 things are our top priorities. We've stayed at Mirage in the past, but are thinking about changing it up for this next trip.

We're open to anything, but at this point I think we've narrowed it down to:

Bellagio
MGM
Palms

Already stayed at Mirage, Caesars, TI, and Planet Hollywood so not considering those.

So I guess I'd like those 3 hotels to be ranked, but any other suggestions are more than welcome. Thanks in advance

from your 3 choices...Id say go Bellagio...the last pick would be MGM...the sportsbook/pool area couldnt be any farther away from each other.

The ONLY place to watch March Madness is at Mandalay Bay...period. Especially the first weekend...forget the play-in games....the beach is excellent, "european with cabana" if you have the cash.

THE PROBLEM...They beach, usually, does not open until after April 1st....which puts you after the opening rounds. Frankly (at least for us locals), it can be pretty chilly in April here...very little, if any, pool action until May.

any and all info from vegas gourmet is always spot on-, kind of like your internet tour guide if you will, this guy know vegas no doubt

thats true, the pool season isnt usually till beginning of april and the pool parties dont open yet in march either.  but the pools are open.  i would stay at bellagio because of the sportsbook and it has a nice pool.  i personally didnt like the beach at mandalay bay.

I know the pool "parties" don't start until later on in the year, but the pools themselves should be open in late March, no?  I've never had a problem with this at Mirage; it's not the warmest time of year, but the pool has still always been packed.

What type of crowd are we talking about at Mandalay Bay? I don't expect a Hard Rock or Palms type atmosphere, but we're still looking to have a good time.

And we're definitely set on the second weekend of the tournament. We feel it strikes the best balance between everything that is Vegas; I know nothing beats the atmosphere of the first weekend in the sportsbook, but it becomes a little gambling heavy for some of the members of my group. Chilling at the pool until 4 and then going inside to watch a few hours of games is absolutely perfect for us

bronco...agree that Bellagio is more "refined" than the Mandalay Beach....although "european" at Mandalay is pretty good....

P4P....The crowd at Mandalay sportsbook for March Madness is very knowledgable...age group 25-45....It's not a "how much beer can we drink today" crowd....totally into the games..and betting full game and halves every 20 minutes. Week 2 is much more easy going than the first weekend. If you are somewhere in that 25-35 age group, I would do Mandalay before Bellagio....To me, it's a better set-up....more room, brighter, better screens

What do you mean Bellagio is more "refined"? (pardon my ignorance)

We are in the 25-35 age range, I just worry that I've heard Mandalay caters well to families. We might be reasonably mature, but we'd still rather a more "fun" crowd. I would say the pool is the larger of the 2 concerns...want the sportsbook to be above average, but the pool is still the main priority.

Thanks for your help.

P4P.....Steve Wynn created Bellagio with a more "European theme".....The pools (plural) have that kind of setting...you can find families there also because of the way that they are set up and the size.

But, once again, remember...you are going when the pool scene is very quiet; it does not pick up until late May, especially the  pool scene that your age group likes.

Hey Vegas...Are you in the culinary industry? If so are you at a strip property?

mandalay good call...hilton used to be good couple years ago when they had tables instead of theatre to watch gms..

No Mickey...just like to eat (and drink)

I work casino with one of the MGM properties....rather not say which one or what I do....have been with 3 so far and want to stay with them....

 

"Quiet" might be a relative term, but I find it odd that you keep saying this...the Mirage pool is always busy, even during March Madness. I can only assume that other pools are similar in nature, unless they've somehow marketed themselves as the place to be for early season pool-goers...

I've been to Vegas in March, April, July, and August (and soon to be October) and never noticed a difference in any of the pools...always tough to get a seat regardless of the time of year.

Oh one more question VegasGourmet, my one buddy keeps insisting that we look hard at Aria because he's heard from a couple guys that it's awesome...any views on this hotel?  It's too new for me to really find much in the way of reviews on it.

 

This is true, the new Pool Clubs are not open yet, but the pools are open for business.  I have been to March Madness for at least the last 10 years.  It is a beautiful time of year.  I prefer watching the games at a pool cabana, than a smoke filled sports book. 

Aria is a combination of very hi-tech and Euro.....there is serious $$$ there....sportsbook is, to me, not what people want in a sportsbook....more of a lounge atmosphere (with 100+ tv's) than what bettors are used to...

About the "pool thing"....Sure, there are people; but the "action" is not until the hot months...especially late afternoon, early evening...and, even moreso, at the European (topless) pools.Music, dj's, concerts are always in the summer...attracting much more action than early in the year.

Other than the fact that you're from Canada, I cannot see why the pool is so important to you (or anyone for that matter)....just my 2 cents....

 

Ur three choices should be Bellagio, The HOtel, and the Wynn, and not in any order considering where u have been, and what u are looking for. 

The Wynn/ Encore is the hottest casino right now.

Mandalay/ The Hotel is a nice set up for March Madness.

The Bellagio is the Bellagio.

If u decide to stay at Mandalay, stay at The Hotel, it BLOWS it away and it is right next door.  Better rooms, and right next to the sports book. 

I would Suggest staying at the Wynn, then the Bellagio, the Hotel, then the MGM.

U can't go wrong with all of them.  

I think you're missing the point, and thinking we want more than we do. There's nothing better than sipping a nice cold beverage while relaxing in a pool. Other than the first day we arrive I'm sure we will have been partying until the wee hours of the morning every day, so it's just a place to unwind.

We'd like it to be busy enough such that there's people to mingle with; we don't need it to be overcrowded, music blaring and loaded with douchebags. Sure there's more females at those parties as well, but there's just as many more guys so it cancels out as far as I can tell.

And the pool is important because we'll be there from the time we wake up until about 4 or 5pm every day of our trip...I'd say that amounts to a fair chunk of time. 

Again, Mirage has been more than sufficient the past few years (so that's kind of the baseline), we're just looking to try something new this time.

I appreciate the response

I guess given it's so far in advance I have all the time in the world to nit-pick, it just seems that there's a glaring weakness with almost every hotel as it pertains to us.

We're not cheap by any means, but Wynn is still a little more pricey than the rest...Mandalay Bay seems like the most family-oriented hotel we're considering...worried about the average age of the people staying at Bellagio...

I haven't heard anything too bad about the MGM other than it's very large and spread out.  I believe someone at the start of this thread said the pool and sportsbook are very far apart, but it's not like we're going back and forth between the 2....

Anyway, I think this thread has given me some good ideas and it's probably best to let it die. Thanks to everyone who chimed in

with what you want at the pool, go to bellagio, u wont get smoking hot young girls dancing in the pool, but you will get a nice set up and plenty relaxing with tons of pools and seating.

if u want topless girls, go to bare at mirage, that was fun when i went a couple of years ago.  real small set up, but intimate with some nice titties in your face.  met a few porn stars and some strippers, if you're looking for that, but that was in september, dont know about march there.