Mandalay Bay

If the ideal of the resort-casino is guests never having to leave the grounds, then Mandalay Bay has come closest to achieving it. The vast, gracefully appointed casino works a sort of Indian/Carribean/White Man's Burden theme down to the piped-in cocoa butter smell and features a vast, luxurious sports bar patronized by the likes of Charles Barkley, as well as over 100,000 square feet of gaming. L.A. weekenders, hip-hop artists, and other entertainment-industry types check-in for the dozens of restaurants and nightspots, as well as a beach complex the size of some tropical islands, complete with wave pool and river. During the spring and summer, the pool hosts shows by nostalgia acts like the Go-Gos and Smashmouth, while title fights and big-name acts play the Events Center. Not enough entertainment? Try the Shark Reef aquarium or Mandalay Place boutique mall. Spacious rooms are done in a mid-century modern style that neatly blends restful and colorful, while bathrooms offer separate toilets and showers.