With Las Vegas expecting record crowds this New Year’s weekend, Sin City must make room for its revelers. Cue: Hyde Bellagio.

Did you know that we’re in the middle of engagement season? We know, we thought our relatives were just bothering us about our future for no reason, but the holiday season is actually peak time for popping the question.

There are a lot of roundups of, oh, everything this time of year, but we always look forward to the awards from the blogger community, and HotelChatter’s list has some fun, quirky nominations that get at the heart of what we love and hate about traveling.

Headliners of all stripes and styles are seizing the moment to take stages all around town, and that includes several major hotel performances. Whether they’re opening a hot new nightclub or just partying with old friends, musicians all over the city want to make it a night to remember.

The palaces of excess lining the Strip are no slouch when it comes to excellent edibles, and they’re going all out on December 31^st. Most of these hotel restaurants have two seatings, but expect to pay more for primetime.

You may have noticed a significant omission in our last New Year’s Eve story—after all, how could we write a party round-up without including one of the biggest party cities of them all? But that’s only because what’s planned in Las Vegas for 2012 is so big, it required its own day. Herewith, our guide to the best of New Year’s Eve festivities in the hotels on the strip:

Hyde Bellagio (Strip: Central) - Villa-inspired nightclub designed by Philippe Starck and sbe. Opens New Year's Eve. Party Renaissance-style. 

From Bugsy Siegel to Frank Sinatra, the Las Vegas Strip has gone through multiple evolutions, and it’s possible to enjoy one kind of a trip there without ever experiencing any of the city’s other lives—foodies can hole up in great restaurant after great restaurant, club kids can dance to DJ after world-famous DJ, gamblers can spend the night in the eternal midafternoon of the casinos, and hotel junkies can bounce from room to room. But many of those have never sampled classic Las Vegas—and that’s something the Flamingo is looking to change.

They always say, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

Las Vegas: Cosmopolitan - The hotel’s Mandrake suite stands out even in a town known for excess, and at 4,395 square feet of city views and sleek entertainment packed into every corner, they deserve their notoriety. The David Rockwell-designed suite is as ultramodern as the rest of the hotel, with his signature blend of natural materials and contemporary furniture, and the terraces, outdoor soaking tubs, private dining area, and 24-hour service ensures you’ll have as much fun in your suite as out of it. Reserved for ultra high rollers and celebs, and rarely offered (or publicized) beyond those circles. Starting at $25,000/night.