Spa's are Special in Las Vegas

With spa goers everywhere spending inordinate amounts of money on pampering, Las Vegas resorts have been doing their best to make sure those dollars stay in town. book your Spa treatment of pure pampering at one of the more than 30 spa facilities in and around Las Vegas.

The newest of the bunch is the award-winning Spa & Salon Bellagio, to the tune of 65,000 sq. ft. and a whole new look. Part of the resort’s $375-million Spa Tower, the spa combines a series of innovative treatments, specially trained therapists and unique design elements to create an unforgettable experience. Have a client who needs a definitive Zen encounter? At this spa, it starts the moment they walk in. Sleek outlines of onyx, travertine, granite and bleached walnut, reflecting pools and water walls greet them when they ascend the regal staircase to the Rotunda Lounge, where the spa concierge greets them with a menu of teas for their unwinding pleasure. Within the serene 54 treatment rooms (including four couple’s rooms and a slew of other specialized hideaways) they are then whisked to another world through an international menu of treatments from Egypt, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Bali—as well as Native American traditions. One beautiful, unique option: The Golden Experience. Taken from Egyptian tradition, the body is exfoliated, moisturized and, as a final touch, lightly dusted with gold. It’s the ultimate preparation for a night out on the town. And, of course, room massages are available, as are massage and manicure/pedicure services in poolside cabanas.

Go Golfing in Las Vegas

With a climate like Nevada’s, it’s small wonder golf is one of the top games in town. There are over 60 courses to choose from, each more challenging—and strikingly beautiful—than the next. Golf enthusiasts are already oiling their clubs to be the first to play at the exclusive Wynn Resort championship golf course, the only on-premise course in Vegas, when it opens spring 2005. The result of a collaboration between Tom Fazio and Steve Wynn (the second of its kind in Vegas), the hotel and golf course will have a synergy that includes a pro shop housed within the hotel and a first tee less than 50 ft. away from the pro shop. Luxurious Country Club villas and a number of meeting rooms surround the 18th hole, which is highlighted by a 35-ft. waterfall that backs the final green.

If you prefer to play surrounded by Mother Nature instead, go in the direction of Henderson and the two award-winning championship courses of Lake Las Vegas: Reflection Bay Golf Club, a Jack Nicklaus signature golf course, and Tom Weiskopf’s The Falls. Know someone that needs to sharpen his or her skills? The Lake Las Vegas Golf Clubs offer instruction packages, which includes 2-night deluxe accommodations in a studio condo, two half-day instruction sessions and taxes.

Shopper’s Delight

Just about everyone likes to shop—especially in Las Vegas. The destination’s made a name for itself as a first-class shopping smorgasbord with everything from hard-to-miss $5.99 T-shirt shops, to chic boutiques, upgraded versions of department stores and mega outlet malls.

Of course, the resorts themselves—wanting to be all things to all people and keep every one of them on their premises—are constantly expanding and upgrading their own shopping arcades. The Forum Shops at Caesars, for example, has over 100 boutiques including Louis Vuitton, Bvlgari, and Estee Lauder, and its most recent expansion added 174,000 sq. ft. and an extension all the way to Las Vegas Boulevard. Mandalay Place, located on a 310-ft.-long sky bridge that hangs between Mandalay Bay and Luxor (making it the only one directly attached to two major casino resorts) boasts 41 boutique stores, including some unique ones like the world’s first Nike Golf store as well as Urban Outfitters, Oililly, GF Ferre and more. Others add a whole other dimension to their visitors’ shopping experiences: The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian actually has a canal running through it that provides rides on an authentic gondola, not to mention the cadre of "street" performers that serenade and surprise shoppers throughout the day. The shops themselves, of course, are still the stars: St. John Sport, Shopar, Rado, Jimmy Choo and the like. And as with most malls, resort malls have restaurants and the occasional club.

As for "mall" malls, there’s the venerable Fashion Show Mall that may have been a resident of the Strip for many years, but has had enough plastic surgery to come off like a 20-year-old showgirl. Most notable: the giant Cloud structure at the main entrance, which doubles as an enormous LCD screen, and the indoor catwalks with daily fashion shows. And since this is upscale Vegas, after all, the Fashion Show even offers concierge services that provide complimentary wheelchairs and, for a fee, will make show reservations, book tee times, post mail, send faxes, check packages and coats, and rent two-way radiosand strollers. The place is that huge.

Competing in size is the Boulevard Mall just minutes from the Strip and Downtown. This is, actually, the largest mall in Nevada, with 150 shops, services and eateries. Check in with their customer service center and present their out-of-state ID card for a free Privileges card that entitles the holder to special offers from a collection of merchants throughout the center.

There are several outfits that put together shopping tours for you, including Ladies Day Out Shopping Tours, and several combination packages such as Shop & Play, Shop & Dine, Shop & Spa and Bridal Shopper packages.

Note: Want a little Vegas in your office? And we mean little: now you can advertise your love and knowledge of Las Vegas by having your own replica of the sign that welcomes everyone to Sin City for over 45 years. A miniature complete with flashing lights and only 12 1/2 inches high, is available at www.thewelcometolvsign.com. You can also pick one up at a number of retailers in town and take home what is probably the most "genuine" Vegas souvenir of all time, considering that taking Wayne Newton home is really not an option.

All Grownup

Then there are people that will want to come to Vegas for a chance to indulge in the many pleasures of being a grownup. The steamy side of the city notwithstanding, there are plenty of venues that take adult entertainment to a higher level. Take, for example, the Stratosphere Casino Hotel and Tower’s latest foray into after-hours: BITE, billed as "an erotic rock and roll review about vampires." Topless, toothy, vampire chics act out a story based on the three S’s—sin, sex and seduction—accompanied by buff, six-pack ready blood drinkers, all set to the classic rock songs of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s. Tell clients to come prepared, as the ghoulish guys and dolls stomp off the stage to seduce audience members to join them in the fray. Showtime is nightly at 10:30 p.m., except Thursdays, in the Stratosphere’s Theater of the Stars Showroom. Tickets are $34.95 plus tax and handling fee.

"Nude" and "art" are one and the same at La Femme at MGM Grand, an exact replica of the Crazy Horse show in Paris. The show debuted seven new numbers earlier this year, upping the ante and transforming the spectacle with some of the most modern and creatively symbolic choreography in the history of the show. The collaboration of French producer Laurent Gueneau and fashion designer Gaspard Yurkievich is electrifying: on an extended stage built for the new show, each dancer performs a solo number in between acts to introduce her character and an astrological sign, and later performs with the rest of the group in a titillating 12-sign design. An acrobatic dance, a DaVinci-inspired stained glass rendition, cartoon fantasy, an Arabian steam bathhouse—it’s a journey into sensuality with an undeniable artistic edge. La Femme is performed nightly at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., dark on Tuesdays. Tickets are $59 inclusive and include a show program.