Guests check in at a large, marble-and-stone lobby with a 14-foot-tall aquarium in the 43-story Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino. Located at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, but connected to the main part of the Strip via complimentary monorail, the tropical-themed hotel is popular with leisure travelers.

Fronted by waterfalls, the 102-acre Mirage Resort & Casino features a volcano that erupts every hour from 7 PM to midnight. A lobby of pink marble and limestone includes a 65-foot-long, 20,000-gallon coral-reef aquarium. A domed atrium houses a rainforest with banana trees, palm trees, and ponds.

Treasure Islands edgy personality is most popular with adults who pursue an active lifestyle. Companion properties include the neighboring Mirage and the opulent Bellagio, farther south on the Strip. An elevated tram leaves for the Mirage every four minutes. A pedestrian bridge connects the hotel to the adjacent Fashion Show Mall.

Exquisite, opulent, graciousthese descriptions convey the appeal of Bellagio to world travelers who wish to vacation like royalty. A marble lobby features a ceiling of 2,000 glass blossoms created by renowned artist Dale Chihuly. Via Bellagio offers shops and designer boutiques under a ceiling of etched glass and green wrought iron.

Opened in 2006, Hooters Casino Hotel offers a casual ambience and Florida-themed decor. Located a block from the Strip and within three miles of the airport, the hotel attracts leisure travelers with its lively pool complex, signature restaurant, and nightclub.

Created by hotel impresario Steve Wynn, this lavish, $2.7-billion resort opened in spring 2005. The curved building, sheathed in bronze-tinted glass, stands like a beacon at the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip. A pine-covered artificial mountain with shimmering waterfalls rises at the entrance. The light-filled lobby is a floral fantasy, brimming with spheres of colorful blooms. Parasols suspended from the ceiling dance up and down in time to music.

Located at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip, the monumental Luxor Hotel and Casino features one of the world's largest atriums within its 30-story pyramid. A light beam atop the pyramid is visible in space 10 miles away. While the hotel includes family-friendly attractions, it also appeals to adults with its entertainment and casino.

Decorated in a sophisticated palette of black, brown, and cream, THEhotels spacious lobby has sleek, modern furnishings. Connected by corridor to the casino, restaurants, and entertainment of the Mandalay Bay Resort, THEhotel's specialty is providing peace and quiet amid the busy activity of Las Vegas.

With its Brazilian Carnaval theme and adult entertainment, Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino attracts a youthful clientele. The hotel also appeals to families with a seasonal pool complex that includes a children's pool. Located a mile from the Las Vegas Strip, the Rio provides complimentary scheduled Strip shuttles.

Fronted by a 150-foot-high replica of the Statue of Liberty and a 300-foot-long replica of the Brooklyn Bridge, this hotel recreates Manhattan's skyline with 12 skyscrapers ranging from 30 to 46 stories. Guests register in a neon-lit lobby adjacent to New York New York's 84,000-square-foot casino.

In addition to a half-scale Eiffel Tower and a two-thirds-scale Arc de Triomphe, the Paris Las Vegas meticulously adheres to a 1920s Paris theme, right down to the pedestal sinks. The shopping/dining mall and casino simulate the outdoors with storefronts, street lamps, paving-stone paths, and sky-like ceilings.

The newly remodeled (April 2007) public areas feature a retro lobby and casino with plasma video screens.

Set back from the street behind formal gardens, Ballys is accessed by a sidewalk moving through a cylindrical structure flanked by ponds. Glass towers accented by blue-and-white masonry complement the hotels sleek Art Deco appearance. This hotel offers a traditional Las Vegas experience of stage shows, lounge entertainment, fine-dining options, and low-cost buffets.

A 123-foot-high neon clown guards the entrance to this hotel and casino located at the north end of the Las Vegas Strip. With a five-acre indoor theme park and complimentary circus and clown shows, Circus Circus is popular with families and other leisure travelers.

One of Las Vegas' principal family-friendly hotels, Excalibur Hotel Casino is a fanciful castle topped by spires of many colors. A moat, suits of armor everywhere, and a midway create a medieval-style ambience.

The Flamingo anchors the famous four corners of Las Vegas Boulevard and Flamingo Road, with glittering casinos, free shows, and other Strip attractions within easy reach. The notorious Bugsy Siegel opened the original Flamingo in 1946, paving the way for modern Las Vegas. (Flamingo was the nickname of Siegels red-haired, long-legged girlfriend Virginia Hill.) The original hotel is gone, but the Flamingo still appeals to nonstop partiers. Families also find a warm welcome here.

Upgraded from its Wild West past, today a white-and-brass faade graces the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. Guests enter through a lobby of white-marble floors beneath recessed mirror ceilings and brass-and-glass chandeliers.

This intimate resort is in Henderson, eight miles from the Las Vegas Strip via complimentary shuttle. A blend of Mediterranean and South American styles, the Green Valley Ranch Resort and Spa showcases Argentinean-style motifs, hand-painted ceiling beams, richly appointed tapestries, iron chandeliers, and Peruvian antiques.

Harrah's attracts families seeking a diverse range of activities and entertainment as well as singles and young couples visiting Las Vegas for gambling and nightlife. True to the Carnaval theme, the hotel's lobby and casino buzz with bright colors and excitement, day and night. The Las Vegas Monorail stops at the hotel.

Renovated in 2006, Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino attracts an international clientele with a mixture of Vegas traditions and Asian food and decor.

Set against a panoramic desert skyline on 80 landscaped acres, the Hilton Las Vegas is one block from the Las Vegas Strip and immediately adjacent to the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Monte Carlo Resort & Casino offers a quiet Mediterranean-style atmosphere. Corinthian-inspired colonnades and arches set the scene outside, and a grand lobby glitters with crystal chandeliers.

A favorite stop for locals seeking gaming action and value dining, Palace Station rises about a quarter-mile off the north end of the Strip. Its low-rise casino facade resembles a 19th-century Western railroad station complete with clock tower. The railroad theme is carried out inside as well, with ornate ceilings and stained-glass accents.

What to expect:

Just four miles from the Red Rock National Conservation Area, this hotel is ideal for guests who want to luxuriate in a scenic setting away from the bustle of the Strip. The resort's red-rock exterior and fountain harmonize with the dramatic surroundings. Red glass doors lead to a marble and stone lobby that is separate from the casino. A backlit crystal backdrop resembles glints of sunlight, and the color palette echoes the hues of the canyons and desert.

Amenity highlights:

The resort's state-of-the-art casino houses more than 2,700 slot and video-poker machines, 60 table games, a race and sports book, poker room, and 600-seat bingo parlor. The health club features Asian-inspired spa treatments, a yoga garden, men's and women's saunas and steam rooms, and a lap pool. The outdoor pool complex offers a sunbathing island, spa tubs, daybeds for two, poolside dining and entertainment, cushioned lounge chairs, and rental cabanas.

The Sahara opened in 1952 and was one of the first hotel casinos in Las Vegas. Compact for easy access to all facilities and attractions, the hotel draws guests seeking less noise and the slower pace of a different era combined with modern amenities such as a business center and wireless Internet access (surcharges).

Rising 113 stories, the tower of Stratosphere Tower Hotel is one of the tallest free-standing structures west of the Mississippi River. Elevators whisk guests to indoor and outdoor observation decks with 360-degree views of the mountain-ringed desert valley. At night, the valley becomes a neon sea. The hotel appeals to both budget-minded travelers and families.

The Orleans Hotel and Casino sports a multi-colored, French Quarter-style facade and is home to a large casino, restaurants, lounges, a health spa, and bowling and movie centers.

This Mediterranean-inspired hotel is located on the shores of a pristine lake, with 10 miles of quiet desert shoreline. The Ritz-Carlton offers personalized service, sunset views, and daily activity programs, attracting families and couples from around the world. Old-world charm pervades Italian gardens, ornate bridges, vine-covered balconies, waterside promenades, and romantic trellises.

This 17-story Las Vegas hotel has a small, contemporary lobby with marble, wood trim, and leather seating. Situated off the Strip, the Westin Casuarina has a more relaxed atmosphere than its mega-resort neighbors. Even the casino and dining areas are more subdued than many of the areas larger properties.

A legendary Strip hotel, the Tropicana preserves history and memories via many photographs of the entertainment giants who have performed here since the resort opened in 1957. Traditions such as dancers, comedians, and crooners prevail. The hotel draws both older and younger guests.

What to expect: Refinement permeates the nongaming Four Seasons Las Vegas, making it an oasis amid the dazzle of the Strip. A porte cochere just off the Strip welcomes guests, who enter a marble lobby graced with two grand staircases. Three express elevators, exclusively servicing the hotel's five floors, whisk guests upstairs.
Amenity highlights: Jamu Asian spa treatments feature mud wraps, herbal massages, and body treatments. The staffed fitness center has steam rooms, strength-training equipment, and cardio machines with personal TVs and headphones.

In-room babysitting can be arranged (surcharge).

Business services are available 24 hours a day, and the business center is staffed Monday-Saturday (surcharges).

Part of the 2,245-acre Lake Las Vegas Resort and residential development, Loews Lake Las Vegas attracts couples and families seeking outdoor recreation opportunities away from the crowds of the Las Vegas Strip. The Moroccan-style hotel features arched windows, ornamental ironwork, and red-tile roofs.

Opened in 1966 as a destination for celebrities and high rollers, Caesars Palace is a tribute to Roman opulence with decor in marble, gilt, and crystal. A garden of cypresses, statues, and pools buffers this expansive hotel from the busy Strip.