Las Vegas Spa Guide & Review

Also see: Las Vegas Bathhouses, Bars & Hotels

During my last couple of trips to Vegas I have managed to visit almost all of the Hotel & Resort spas. My reviews and recommendations are based on the overall interior design of the spas and the quality of the facilities. If you don't want to read all of my reviews here are my recommendations in a nutshell:

Top 3 spas for light cruising and man watching:

1. Caesars Palace "Qua" Baths & Spa

2. Encore Spa [Wynn]

3. Mandalay Bay Spa

Best gym & fitness facilities:
Venetian/Pallazzo Canyon Ranch Spa

Best spa for less expensive treatments:
Royal Treatment Spa at Excalibur

Best off-strip spa:
Green Valley Ranch Spa

1. Caesars Palace "Qua" Baths & Spa
 [pronounced "k-wah," rhymes with "spa"]

At Qua day-passes are available to everyone 7 days a week [$45]. They are open 6:00am to 8:00pm. Once you enter you are able to leave and re-enter at anytime during the same day. So you could visit in the morning for showering and grooming and then return after a day of sightseeing to relax and rest before heading out for the evening.

Done in soothing earth-tones and natural materials Qua is built for relaxation. The main feature is the "Roman Ritual" baths that are shown here in the photos. There are three hot tubs in this area: one cold, one boiling and the other like warm milk. The "blue column" you see in the photos is a shower/waterfall. Also shown are the tile "lounge chairs" that are heated form within.

There is another hot tub in the main part of the spa [four hot tubs total], two steam rooms set to different temperatures, a dry sauna and an Arctic Ice Room.

The Artic Ice Room is the reverse of a sauna and is kept constantly chilly. Crushed ice falls from a tube into a sink bowl and it "snows." These photos are from the women's spa but the men have their own private Artic Ice Room. The only shared facility for both sexes is the "Laconium Room" [you must wear a robe in this room] which is supposed to "warm your body from the inside out" with "infra-red" heat. It felt to me like a very mild dry sauna. There is also a full gym with cardio but you must bring your own gym clothes to workout.

Even the showers here are a treat and allow you to choose water cascading from above like rain or jets mounted to the walls which caress you from two sides at once.

Laconium Room where you wait for your "Artisan" [technician] to call you. The real Laconium Room, however, does not have cafe tables and orchids!

I posted my glowing review of this spa shortly after it opened and when I re-visited it about 6 months later I noticed it had become almost completely gay! I don't know how influential this website has been but guys were strutting around with erections and cruising each other like crazy.

I don't want to leave you with the impression that this place is crawling with sex [it is not] or that you should come here with the intent of cruising. It is simply a place to relax in a calming atmosphere.

But if you did hook up with someone the shower stalls are all big enough for two people, have locking doors and offer complete privacy. Also easy to miss is a fully enclosed and private bathroom with a locking door tucked away in one corner of the Roman Ritual Baths.

Free food! Although the admission price is steep at $45 you can help justify the cost by eating one or two meals here. The snack bar provides coffee and tea, bananas, oranges and apples, pretzels and a juice bar with apple, orange and cranberry juices. All you can eat at no additional charge!

More information about QUA

The spa is located in the new Augustus Tower which is the tower closest to the Bellagio Hotel and which overlooks the Bellagio dancing-waters lagoon.

Hassle-Free Spas
Day passes available to everyone 7 days a week.
Cost of day pass varies from $20 - $45. Day pass fee is always waived with purchase of service
[massage, facial, manicure etc.].

• Bally's Spa

• Caesars Palace Qua

• Encore Spa [at Wynn]

• Excalibur Royal Treatment Spa

• Flamingo Spa

• Harrah's Spa

• Hard Rock Rock Spa

• Imperial Palace Spa

• Las Vegas Hilton Spa

• Monte Carlo Spa

• New York, New York Spa

• Palms Spa

• Palms Place Drift

• Paris Mandara

• Planet Hollywood Mandara

• Rio Spa

• Rivera Executive Fitness

• Treasure Island Wet

• Tropicana Spa Tropicana

• Trump Spa

• Venetian Canyon Ranch

Spa Service Required to Enter
Day passes only available to hotel guests.
Public may enter 7 days a week with purchase of service. Usually a $60 minimum. Manicures are usually the least expensive service with facials and massages starting at $85.

• Four Seasons Hotel Spa

• Luxor Nurture

• Mandalay Bay Spa Mandalay

• Mandalay Bay THE Bathhouse

• Wynn Spa

• Bellagio Spa Bellagio

• Mirage Spa

• MGM Grand Spa

1. Caesars Palace Qua

2. Encore Spa [at Wynn]

3. Mandalay Bay Spa Mandalay

4. Venetian Canyon Ranch

5. Bellagio Spa Bellagio

6. Wynn Spa

7. Green Valley Ranch Spa [off-strip]

8. Planet Hollywood Mandara

9. Palms Place Drift

Average --- Adequate -- Acceptable

• Excalibur [Best budget spa]

• Las Vegas Hilton Spa

• Luxor Nurture

• MGM Grand Spa

• Mirage Spa

• Monte Carlo Spa

• Palms Spa

• Rio Spa

• Treasure Island Wet

Losers -- Too Small -- Don't Bother

• Bally's Spa

• Hard Rock Rock Spa

• Flamingo Spa

• Four Seasons Spa [Mandalay]

• Harrah's Spa

• Lowes Lake Las Vegas [off-strip]

• Mandalay Bay THE Bathhouse

• New York, New York Spa

• Paris Mandara

• Ritz Carlton Lake Las Vegas [off-strip]

• Rivera Executive Fitness

• Tropicana Spa Tropicana

• Trump Spa

To avoid repeating myself in my reviews virtually all of the spas in Vegas had certain common elements. They all had at least one hot tub, showers, steam room, dry sauna and a lounge area with free coffee, tea and fruit. All you need to do is show up as you are. Towels, bath robes, flip-flops and lockers are all provided. Safety deposit boxes are available upon request. All spas featured full gyms with treadmills but you must bring your own gym clothes to workout. Grooming stations have every thing you need to shave and fix your hair as well as mouthwash and lotions. Toothbrushes are provided only by request.

Also see: All about Day Spas & how they work

Any doubts? Ask for a free tour

If you are unsure if the spa is right for you just ask for a free tour. In MOST spas a male attendant will be called and give you a brief tour of the facilities. Some spas however have "attitude problems" and will not let you look before you buy.

Remember: The "Wynn" hotel complex has 2 spas on the same property. One spa is in the Wynn Tower and one is in the Encore Tower. The Wynn Spa is nice but the Encore Spa in much larger and should be your first choice at this hotel.

The newest spa on the block gives "Qua" a run for its money as my favorite spa. The key words here are luxury and space. The rooms in the men's spa are large and spacious and leave you feeling engorged in luxury.

The cruising and man watching potential of this spa is good with a great 4 hot tub room. Two of the hot tubs are large enough to serve as swimming pools and face a wall of open shower stalls ideal for watching men shower. The shower stalls offer a "waterfall" deluge that massages tired back muscles.

Note the "copper pot" decoration on the back of this wall. Unfortunately this is a waterfall feature that splatters water all over you as you try to relax on the lounge chairs. Another pet peeve I have is the steam room is so hot it burns your eyes.

On the positive side it has a large relaxation room with comfy day beds and soothing music playing [excellent for cat naps]. Of all the spas this one offers the most "private spaces" for sex. The showers are all enclosed [except for the "waterfall" showers] as are the toilet stalls. Also in the men's locker room are two small "change rooms" with doors for the modest.

Day passes are available to everyone 7 days a week: $30.

More information about Encore Spa

3. Spa at Mandalay ++++

The 2 big positives at this spa are the 4 hot tub room [pictured] and a very sexy steam room set to just the right temperature. The hot tubs are set to different levels of heat and are surrounded by lounge chairs ideal for man watching. Only the shower stalls are good for sex and maybe the steam room. Lots of grooming stations.

The main pet peeve I have with this spa is that the lighting is too bright. It is lit up like a department store at Christmas. Haven't the people who run this spa ever heard of mood lighting?

Day passes are only available to hotel guests. $30. All outsiders must purchase a service to enter.

More information about Spa Mandalay

The main attraction of this spa is the workout facilities. Gym features all types of specialty classes,
 [yoga, spinning etc.] several large weight rooms
 and a rock-climbing wall.

On this website I previously gave the men's locker room & spa area a bad review. But when the Pallazzo was added to the Venetian the old locker room was torn down and a much nicer facility has completely replaced it. The facilities are now on an equal footing with the other spas in Vegas. I have only toured this facility briefly and do not know enough to give a full report of the cruising and man watching potential. But the large gym probably attracts a lot of buff eye candy.

Another benefit of this spa is that across from the rock climbing wall is a set of doors which lead out to the hotel's vast pool complex. These doors are not guarded and provide you a way to access the pools without having to show a room key. So you could bring your swim trunks and enjoy the day by the pools.

My main pet peeve is that there is only one hot tub which is very small. Day passes are available 7 days a week. $40. Multi day passes also available.

More information about Canyon Ranch

5. Spa Bellagio +++

I have mixed feelings about this spa. I had a facial service performed here and spent about 6 hours observing everyone's comings and goings. All I can say is that this is a great place to have a service performed and that the surroundings are as opulent as you would expect from the Bellagio. The main drawback is that it feels like the spa exits in only one room. The 4 hot tub room opens onto the HUGE locker room which includes the check-in desk and the waiting room/TV area. You basically feel "trapped" in ONE BIG ROOM with nowhere to hide.

I found the cruising and man watching potential very limited and awkward. For some reason the day I was there about 25% of the men in the spa wore swim trunks and would not go nude. Nice big steam room and an easy-to-miss outdoor patio lounge area that overlooks the swimming pools. Spa service required to enter and restricted to hotel guests only on Fri Sat & Sun.

More information about Spa Bellagio

Spa at the Wynn Hotel has marvelous detailing at every turn, warm fireplace and cozy overstuffed chairs. A single hot tub is located indoors but makes you fell like you are outdoors. Not to be missed is the "Deluge." It is a shower-like enclosure by the hot tub. When you press a button on the wall a heavy "waterfall" of water pours from a spout overhead and "massages" your back muscles while water jets massage your feet -- don't miss it!

Remember: The "Wynn" hotel complex has 2 spas on the same property. One spa is in the Wynn Tower and one is in the Encore Tower. The Wynn Spa is nice but the Encore Spa in much larger and should be your first choice at this hotel.

More information about Wynn Spa

This spa takes the prize as Best Off Strip Spa. Shown in the photo is the spas private pool which is quite large as spa pools go. The spa is calming and luxurious and features a full gym. Nice place to spend the day away from the traffic hassles of the strip.

More information about Green Valley Spa

This hotel was originally called the "Aladdin" and featured some of the most detailed theme architecture anywhere outside of Disneyland. But all that detailing cost a lot of money and drove the hotel into bankruptcy. When Planet Hollywood took over most of the hotel's theme elements were stripped away. Fortunately the spa has kept all of its wonderful Moorish style. This spa is a winner.

More information about Mandera Spa PH

9. Palms Place Drift +++

Drift is hip and young. A good sized facility outfitted in "sand" colored tiles of beige and brown. The unique feature here is the hammam [see photo] which is a round cave-like steam room with a slab of rock in the middle which heats up when you lie on it. However this room is for both sexes so you must remain covered while inside. Palms Hotel has 2 spas [see below].

More information about Drift Spa

Palms Spa ++

The second spa at the Palms Hotel is slightly smaller but still a decent size. The hot tub balcony overlooks the pool area. This spa is perfectly adequate but Drift is better and should be your first choice at this hotel.

Skip this one. The facilities are done in a generic locker room style. I have seen better facilities at neighborhood gyms. Go next door to the Planet Hollywood Mandera which is 10 times better. Photo below shows garish murals above the hot tubs.

Also located at the Mandalay Bay Hotel this spa is done in a very striking minimalist style with black slate walls. Unfortunately it is way too small and basically just serves as a holding area for those waiting for services. Although the architecture looks great in photos it has an "oppressive" Soviet-block feel to it which leaves me cold.

New York, New York Spa [zero]

Although the facilities are relatively new this place is way too small. Gym is so small it's a joke.

Hard Rock Hotel Rock Spa [zero]

I really wanted this to be a nice spa because the Hard Rock has the hottest and youngest guys in Vegas. But it is simply too small to be effective. Gym is quite small too. No sauna, only a steam room.

 

I will say this about the Hard Rock: it has the funnest and sexiest pool complex anywhere [with the hottest and studliest guys]. The pool complex is not accessible by day use spa guests. You must rent a room to use the pool complex. If you can afford it this would be a great place to stay. It is not directly on the strip. It is located about a half mile behind Planet Hollywood. You will need a car to get around.

Treasure Island WET ++

Big sauna and big steam room. Two hot tubs. Modern, functional and adequate but not inspiring.

Mirage Spa ++

Done in minimalist black, whites and grays this spa looks like it was designed by Calvin Klein. Very small. Main feature is a bubbling hot tub with with lights underneath which change color every 15 seconds. This photo is from the women's area because the men's area contains only one hot tub.

MGM Grand Spa ++

This is one of the better spas in the "adequate" category. Main drawback is there is only one hot tub. Spa service required to enter.

Trump Spa +

The Trump Tower is gaudy and tacky [just like The Donald himself]. The spa is just OK. All white and cold. Don't go out of your way to visit this one.

I was pleasantly surprise by this spa built into the low budget Excalibur Hotel. Gets my vote as Best Budget Spa. The facilities are clean and functional but it is not really a place to hang out or man watch.

Both of these ultra rich hotel spas suffer from the same problems: they are too damn bright [all white walls], too small and so expensive that there will never be many guys [if any] to hang out with.

At the Ritz Carlton Lake Las Vegas one narrow hot tub has a seat underneath a waterfall which allows the waterfall to massage your back.

Average --- Adequate -- Acceptable

Average --- Adequate -- Acceptable

Average --- Adequate -- Acceptable

Owned by the same company that controls the Green Valley Ranch Hotel the Red Rock Hotel is a first rate operation. At times the hotel's architecture looks like it might have been designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. In fact the front of the hotel looks something like Fallingwater [complete with waterfall].

The spa is dimly lit and perfect for relaxing. The reason it takes second place to the Green Valley Ranch is that it does not have an attached pool complex. Without that drawback it is a wonderful spa and an all-around beautifully designed and wonderful hotel.

Comparative Spa Reviews by Vegas.com
Here is a listing of all the spas at the major hotels in Vegas.
For a list of spas at smaller hotels go to
 Vegas.com and click on "Spas."

Imperial Palace

Off Strip Spas

Also see: Las Vegas Bathhouses, Bars & Hotels

and  All about Day Spas & how they work

Do you have any comments or suggestions
 about the spa scene in Vegas?
TowelBoy@BathhouseAddict.com