BLOG: Mole in Vegas: Dump the slots and head poolside

One of TravelMole's most dedicated reporters, Linsey McNeill, has braved the heat of the Nevada desert to join a fam trip to Las Vegas where she is currently sampling the latest restaurants, road testing the new beach clubs and finding out what's going on in the entertainment capital of the world. Here she reports from her must-be-seen-in cabana…

People, I am writing this blog from the poolside of the Bellagio, one of the swankiest hotels in Las Vegas. I'm not saying this to make you jealous, but to let you know that funky pool parties are The Next Big Thing on The Strip.

Yes, it seems that over the past 18 months or so Las Vegas has gone cool. Or at least cooler than it used to be when it's main attractions were Celine Dion and slot machines.

Keen to attract a younger clientele for whom the lure of a major cabaret and Barry Manilow simply aren't enough, the city's top hotels are now flying in international DJs to play not just in their nightclubs but also poolside during the day.

This summer, dance DJ Pete Tong will be in residence at the Encore Beach Club, a recently-opened $65m adult-only pool complex complete with cabanas, private plunge pools, squishy sofas and waiter service. Guests and non-guests are charged an entry fee – from $30 for girls, $40 for the boys (no, the States has not heard of sexism).

Several other hotels are also hosting daytime and evening dance parties in exclusive, adult-only pool areas. Aside from the Bellagio, where yours truly is now relaxing in a private cabana (which costs about $400 a day for eight guests) there's Nikki Beach Club at the newly renovated Tropicana Las Vegas, the Rumor Las Vegas pool, Wet Republic at MGM Grand, which has six bungalows and 10 party cabanas, six cascading waterfalls and a huge pool deck for gigs, and Bare at The Mirage.

Caesars Palace, one of the older hotels in Vegas, has just added not one but five new pools, including Venus, an adult-only toptional (topless, to you and me).

"Day-life is huge in Vegas," said Brandy Bell, spokeswoman for Caesars Entertainment, which owns nine resorts and one stand-alone casino in the city. "Booking a poolside cabana for the day is the same as booking a table in a club for the evening."

Word on the street is that the beach club to send your clients to right now is the Marquee at The Cosmopolitan, the newest hotel on The Strip. The Marquee opens out onto the hotel pool and this place packs 5,000 on a good night.

"At the moment it's all about adult-pools in Vegas," said David Gonzalez, spokesman for MGM Resorts, which owns 10 of the city's hotels. "There's a whole music revolution in Vegas right now with DJs hosting pool parties most weekends."

Think Ibiza crossed with Dubai's ex-pat party scene and you'll have a sense of how artists including Deadmau5, Steve Aoiki, DJ Tiesto, Kaskade, David Guetta, DJ Vice and Paul Oakenfold are helping to transform Vegas from a gambling mecca to the clubbing capital of the US. Paul Oakenfold has been hosting a Saturday Perfecto party at the Palm's nightclub since 2008, Kaskade is a regular and Deadmau5 will bring his full live show to The Cosmopolitan over Labor Day Weekend from September 2.

Last weekend the city hosted North America's largest electronic music festival, which brought 240,000 clubbers to Vegas. "People don't come to Vegas just to gamble any more," added Gonzalez. "In fact, only 3% of international visitors come to gamble, although 70% of guests will gamble at some stage during their visit."

Revenue from non-gambling activities, such as dining, shopping and shows exceeded takings in the casinos for the first time in 2010 and Vegas expects this trend to continue as the hotel resorts expand their entertainment options.

Now, where's that waiter with my margarita?

Linsey McNeill flew with Virgin Atlantic Airways, which has daily flights to Las Vegas from Gatwick and a new twice weekly service from Manchester. She is staying at Aria Resort & Casino.