To accommodate younger generations, Vegas is starting to tap into the video game market in ways it never has before. Young people just aren’t as interested in slot machines and traditional Vegas attractions in the same way – but video games, they can get behind. Thus, Vegas is promoting Esports contests in actual arenas, turning them into “fight card” events as if they’re professional boxing matches. And there is also talk of some casino floors employing regular video games in real money formats, as a sort of new age twist on slot arcades.
At the same time though, there are aspects of Vegas that always appeal regardless of changes happening in demographics or lawmaking circles. The pools are always fun, the casinos are always active, there are always great musical acts – and the spas are always out of this world. In fact, it can rightly be said that through all its changes over the years Las Vegas has remained the premier spa destination in the U.S., if not the whole world. That’s why we’re pointing out five of the city’s most incredible venues.
As for shifting legislation, there are likely big changes coming to Vegas thanks to the changing legal picture regarding sports betting. Fully regulated sports betting, not just in person but online and through mobile devices, is on the horizon in the U.S. And while this activity has long been legal in Vegas, this development is going to make it more popular and more ubiquitous, likely leading to its being a greater focal point of the Vegas entertainment scene. We may even see new dedicated sportsbooks emerging.
1. The Spa at Mandarin Oriental
2. Qua Baths & Spa at Caesars Palace
You can get a lot of traditional treatments at Caesars, including some East Asian-style massages you may be looking for specifically. But as you might expect with a casino built around a theme of Roman opulence, the main draw is the Roman baths – enlarged modern simulations of the real thing from thousands of years ago. Don’t let that paint a picture of the Qua Baths & Spa being like a giant heated pool, however. For all of this resort’s over-the-top design and nature, it’s a surprisingly intimate space.
This is about as big a spa as there is in Vegas, and it’s designed with the trademark attention to detail that’s turned the ARIA into one of the better resorts in town. A unisex pool area on a balcony over the resort’s main pool tends to be the prevailing image of The Spa at the ARIA if you look it up, but the main attraction is really the Gabanyoku heated stone beds. These rock beds carry a lot of health benefits that some find can lead to a very real type of stress relief and relaxation that goes beyond typical spa treatments.
3. The Spa at The ARIA
4. Sahra Spa & Hamman at The Cosmopolitan
The Vdara Hotel & Spa doesn’t always get as much attention simply because the resort is a little bit less famous than the ones mentioned above. However, for those interested in eco-friendly spas it’s certainly one of the top picks. It’s a two-story spa that begins with heat treatments, using temperature changes to fully relax visitors before they enter the full spa experiences, which at the ESPA basically involves extensive pampering. As a little bonus, there’s also a champagne bar included.
