My first experience with the Las Vegas phenomenon known as "daylife" occurred two years ago, when I accepted a friend's invitation to the Hard Rock Hotel's world-famous (or infamous, depending on your perspective) Rehab pool party. So there I was, in the midafternoon on a random summer Sunday, sardined inside a crush of humanity, inexpertly weaving my way through thousands with gym-sculpted physiques, trying to find respite from the badgering sun and a less-crowded perch from which to view the chaos.
Settling on a bridge near the northeast corner of the pool area, I watched what could only be described as a nightclub on (or was it in?) the water: DJ, booming sound system, overpriced drinks and gorgeous cocktail servers.
Such is the essence of daylife. Equal parts spring break revelry and outdoor nightclub, these pool parties have taken on a life of their own since Rehab opened in 2004.
Sin City daydreams
Pool parties have become big business for hotels and another reason to come to Vegas. Rehab grossed $6 million in 2007, according to a report in the Los Angeles Times. That year, Mandalay Bay Beach finished a $30 million expansion with the Beachside Casino, a first-of-its-kind amenity. Now more than 30 casino pools feature a nightclub-style party element during the day. The newest entrant into this competitive market, Daydream at M Resort, debuted in March.
Justin Litterelle, vice president of business development for Las Vegas Nightlife Group, which operates Daydream, said daylife pool parties have evolved much the way Strip resorts have, with newer offerings emphasizing more luxurious experiences. Some pools offer amenities such as iced towels, sunblock and spritz on demand (yes, people are paid to walk around and spray guests with water). Others feature swim-up gambling, mostly blackjack, so you can lose your shirt even if you're not wearing one.
"A lot of credit goes to Rehab for making Las Vegas a pool-party destination," Litterelle said. "But what's happened over the years is that daylife has become more sophisticated. And we think we've taken that sophistication to an even higher level.
"We've spared no expense with this pool," he said. "Materials were shipped in from Italy to build it. Food is made from the freshest ingredients. We have lots of complimentary offerings. We brought a five-star, five-diamond experience to the pool."
Something for everyone
Similar to the city's diverse nightclub scene, daylife parties offer something for nearly every taste. Where Rehab is raucous (check out its reality show on the TruTV cable network), the newly opened Azure at the Palazzo touts refinement, with poolside massages from Canyon Ranch Spa staff, champagne by the glass, a Wolfgang Puck-operated cafe and daily fashion shows with apparel from Palazzo retailers such as Barneys New York and Tory Burch.
At Bare Pool Lounge at the Mirage, the focus is on VIP service and intimacy. It's one of 11 pools with private, topless sunbathing open to the public, including Beach Club 25 (Stratosphere), the Cherry Cabana Club (Red Rock), Go (Flamingo), the Golden Nugget, Moorea Beach (Mandalay Bay), Pond (Green Valley Ranch), Sapphire (Rio), Tao Beach (Venetian), Venus (Caesars Palace) and Wet Republic (MGM Grand). At Encore and Wynn, topless bathing is available only to hotel guests.
Wet Republic at MGM Grand has the Strip's only saltwater pools. The 53,000-square-foot venue features a pull-up valet and dedicated parking lot as well as a 2,500-square-foot covered lounge and a 4,100-square-foot pool deck that doubles as an entertainment stage.
Poolside concerts are all the rage, with the likes of Kanye West, Nelly Furtado and Crosby, Stills and Nash performing at the Cherry Cabana Club.
It'll cost you
Like Vegas nightclubs, daylife pool parties can leave a huge hole in your wallet. It starts with cover charges: upward of $20 for women and $40 for men. Then come the drinks, which start flowing as early as 9 a.m. and can run as high as $15 for a margarita. Bottle service, all the rage in nightclubs, is also popular among daylife revelers willing to spend princely sums (up to $300 for a bottle of rum; Cristal fetches $1,000-plus) to have a good time.
Private cabanas, the daylife versions of nightclub VIP tables, cost as much as $3,000. Most cabanas come stocked with nearly every conceivable creature comfort. Those at the Venetian's Tao Beach have HD plasma TVs, Xbox 360 consoles, Internet access, sandals and preprogrammed iPod rentals.
Litterelle said pool parties have become a popular way to incrementally increase resort revenues. In just a few months, Daydream has already made a bottom-line impact at M Resort, with revelers dining, shopping and gambling before and after they've had their fun in the sun.
"One of the things we've done is focus on value without sacrificing experience," Litterelle said. "We're a hospitality company, but we've taken that value-added mind-set into pool parties. We're conscious of price with our pool. We offer affordable admission, lots of promotions and specials so that people get what they pay for. Even though we're focused on the locals market, we have an experience that can attract tourists."
Three years ago, the Nine Group unveiled Ditch Fridays at the Palms, creating the perfect excuse for people to skip work and make it an extended weekend. Bronson Olimpieri, director of special operations for the Nine Group, credits the spike in Thursday-night bookings to interest in the pool party, which brings in crowds of 4,000-plus on Fridays. As with Vegas' hippest nightclubs, the crowds continue to grow.
"The parties have gotten so big that we attract guests from other hotels and from other pool parties," Olimpieri said. "We're a less wild, cleaner version of Rehab. We have a symbiotic relationship with the Palms, which is a popular resort. We build off of each other's energy, which creates a high-energy, fun pool party. You never know who you're going to see. We have tons of celebrities come through, like Rihanna [and] famous DJs like Jazzy Jeff and DJ AM. Daylife is really just a natural transition from nightclubs. It's a way to keep the party going."