Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

Rooms and decor

Picture a desert resort in Las Vegas where you open the curtains and on one side see the Strip stretching out in neon, on the other the Nevada desert and mountains, and down below a sand beach and blue pools set among palm gardens — that is the appeal of Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, open since 1999 and one of the resorts at the far south end of the Strip that casts itself as a tropical getaway more than a pure casino. The tall amber-gold tower holds over 3,200 rooms and suites, decorated in warm, easy earth tones with good fabrics and big windows that open onto full city or desert views. Many rooms sit on high floors, so the views are wide and lovely by day and at night. Plenty of reviews praise the rooms as spacious and comfortable, with soft beds for deep sleep and well-laid-out bathrooms. The same building also holds the Delano zone, all suites in a clean modern style, and the Four Seasons on the top floors for anyone who wants extra quiet — this one tower offers several tiers of stay in one place. If you like a resort where you wake to pool and beach views, you will probably love it.

Food and amenities

If this resort has a beating heart, it is Mandalay Beach, the 11-acre water zone at its center that makes you feel like you have slipped away to the sea in the middle of the desert. The highlight is the real sand beach, laid with thousands of tons of imported sand you can actually lie down and sunbathe on, paired with a wave pool that rolls in rhythmic waves for kids and adults to splash in. There is a lazy river for drifting on a tube and several more pools among lush palm gardens, with cabanas and pool bars serving drinks. A late afternoon here is heaven for anyone who loves the waterside. Another highlight is the Shark Reef Aquarium, where a walk-through underwater tunnel takes you past sharks, rays, sea turtles and more than 2,000 sea creatures — a great indoor activity for kids and for the hottest days. For food there are more than 18 places covering every style, from steakhouses, seafood and Asian food to easygoing poolside spots and a food court, plus bars and lounges for the evening. Round it out with a large casino, a spa, a fitness center and an arena and theater that host big concerts and shows often — you barely need to leave the building to fill a whole trip.

Location and getting there

Mandalay Bay sits at the far south end of the Las Vegas Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard. The appeal of this spot is that it is a fairly self-contained resort, set a bit away from the busiest crowds, so it feels more relaxed. You can walk or take the free tram to Luxor and Excalibur just up the road, making it easy to explore the southern hotels without a car. A big plus for many guests is that this is the closest Strip hotel to Harry Reid airport (LAS), just a 5 to 10 minute ride — great for a short stay, for flying in for a conference, or for saving time on your departure day. Reaching mid-Strip spots like Bellagio, Caesars Palace or The Venetian is too far to walk comfortably, so you will need the tram, a taxi or a rideshare. If your trip is built around walking the central Strip all day, this southern location means budgeting some extra time and travel cost, but if your goal is the pool zone, the beach, airport convenience and conventions, it fits very well.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide — the biggest thing to weigh is the location at the far south end of the Strip. It is great for the pool zone and airport access, but getting to mid-Strip spots like Bellagio or Caesars Palace is too far to walk, and you will need the tram, a taxi or a rideshare almost every time; anyone planning a walk-the-central-Strip trip may find it inconvenient and pricier. Second is the sheer size of the resort — with more than 3,200 rooms, the walk from your room to the casino, the pool zone or the convention center can be long, and during big conventions or concerts it gets crowded with long check-in lines. Last is cost and room condition: on top of the room rate there is a nightly resort fee and a parking charge added to the price you see at booking, so the final total runs higher than expected, and some reviews feel parts of the rooms are starting to show their age next to freshly renovated resorts. Check the fee details and room type carefully before you book, and confirm whether the pools, wave pool and lazy river are fully open for your dates, since some close in winter.

Our take

After reading through hundreds of real reviews, our team sees Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino as one of the most distinctive casino resorts on the Strip for selling a beach-and-pool getaway in the middle of the desert. If your trip in your head is sunbathing on a sand beach, riding the wave pool, drifting the lazy river on a tube, taking the kids to see the sharks at Shark Reef, then closing the night with dinner at one of the more than 18 places to eat without leaving the building, this is about as fitting a choice as it gets — especially for families, relaxation-focused couples, and conference-goers who want a nice pool and easy airport access. But if you are after a mid-Strip location where you can walk between hotels all day, or a compact resort with short indoor walks, the enormous scale and southern location here may not be your thing. Overall we give it 8.6/10, best for travelers who value the pool zone, the beach and a resort mood over a central location and compact size.