In a desert swarming with people, it's not hard to find a manmade oasis or two -- or forty -- which means you've got a little room to be discerning about where you cool your toes.
There are hard rockin' oases, water-slide-filled oases, oases for mom and oases you pray mom never finds out about.
But there's also the classic oasis -- a pleasant refuge from the norm and a place to unwind, with a little Vegas spin, of course.
At Venus Pool Club at Caesars Palace, that Vegas spin comes with the chance to pamper yourself to the extreme.
Awash in cool white tones and secluded from the rest of the Caesars' pool area by shrubbery, the club feels like your own private hideaway, which is important because it also offers European style (topless) bathing.
Whether you spring for the plus-size VIP cabana (complete with couch, flat screen TV and personal bar) or just stake your claim on one of the poolside chaise lounges, you're in for a day of frozen fruit, frozen towels and hourly spritz-downs with a bottle of Evian.
Open seven days a week, the club generally only charges a cover on Saturdays, which means it's relaxation you can indulge in even on a budget. But it wouldn't be a bad idea to come with a little change to throw around -- there's a fully stocked bar, boasting a pretty mean mojito (raspberry, pineapple, mango…the list goes on) and poolside dining fare ranges from ahi tuna poke to a lobster ciabattina sandwich.
If, in the throes of all this relaxation, you can't even muster up the energy to apply your own suntan lotion, don't worry, Venus Pool Club has people that can do that, too. Starting at around $35, suntan lotion application can be done poolside by one of the folks from Qua Baths and Spa. For a little more money, massages and wraps are also available.
Although a DJ can sometimes be found spinning from a booth just to the side of the pool, Venus Pool Club isn't a party. It's the place to go before the party (Pure, inside Caesars is a sister property of Venus) or the place to go the morning after the party. Or, if you do it right, both.
-- Review by Jamie Helmick
