What is the first thing you think of when hear the words, “Bellagio, Las Vegas?” I bet it’s the dancing fountains out front that have been awing guests and even locals alike for years in the heart of the strip. Whether you watch it front row on the street, from your nearby hotel room, or from atop the Eiffel Tower, the fountains are indeed a spectacular and popular event to the resort. On a recent visit we were honored to experience three really unique activities at the Bellagio that made us fall in love with resort even more beyond the beautiful water show!

Private Cabana Experience at the Cypress Pool
The Bellagio has 5 pool courtyard settings open to guests surrounded with luxurious Mediterranean style. Our group donned our bathing suits and sunscreen and made our way through the Star Jasmine arches (it smelled amazing!) to the Cypress Pool, Cabana 15. Here we were treated to snacks, a refrigerator full of water and non-alcoholic drinks, a living room with couch and dining table, personal pool floats to enjoy, fruit plates, and a patio with lounge chairs for our sunning enjoyment. The piece de resistance…a cabana boy, make that two or three cabana boys. These guys greeted us with orange slices, took our drink orders, refreshed our towel supply and served our lunch. It was an amazing few hours, the sun was hot so we strolled over and dipped in the pool and enjoyed the spray of the fountain to cool us off. There’s even a dressing room in the cabana, but you’re only steps away from a bar and restrooms if needed.  The heat, the drinks, the pool, the atmosphere all exuded romance to me and we soaked it all in as much as possible!

Painting Women: Works from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Now on display through October 26, we toured this exhibit with a museum curator and saw some amazing pieces of work!

The exhibition features paintings portraying female artists as confident practitioners of their craft, as well as a survey of work by women artists including Mary Cassatt, Georgia O’Keeffe and Berthe Morisot. A portrait by French painter Louise Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, a predecessor and role model to the artists showcased, will introduce the series. The works will be arranged thematically from the 1870s, the era when fine arts training programs first became available to women, to the mid-20th century when women (like their male counterparts) adopted more abstract, modern styles.

Questions such as “What does her facial expression suggest?”  “What do you think about the color choices?” and “What do you notice about her attire?” were offered to the group to think about the mindset of the artists and how they wanted to portray their subjects.  It isn’t often that we stroll through and admire art, but this exhibit was fascinating and a tour with someone studied in art history is helpful.
Drinks and Dancing at Hyde Lounge
An expansive 10,000 square foot venue, Hyde Bellagio features a terrace overlooking Las Vegas’ most celebrated landmark, the Fountains of Bellagio. Floor to ceiling windows showcase the fountains and the spectacular Eiffel Tower across the street at the Paris hotel at this indoor/outdoor hot spot.  Following dinner and a show, we made our way over and immediately started moving to the music from inside.  The party really amps up about midnight (the location opens at 5pm) and goes well until 4am certain nights of the week.  The night we attended, actor Mario Lopez was in the house and Hyde was jam packed.  We maneuvered shoulder to shoulder with people about the room to snap a shot out the window and make our way to the bar.  A procession of men and women, lights, and extravagant costumes made their way through the room as the beats blasted and the base thumped through our bodies!  Without a doubt, this was an amazing place to dance and party.  Slightly feeling our age (40’s), we ducked out about 45 minutes and chalked it up for a neat experience and a little sad we did rub up to Mario Lopez (Slater!).

What are some unique experiences you’ve had in Las Vegas?

Experiences were all hosted as part of our LVCVA media tour, opinions completely our own.