Gaudy was good back in the day when Strip resorts were casinos first and sleeping rooms second. But if the new look of Sin City could be called Extreme Makeover: Vegas Edition, then THEhotel at Mandalay was designed for sweeps week. Sin City hoteliers welcomed in the new millennium by opening towers that emphasized the room as a destination and base of activity. No longer do guests have to wander 40 days through the casino to get to their rooms. Kitsch has given way to cosmopolitan and cool. THEhotel is a perfect example of the new “unVegas.” At 750 square feet, these are the largest standard rooms in Las Vegas. The property tops out at 43 stories and contains 1,120 rooms of mini-suites that feature separate living and sleeping rooms, 42-inch plasma TVs, high-speed Internet connections and fax/printers. In true Vegas fashion, it’s not just what they have, it’s what they do with it. Cool, clean tile foyers introduce sleek, stylish GQ-influenced furnishings including marble and granite appointed bathrooms.

VegasHotSpots.com Insider Tips: THEhotel can be very affordable considering all its amenities; it is much quieter than the Mandalay Bay Hotel next door; and, guests get VIP access privileges to the hottest new nightclub and celebrity eatery, MIX, that sits atop the tower. Check our room reservation “bot” for deals.