- Year Built: 1999
- Year Last Renovated: 2015
- Minimum Room Size: Resort King / Two Queen Room (550 square feet)
- Casino: Yes
- Pool: Mandalay Bay Beach (6 Outdoor Pools, Children’s Pool)
- Spa: Mandalay Bay Spa & Salon
- Day Club / Nightclub: Daylight Beach Club
- Bars / Lounges: S Bar, Franklin Lounge, Foundation Room, Minus5° Ice Bar, Rhythm & Riffs, Eyecandy Bar & Lounge
- Resort Fee: $45 plus applicable taxes
- Parking Fee: $18-23 per night (self-park)
- Top Shows / Entertainment: Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil, The Fan District, Shark Reef Aquarium, House of Blues Music Hall, Michelob ULTRA Arena, Nashville Unplugged
- Top Restaurants: StripSteak, Retro by Voltaggio, Rivea, KUMI, Foundation Room, Wahlburgers
- Buffet: N/A
Mandalay Bay is a sprawling 4-star resort at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, offering an impressive blend of luxury, entertainment, and epic swimming opportunities.
Location
Mandalay Bay is located at the southern end of the Las Vegas Strip, situated between Luxor, Delano, and the Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas.
One of the main things worth noting is that Mandalay Bay is the first hotel (or the last hotel, depending on the direction you’re coming from) on the Strip. This means getting to the other end of The Strip can take quite a bit compared to if you were coming from a hotel situated smack dab in the middle of The Strip.
If we’re being honest, the resort’s location really isn’t the best.
Rooms
In total, there are 3,209 rooms and 355 suites, with additional options at the Delano Las Vegas and Four Seasons. The Stay Well Rooms, equipped with wellness technologies, provide a refreshing and rejuvenating stay.
Mandalay Bay’s whole idea is to transport you to the South Seas — to make you feel like you’re embarking on an exotic beach vacation! The rooms at Mandalay Bay exemplify this theme, with modern decor and warm wood touches that make you feel like you are staying in a high-end beach resort.
The fact that the bedding is plush and super comfortable is something worth mentioning. For the extremely affordable price we paid to stay at the Mandalay, we had expected regular bedding and mediocre pillows. But we were wrong! We had such good nights of sleep on those fluffy pillows!
When it comes to room types, there’s the Resort King/Two Queen (the most basic option), but there are also additional options of king suites, and penthouse suites, as well as a variety of one- to four-bedroom living spaces as part of their Luxury Collection.
In terms of the standard rooms, they come with a massive bathroom equipped with two separate sinks, a separate soaker tub and stand-up shower, a TV, mini-bar, a sitting area, two large closets, and a coffee maker (though they do charge for coffee).
Restaurants
Dining at Mandalay Bay is a culinary delight, featuring renowned restaurants such as Border Grill, Fleur, and Lupo by Wolfgang Puck. Guests can enjoy a variety of cuisines, from vibrant Mexican to classic French and contemporary Japanese with a Korean American twist.
For those in the mood for something more casual, there are plenty of options to choose from! Libertine Social is a popular spot for burgers and other gastropub eats, while Noodle Shop offers all types of Asian noodle dishes and Slice of Vegas offers classic Italian dishes such as pizza and pasta.
Entertainment
Mandalay Bay offers a decent amount of entertainment, headlined by the Michelob ULTRA Arena, a versatile 12,000-seat venue hosting world-class concerts and championship boxing events. Past performers include the Black Eyed Peas, Keith Urban, Rihanna, Katy Perry, and Alicia Keys, alongside boxing legends like Oscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather.
For a totally immersive experience, the Michael Jackson ONE show by Cirque du Soleil takes the stage at the 1,800-seat Michael Jackson Theatre. This state-of-the-art production, guided by MJ’s music, follows four characters on a transformative journey, embodying his agility, courage, playfulness, and love.
Adding to the entertainment mix is the House of Blues Concert Hall, an intimate 1,800-seat venue featuring a diverse lineup of live music. From iconic artists like Carlos Santana to contemporary acts such as Billy Idol, Fall Out Boy, and Tegan & Sara, the concert hall provides an eclectic and memorable musical experience for guests.
The BetMGM Sportsbook offers an immersive experience for sports enthusiasts, while the gaming floor features a wide array of options, from table games like Blackjack and Roulette to slot machines and video poker. The Mandalay Bay Beach, with its wave pool and lazy river, provides a tropical oasis for relaxation.
And if the offerings at Mandalay Bay don’t suit you, it’s super easy to get to other hotels so you can enjoy some of the other award-winning Las Vegas shows and attractions offered on The Strip! Here are just a few examples:
Luxor (one hotel over)
- Blue Man Group – the iconic show combining an entertaining mix of multimedia, comedy, music and stunning visuals
- America’s Got Talent presents Super Stars Live
- Carrot Top – award winning stand-up comedy
- FANTASY: The Strip’s Biggest Tease
- Discovering King Tut’s Tomb
- Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition
- Bodies… The Exhibition
- HyperX Arena Las Vegas
Excalibur (one 5-min tram ride away)
- Tournament of Kings
- Ultimate 4D Experience
- Fun Dungeon – arcade games galore!
- Australia’s Thunder From Down Under
- The Mac King Comedy Magic Show – widely regarded as the #1 comedy magician working in the world today
Pools
Perhaps the biggest draw of Mandalay Bay is the Mandalay Bay Beach pool complex! Mandalay Bay Beach is an 11-acre aquatic playground that is the crown jewel of this hotel.
This is by far the best pool we’ve ever had the chance of enjoying of all Las Vegas hotels. Yes, even better than higher-end hotel pools such as Wynn, Encore, Caesars, Venetian, etc!
With a wave pool, lazy river, waterfall, beach area (with real sand!), and multiple other pools and hot tubs, there is going to be a body of water that suits your taste. The pool area is surrounded by palm trees and cabanas, making it feel like a tropical paradise in the middle of the desert!
Mandalay Bay Review: What We Like
- Massive 11-acre pool complex with wave pool, lazy river with waterfall, beach with sand, hot tub, and multiple other pools
- Rooms are way larger, more elegant, and nicer than you’d expect at this pricepoint
- Tons of really good quality restaurants that fit every type of budget, including a few by celebrity chefs
- Bars have a variety of themes (rooftop bar, ice bar, speakeasy, etc.)
- Shark Reef Aquarium, House of Blues, and Cirque du Soleil “Michael Jackson ONE” are located here
- The 30,000 square foot world-class Spa Mandalay is pure opulence
- There is a free tram that takes you up the Strip so you don’t need to waste your energy walking
- Hotel rooms are way more affordable compared to other hotels of this quality
Mandalay Bay Review: What We Don’t Like
- Hotel charges for parking, even for hotel guests (all MGM resorts offer 1st hour free, but charge after that)
- Location can be inconvenient as its the southernmost hotel on The Strip
- Summer weekends can get really crowded with families because of the hotel’s massive pool complex
- Daily resort fee (which is common for most hotels on the Strip)
- Has a coffee machine in the room, but you still have to pay for the coffee kit (which is common for most hotels on the Strip)
- You’ll need to bring your own lazy river tubes (unless you’re okay with buying them for $30 each!)
Practical Tips / Things To Know
- Extra fees to be mindful of: As with all MGM Resorts properties, keep in mind that there will be nightly parking fees and nightly resort fees associated with your stay.
- Parking perks: Paying for parking sucks, but if you’re heading out to explore other parts of the Strip, your parking pass will work for other MGM properties too! For registered MGM Resorts property guests, the 24-hour parking fee provides you with in-out privileges of the self-parking areas across ALL MGM Resorts Las Vegas destinations within the same 24-hour period.
- Show Reservations: If you have your eye on a specific show at the resort, we recommend making reservations in advance. This can help you reserve better seating in the theaters so you can actually see what’s going on.
- Stay Connected with MGM Rewards: Join MGM Rewards, the loyalty program of MGM Resorts, to unlock exclusive perks, discounts, and personalized offers. You can accumulate points during your stay, which can be redeemed for various benefits.
- Mobile Check-In: Save time upon arrival by using the mobile check-in option. You can bypass the front desk and head straight to your room, which is a huge time saver during rush hours when dozens of groups line up to check in at the same time.
- Weekday vs. Weekend Rates: As with many Las Vegas hotels, room rates can vary significantly between weekdays and weekends. If your schedule allows, consider planning your stay during the weekdays for lower rates.
- Be mindful of special events, conventions, and festivals in Las Vegas too: Room rates can skyrocket to the high hundreds or even thousands of dollars on certain days. Look out for major events like CES (Consumer Electronics Show), SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association), the Super Bowl, NCAA basketball tournaments, championship boxing matches, Life Is Beautiful (LIB), Electronic Daisy Carnival (EDC) — and avoid visiting during those dates if you’re not actually attending these events!
Flamingo Las Vegas
Fontainebleau Las Vegas
Harrah’s Las Vegas
