The Mandalay Bay hotel-casino is the anchor at the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. It's one of the most recognizable elements of the Las Vegas skyline, with its bright gold color, and it features some of the city's top attractions, including three very different concert venues, popular nightclub Light, multiple world-class restaurants and more.
Rooms at Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay is a higher-end hotel, with standard rooms and deluxe suites. There are also two separately run hotels within Mandalay Bay: The Delano is a boutique hotel featuring suites that range from 750 to more than 4,500 square feet, and the Four Seasons is the Las Vegas branch of the renowned luxury hotel brand. Expect higher prices and higher demand for rooms in those areas of the resort.
Must see/do at Mandalay Bay
The House of Blues is one of the best places in the city to catch live music, with an eclectic lineup of concerts almost every night. The Mandalay Bay Beach is an extensive man-made beach that's a great place to swim, relax or catch a concert during the summer. "Michael Jackson One" is an impressive Cirque du Soleil production showcasing the music of Michael Jackson.
Best and worst time to go to Mandalay Bay
In Las Vegas, the best time to visit is spring (March to mid-May) and fall (mid-September to late November), when the weather is mild. Temperatures can be extraordinarily high during summer (mid-May to early September), but room rates can also be lower. Summer is also the best time to enjoy the Mandalay Bay Beach, including its concert series and the Moorea and Daylight beach clubs.
Parking and public transportation at Mandalay Bay
There is generally ample free parking available in the Mandalay Bay parking garage, and hotel guests always take priority if the garage is full because of a concert or other event. Local RTC bus service runs regularly up and down the Strip, and cab rides from other Strip hotel-casinos cost around $5 to $10, depending on distance.
Other places to visit near Mandalay Bay
Mandalay Bay is attached to the pyramid-shaped Luxor hotel-casino by the Mandalay Place shopping corridor, so you can browse through stores as you walk over. Another themed hotel-casino, the castle-shaped Excalibur, is also easily accessible by tram. Just a little ways down the road on Las Vegas Boulevard is the famed Welcome to Las Vegas sign.
Insider tip for visitors to Mandalay Bay
If you're planning to visit the Shark Reef Aquarium or the convention center, bypass the main parking garage and park in the surface lot on the south side of the hotel, which is often much less crowded.
Author's bio: Josh Bell is a Las Vegas-based writer (and 20-year resident) and the film and TV critic for Las Vegas Weekly. Find him on Twitter and Facebook.