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Check-in for Vegas Fun

Sure, regular visitors have their favorites, but Vegas isn’t for loyalists. It’s for seekers of the hottest, the newest, the now. And lately, they want to be seen at the , where a massive chandelier conceals a three-story bar and casino cabanas overlook the Strip.

So it’s no surprise that the attention-grabbing Cosmopolitan gets more check-ins on Foursquare than any other casino in Vegas. The social site, which counts five million check-ins worldwide daily, reviewed its Vegas data from August 2011 to August 2012 to provide us with this exclusive list of the most popular casinos in Sin City. (After all, even if what happens stays secret, half the fun is letting all your friends know you’re in Vegas, baby.)

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No. 10

Although its Polynesian tiki theme basically stays the same, Mirage has rotated in great dining like Japonais, STACK Restaurant and Bar, and Onda Ristorante & Wine Lounge. In 2012, it rang in the New Year with a nightlife surprise: 1OAK, the celeb-studded New York City club, reinterpreted in Vegas in 16,000 square feet, hung with the work of artist Roy Nachum, and attracting serious crowds. When the older-but-still-luxurious casino gets busy on weekends, minimums shoot up, but on weekdays, you can look for table games with reasonable $10 minimums. Mirage also has full-pay video poker machines.

The Buzz: The Villas at the Mirage have recently been redesigned. For $3,500 a night, you’ll get the kind of treatment the “whales” do: 24-hour butler service, two master bedrooms, and a private backyard with hot tub, putting green, and outdoor music system.

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(Courtesy of MGM Resorts International)

No. 9

Modern, , and LEED gold certified, the Aria is one of the Strip’s most progressive properties. And while the CityCenter complex was the largest privately funded construction project in U.S. history, the casino at Aria is surprisingly intimate. You’ll find two daily tournaments in the 24-table poker room; a separate area of the smallish sports book dedicated to horse racing (separated into little areas with their own TVs); and slots that range from pennies to high-stakes.

The Buzz: Chef Masa Takayama’s BarMasa has been a major draw, and he is already making changes. His new teppanyaki restaurant, Tetsu, replaces Shaboo as its restaurant-within-a-restaurant, with cooked-to-order Wagyu, live shrimp, and foie gras at huge blackjack-style grill tables. Coming soon, an outpost of the Los Cabos hot spot, Javier’s.

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(Jamie Pham / Alamy)

No. 8 Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino

While the casino tables are geared toward high rollers, you don’t have too look hard to find cheap slots; nickel and quarter slots are spread all over the floor. Foodies and nightlife aficionados, meanwhile, come for Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood, Fleur by Hubert Keller, the long-lived Aureole by Charlie Palmer, or the 43rd-floor Foundation Room. Families appreciate the 1.6 million-gallon and Mandalay Bay Beach, the 11-acre water park with real sand beaches, four swimming pools, a lazy river and a wave pool for body surfing.

The Buzz: Restaurants like China Grill and Red Square are being retired as the Delano Hotel moves in. A casual American bistro by chef Brian Massie, a Japanese restaurant by Akira Back, and a new nightclub by The Light Group are expected replacements.

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No. 7

Venetian’s big poker room (which can fit 50 tables) has plenty of action and often with more manageable wait times than at the Bellagio. The sports book has gone mobile here and at sister property Palazzo: download the wagering app from the book or the website, and you can bet during dinner. That is if you can take your eyes off the surroundings. With its canals traveled by singing gondoliers, the Venetian is a fine place to people-watch, whether at restaurants like Otto Enoteca or on a bench with a gelato under the convincing sky that turns from day to dusk.

The Buzz: New restaurants Public House—a speakeasy-style tavern with Nevada’s first beer cicerone—and Bourbon Room, which pays homage to the musical Rock of Ages and serves 28 different bourbons, including two made just for the bar.

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(Courtesy of MGM Resorts International)

No. 6

The world’s strongest light beam shines nightly from the giant pyramid that is Luxor. That and its other “ancient” elements—replicas of Cleopatra’s Needle, the Sphinx, the Great Temple of Ramses II—haven’t changed in the 20 years it has been open. But the rooms, shopping, and entertainment have had some much-needed work done, most notably along the sky bridge that connects Luxor to Mandalay Bay. Look for all the traditional games on the casino floor, but if you’re a rookie, make a beeline for the poker room where you an get free lessons.

The Buzz: Luxor is known for its quirky entertainment, such as prop comedian Carrot Top, and the Criss Angel and Cirque du Soleil joint performance, "Criss Angel Believe." Urban dance crew Jabbawockeez arrives in the spring of 2013.

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(Courtesy of MGM Resorts International)

No. 5

Most know Bellagio for its public spaces—those performing nightly to a choreographed music and light show, or the Conservatory with its revolving, over-the-top floral displays. Bellagio has become the luxury standard that transcends most age brackets, and for that it has its perpetually upgraded rooms to thank; the 2,568 rooms of its main tower got a $70 million redesign in 2011. But gamblers know Bellagio for poker, particularly at “the Big Game,” a mixed game that attracts some of the best poker players in the world. There are also daily tournaments in much lower price ranges.

The Buzz: Hyde Bellagio and Lily Bar & Lounge are both new and hopping. And by the end of 2012, its (still rather new) Spa Tower will get a $40 million nip-and-tuck, including its Chairman and Presidential suites.

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No. 4

Smash together favorite New York attractions, and you get this condensed version, welcoming you with a 150-foot model of the Statue of Liberty (so convincing that the US Postal Service accidentally printed its image on the Forever stamp). The draws are affordable room rates, entertainment like Cirque du Soleil’s Zumanity, the roller coaster that whizzes through the “skyline,” and dining at New York import Gallagher’s Steakhouse. Central Park is the inspiration for the 84,000-square-foot gaming area’s paths and trees. Its ESPN Zone has arcade-style games, and most games in the casino (smaller and more manageable than many on the Strip) hover around a $10 minimum.

The Buzz: You must be a guest of one of the MGM Resorts to play the famous Shadow Creek golf course (greens fees, $500); staying at New York-New York is one way to get in without breaking the bank.

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(Courtesy of Caesars Palace)

No. 3

In keeping with its opulent reputation, Caesars claims to have been the site of more million-dollar plus slot machine jackpots than any casino in the world. In general, gaming is geared toward high rollers: two poker rooms get a lot of action (one for cash play, the other exclusively for tournaments); and sports gamers love the sports book, where most of the seats have tables with TVs. Qua Spa remains mostly unsurpassed, and the Forum Shops at Caesars are always adding something new under that ceiling that mimics the changes in real daylight. Then, there’s the Colosseum, which hosts entertainers like Celine Dion, and, coming in December 2012, Shania Twain.

The Buzz: Rarely does a buffet make major news on the Strip, but the new Bacchanal buffet lives up to its name, with more than 500 dishes spanning the world. Insider tip: check into the 180-room boutique when it opens in early 2013 for your only chance to order Nobu in-room.

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(Courtesy of MGM Resorts International)

No. 2

At 171,500 square feet, MGM’s casino is the largest in the city, and it is getting a refresh (including clearer directions through the cavernous space) while preserving some classic elements like Sigma Derby, the last remaining mechanical horse-racing game on the Strip. After all, MGM Grand has been an icon for nearly 40 years, with its giant lion dominating the intersection of Las Vegas and Tropicana. The nearly completed $160 million renovation extends to the 3,570 guest rooms and 642 suites and ushers in LED lighting, solar shades and biodegradable amenities.

The Buzz: Early in 2013, the Cantonese-themed restaurant and nightclub Hakkasan opens. Before the end of 2012, Rock ‘n’ Roll Fantasy Camp will set up permanent shop, letting super fans and would-be rockers play with legends like Roger Daltrey, Alice Cooper, and Sammy Hagar.

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(Ron Niebrugge / Alamy)

No. 1

Amid a sea of themed hotels, Vegas’s most checked-in casino makes an urbane, design-forward statement. That goes for the casino floor, too, where you can gamble and socialize in casino cabanas whose floor-to-ceiling glass walls overlook the Strip (no reservation necessary). Foursquare users also likely flock here to party at Marquee Nightclub (and summer poolside Marquee Dayclub), shop, and eat out, whether rustic Italian at Scarpetta or burgers and boozy shakes at Holsteins. The Cosmopolitan can’t be topped for surprises, from a pop-up wedding chapel to monthly live-in artists who work in a public storefront.

The Buzz: Live music, free parties, and movies below the 65-foot digital marquee at the Boulevard Pool. Concerts by the likes of Stevie Wonder and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, especially for New Year’s Eve, are becoming legendary.

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For the full list of Las Vegas's Most Popular Casinos, visit .