Las Vegas Nightlife

If you have any James Bond-style fantasies, this is probably the place to live them out. Play a civilised few rounds of baccarat while impeccably dressed servers bring you cocktails against a backdrop of live jazz piano. Shaken or stirred, your Martini will be exquisitely prepared, and there's a sense of refinement to the gambling that you're unlikely to find on most casino floors. Situated in the Bellagio.

Set high atop the Delano Hotel at Mandalay Bay Resort, the Mix Lounge offers a chance to 'be seen' in what is one of the most notable nightlife destinations in the city – largely because of the stupendous view over the Strip. Internationally famous DJs provide an eclectic mix of music, while the 64th-floor balcony is ideal for taking in the panorama with a cocktail.

Sitting metres away from the entrance to Love (Cirque du Soleil's Beatles extravaganza at The Mirage), Revolution picks up the Fab Four theme and translates it into an upmarket nightlife venue. Aiming to blend "design, art and sound in a contemporary interpretation of The Beatles era", it's a hip and atmospheric alternative to some of the city's more crowded spots.

This five-story mega-nightclub in the MGM Grand the place to party in a city of parties. There are numerous restaurants and bars, but the main club is on the fourth floor, with a mezzanine above. The huge dance floor has floor-to-ceiling LED screens, and its roster of DJs includes global stars such as Steve Aoki, Deadmau5 and Calvin Harris. It's vast, but massively popular, so reservations are recommended.

This adult-only playground in the Palms Casino Resort features an elevated dance floor lit by a 4m (14ft) fireball and dancing fountains of water throb in time with the DJ. Rain is also infamous as the place where Britney Spears partied hard before, during and after her first very short-lived marriage. Reservations required.

Wynn's nightclub is every bit as smart and exclusive as you'd expect from its setting, with a strict dress code, a 27m-high (90ft) waterfall and a heavily stylised main room. Music tends towards electronic and comes courtesy of resident DJs. The club opens on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, closing its doors at 0400.

A 12,000-seat sport and entertainment complex, this centre has been the setting for superstar concerts, major sporting events and television specials. It has featured everyone from Neil Diamond to Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney. The space afforded here gives the touring acts some room to put on stage spectaculars, and there are state of the art video screens and projectors to add to the atmosphere.

Located 16km (10 miles) from the Strip, the Red Rock Resort, which is also home to a casino and spa, welcomes some of the biggest names in rock, country and contemporary music. There are both indoor and outdoor venues, with the Red Rock Amphitheatre playing host to some of the country's best touring acts. Well worth the trip from the Strip.

The fact that The Joint forms the centrepiece of the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino should tell you all you need to know about this 4,500-person capacity live music venue. Often listed by Billboard Magazine as one of the top music clubs in the United States, acts ranging from Guns N' Roses to Smashing Pumpkins to Imagine Dragons have all performed here in the past.