Mandalay Bay, which sits at the south end of the Strip, serves as an enchanting escape from the mundane and boasts elegance and excitement in its restaurants, entertainment and beach.

Mandalay Bay's entry into the hip, high-end market not only raises the bar but also boosts it into low orbit. This desert oasis is one of Las Vegas' most prestigious spots to see and be seen.

This resort is a bustling, tropical paradise, accented by fountains, sculpture, marble and flora. Surrounding it on all sides is dining at its finest, from proletariat bar Red Square (It has a headless statue of Lenin!) to the futuristic China Grill to the elegant Fleur de Lys. The nightclub rumjungle boasts go-go girls and a wall of fire, and the Mandalay Bay Theatre is set to unveil The Lion King before the summer hits Las Vegas. The House of Blues books everyone from Bob Dylan to Anthrax and holds a Sunday Gospel Brunch, an events center features sports events and arena-sized musical acts and the $40 million attraction Shark Reef houses 100 species of animals.

Outside, the tropical landscaping offers an exotic retreat, and Mandalay Beach gives you the chance to float down the lazy river or bodysurf waves that can reach 6 feet high. And there's much, much more to see and do.

Mandalay Bay's newest addition, THEhotel, is the perfect complement to its already-impressive property, offering a boutique hotel for guests looking for a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

With its even mix of international delights and radical, unexpected change-ups, Mandalay Bay is less a hotel and more a beautiful metropolis.