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Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas, playground for adults, home of the (seemingly) 27ft cocktail, and the place where celebrities come to let loose without worrying about constantly being followed by the paparazzi.
It's a bizarre sentiment really, that the one place where the photogs should be to actually catch a celebrity doing something really interesting is in Las Vegas, but strangely they're not. And why is that? Well, due to the fabulousness of the city itself, they really can't get the images they need to make any real money. Hotels are ensconced in private security and various check in stations, equipped with secret elevators and tunnels, and often provide a team to protect the high-rolling guests they work so hard to attract. This makes Vegas the best getaway a celebrity could ever ask for. Below are the 10 places the paparazzi are not allowed in. And even though they can't, just remember, you can. So next time you find yourself in Vegas, you can take solace in knowing that you may go home with your own take on celebrity gossip, but please keep in mind, what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.
10. STK at The Cosmopolitan
Via: lasvegasbride.wordpress.com
Equipped with a sleek and modern dining room, two different bars, and a DJ, STK is the party you want to be at. On any given night the vibe is chic, women are dressed in their Vegas best, (READ: short, tight dresses as far as the eyes can see) and everyone is there to have fun. It offers normal-yet-better-than-average steakhouse fare, but the food is often secondary to the people who quenched the need to get up on the tables to dance. Many, many celebrities have dined here (and continue to do so) and often with the set of 6.5 carat sapphire steak knives STK offers exclusively to their high-rolling clientele.
9. Hakkasan at MGM Grand
Hakkasan boasts not only a restaurant and a nightclub that other nightclubs only wish it could be, it offers this ultimate experience over five different levels. Yes, you read that correctly, five different levels. On the first level you will find a restaurant swathed in shades of cool blue, the private dining room sits on level two, overlooking the restaurant. The nightclub experience starts with a lounge on level three, levels four and five offer a club experience of epic proportions. On any one of these levels on any given night, you will find A-listers tucked away enjoying themselves to the fullest. It's even rumored that on occasion, the celebrities that have visited also party with their surrounding fans.
8. 1 OAK at the Mirage
With 16,000 square feet divided into two rooms, 1 OAK has the makings for one killer party. Both rooms offer a full service bar, a DJ and all the beautiful people your eyes can handle. Many a celebrity has celebrated their birthday at 1 OAK, and continue to do so. And while many of the Vegas clubs pay celebrities to host events, there are plenty of nights where you will find the clandestine surprise sighting of a Hollywood star sipping their cocktail and dancing the night away.
7. Marquee Pool at The Cosmopolitan
Consistently lauded as one of the best pools in Vegas, Marquee Day Club is where you will find celebrities getting their fun-in-the-sun on. Since day one, this pool has boasted some of the biggest names as their clientele and continues to pull some serious Hollywood stars seemingly every week. Their grand cabanas with flat screen t.v.'s and infinity edge pools are nothing compared to the exquisite cocktails and resident D.J. that Marquee offers, making it the best party you could have ever been invited to, simply for being you. Oh and for those who want to continue the A-list party into the night, Marquee turns into a nightclub too.
6. CUT at the Palazzo
The rule of thumb in celebrity dining seems to be, when in need to see one in their natural habitat, find a great steakhouse and wait. You'll be sure to catch one or two grazing on the finest beef available washing it down with a glass of exquisite wine or a couple of martinis. And who can blame them really? When you have a steakhouse such as Wolfgang Puck's CUT, it's going to attract the best of the best. The menu boasts corn-fed, aged beef, American Wagyu, and more sauces than you have room in your palate for. No wonder serious Oscar contenders love to dine there when they're in town.
5. Katsuya by Starck at the SLS
Katsuya in Los Angeles already has a following that reads like People magazine, so naturally when the SLS hotel opened last month in Vegas, celebrities flocked in to dine on Chef Katsuya Uechi's outstanding menu. The famous specialty cocktails paired perfectly for those tiny celebs who choose to drink their calories in the sleek and modern atmosphere instead of eat them.
4. The Forum Shops at Caesar's Palace
When you have stores such as Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin, Fendi, Balenciaga, Salvatore Ferragamo and Fendi all in the same building, you can certainly expect a celebrity or two to be in sight. Sprawling over multiple levels with stunning architecture, The Forum Shops are basically a magnet for those who have the wallets to match their taste. When you're making millions of dollars per movie and you can shop without a trail of photographers surrounding you, it's a guaranteed match made in heaven.
3. Andrea's at Encore at Wynn
Andrea's is fine dining for those who wish to see and be seen as well as those who are already well known and want to fly under the radar. Confused? Don't be. Andrea's is hidden from the casino floor, but upon entering the establishment you will find a feast for all senses. There is a dining area that offers a view of all tables, but there are also private little "enclaves" that offer an intimate dining setting, perfect for those celebrities seeking an unparalleled dining experience without being too exposed. The best part is, if you get bored of looking at a star in their natural habitat, there is also a giant (21,000 square foot) terrace that overlooks Surrender nightclub, which is also stellar for people watching.
2. LiFE Nightclub at the SLS
This nightclub should have been named "Holy Sh*T!" because that's what you say when you enter it. Famous DJ's are spinning, lights are flashing, cocktails are flowing, and suspended from the 60 foot ceilings are performing aerialists. It's no wonder that this recently opened venue is attracting A-listers by the drove. Rumor has it that they aren't even trying to hide themselves in private areas, but just gettin' down and enjoying the view like the rest of us. And in a venue this fabulous, who could blame them?
1. SLS Hotel In General
Obviously when something is as flashy and highly designed as the SLS hotel in Vegas, it's going to attract a certain highbrow crowd, especially when it's the new kid on the block. During its opening weekend, VIPs were greeted with a firework display that rivaled New Year's Eve in other cities, and it was a star studded event. However, this highly designed venue isn't a one trick pony, celebrities continue to flock to newly opened venue nightly. There are three different towers to choose from, all of them designed differently. Stars can choose from a sleek and modern suite to one with a French flair equipped with mirrors on the ceiling. Actor and Singer Lenny Kravitz designed four different suites for the SLS, so don't be surprised if you bump into him in the halls. Just be sure to leave your camera back in the room.