Party pools

LAS VEGAS – Party pools — including some where bikini tops are allowed to come off — are very much in the swim with tourists and celebs, and the season starts again this week. Mark your calendars. Here's some opening info, starting with pools diving into the scene earliest:

•MGM Grand's Wet Republic (where "European sunbathing" is not allowed) opens Friday. This is one of the bigger and more raucous party pool complexes in Vegas. Celeb hosts have included Lindsay Lohan.

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•The Mirage's BARE Pool Loun ge — tops not required — puts out the velvet rope March 12. Britney Spears is a fan: A spokeswoman says she has been at the pool a few times. Other celebs who have sunbathed or performed include Avril Lavigne, Bruno Mars, Michael Jordan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tommy Lee, Slash, Courtney Love and Will.I.am.

•Aria's LIQUID Pool Lounge has a March 15 opening date. Celebs at LIQUID have included Kelly Osbourne, Carrie Underwood, Audrina Patridge and Carmen Electra. Gleek alert: Glee star Mark Salling will host March 31.

•Encore Beach Club , the only party pool where cabanas back onto Las Vegas Boulevard, launches Saturday March 17. The huge party pool with stripper poles and multi-story cabanas at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas will be open just on weekends (except for Easter) until the "grand opening" April 21. Stars splashing there have included swimmer Michael Phelps and Baywatch legend David Hasselhoff.

•Azure Luxury Pool at The Palazzo, a small and calming oasis, reopens March 23.

•Mandalay Bay's "toptional" Moorea Beach Club has a March 29 opening. Vegas party pool aficionados will remember that it tried requiring covered-up chests, but is now back to topless sunbathing.

•TAO Beach at The Venetian, an intimate Asian-themed hipster haven usually opens the first weekend in April. No date is set yet, but in all likelihood that will be the weekend, a marketing staffer said Tuesday.

•"Ditch Fridays" afternoon bashes at the Palms Casino Resort start again April 20. No musical headliner named yet, though past performers have included rapper Sean Paul.

•The Marquee Dayclub at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas has its grand opening Saturday, April 21 with Avicii aka Tim Berg. I had to look it up: He's a Swedish DJ and musician whose hits include Seek Bromance.

•The biggest, baddest pool party of them all — Sunday's REHAB at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino — isn't back till April 22. This one draws thousands, including lots of off-duty strippers and other Vegas workers. This year, the REHAB Pool is being called "Paradise Beach," encompassing sandy shores and swim-up blackjack. It's also host to Relax Mondays and new Summer Camp Fridays.

Those who are new to party pools should know that they typically operate in the daylight hours, feature lots of (loud) music, pricey rental cabanas with bikini-wearing hostesses and perhaps access to private plunge pools. The splashy venues are open to non-hotel guests.

Locals often get in free, and sometimes women do as well. As at nightclubs, management wants lots of pretty women as lures, so, men, expect to shell out more, especially at a topless venue.

As for more traditional hotel pools, many already are welcoming swimmers. Mandalay Bay's huge swimming area with sand beach, lazy river and wave pool just opened.


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