The M Resort Spa Casino at the far south end of Las Vegas Boulevard offers tourists an alternative to Strip mega-resorts.
With no resort fees and a focus on service,
the resort offers a respite from the action up the Strip.
Opened in 2009,
the property on the outskirts of Vegas' main attractions offers complimentary valet and surface parking and a shuttle service.
The area accommodates 4,600 parking spaces.
Inside, the resort offers 390 rooms,
70% of which feature floor-to-ceiling windows.
The 100,000 square-foot pool and events piazza are open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. when the weather and season permits.
The M Resort was voted Best Pool 2014 in a Las Vegas Review-Journal readers’ poll.
Richard and Joy Nelson of Texarkana,
Texas relax in the main pool area.
The couple says they come to Las Vegas once a year,
stay on the Strip for a few days, then relax at the M Resort for a few days.
Poolside cabanas are available for rent featuring LCD TVs,
chaise lounges, a telephone, a mini-fridge and ceiling fans.
VIP cabanas offer a private jacuzzi as well.
A "penthouse patio" can be reserved for private events such as bachelor/bachelorette parties,
said pool director Ziggy Pawlowski.
The DayDream Pool Club is open Saturdays and Sundays, as well as Wednesdays starting in July.
The club is free for hotel guests and women over 21-years-old.
The club is touted as "the locals' pool party by locals.".
DayDream takes place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. with hand-crafted cocktails and DJ Sandman spinning.
Cabanas start at $250.
DayDream cabanas accommodate parties up to 10,
and include a bottle of liquor and six juices, snacks, a TV and a safe.
The club includes a "party spa" and an ice-railed bar as well.
The Spa Mio encompasses 23,000 square-feet of pampering and relaxation.
The spa offers 16 treatment rooms with an assortment of body treatments,
facials and massages available.
Spa Mio includes a full-service salon and barbershop.
A private barber chair is available in Spa Mio.
The spa also houses a 5,500 square-foot fitness center with pool views,
private lockers and a wide range of equipment.
Spa and fitness access is $15 daily for resort guests and $25 for non-guests.
The casino offers 92,000 square-feet of gaming with skylights allowing natural light in.
The resort may be off the beaten path,
but the casino offers all the table games,
slots and video poker you need, plus a race and sports book.
Cisko Cuevas carves meat at the Studio B Buffet,
one of the more creative buffets on the Strip.
From $15.99 for weekday lunch to $39.99 for weekend meals,
The Studio B Buffet is one of the best deals on the Strip.
It's the Vegas buffet as you know and love it:
free-flowing crab legs, prime rib, cocktail shrimp and oysters,
but it also has a live action cooking studio where you can watch chefs,
like cook Robert Kemp pictured, prepare dishes made to order.
A wide array of desserts are served at the 600-seat buffet.
Bertha Gutierrez serves up a drink as unlimited beer, wine,
cordials and coffee are included in every meal.
Most of the resort's restaurants offer pool and Las Vegas Strip views,
like the Ravello Lounge patio here.
Ravello Entertainment Lounge features musicians,
DJs and comedians right over the casino floor.
Anthony's Gourmet Burgers & Brews serves breakfast,
lunch and dinner with signature burger and beer pairings.
Baby Cakes Artisan Bakery is open 24 hours.
The bakery serves freshly made artisan pastries, breads, gelatos, cakes and cannolis.
Anthony's Prime Steak and Seafood is open for dinner daily and won an Open Table Diners' Choice award in 2013.
Jayde Fuzion offers Chinese,
Japanese and Korean cuisine and all-you-can-eat sushi and sake for $24.99 Sunday through Thursday.
The resort's wine bar, Hostile Grape,
offers 160 selections by the glass and 400 bottles.
Taste a variety with Hostile Grape's dispensing system and pre-paid cards.
The 32 Degree Draft Bar boasts nearly 100 beers on tap,
from classic lagers to unique ales and stouts.
A resort room offers a view of Las Vegas Strip casinos.
The bathroom of a standard room is spacious and open with a bathtub and double vanity.
A master bedroom is shown in a two-story suite loft.
The two-story Loft Suite includes a wide open living room as well.
The suite also has its own bar.
This corner shows the view from the master bedroom.
The corner Loft Suites at the east and west of the resort offer 180-degree views like this of the mountains.
A bedroom is shown in a flat, one-story suite on the east end.
The bathroom in a two-story suite loft offers a spacious double vanity with vessel sinks.
A flat (one-story) suite still boasts floor-to-ceiling views and an ample living room.
The living room and bar are surrounded by Vegas views.
The flat (one-story) suite bathroom hosts a freestanding tub with more scenic views.
The room also includes a workspace with a view.
The resort prides itself on its award-winning architecture and use of natural light.
Lori Dillion, a banquet server, sets up a table the LUX Wedding & Special Event Suites.
Terrell Evans, a banquet server, prepares for the special event as well.
LUX offers floor-to-ceiling views for events.
The patio of the LUX overlooks the property's pools and surrounding desert.
On the other side of the patio, guests can view the Strip and the mountains.
Guests head to the lobby to check out at The M Resort.