There is one word in Las Vegas nightlife, literally! The last few years an erotic force of one word ultra lounges have taken over Sin City with pounding music, dark corners with oversized couches and long lines vying to pass entrance across a velvet rope. Places like Lure, Pure, Ice, Jet, Tao, Light, Krave, Mix and Tryst are single syllable magnets for the movers, shakers, beautiful people and celebrities with their “Crews” who flock to where skin is flaunted, liquor flows and we little people fight for a glance at the rich and famous. A whole raft of VIP rooms, private booths and sky bars at many of the nightclubs command hundreds of dollars for access.

Many of these places actually pay famous party animals fees to come and be seen, and notorious naughty girls Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson reportedly get up to $10,000 for rounding at some top clubs.

Here are four places that are ultra hot – ultra cool – and ultra everything else you could want in the one word of a Las Vegas ultra bar.

Pure
Ceasar’s Palace, 702-73107837
This insanely popular ultra club was actually launched by a group of Hollywood personalities. It receives a steady stream of celebrities who draw locals and tourists in vast numbers. Inside is a 14,000 square foot Terrace that you can only reach through a shoulder squirming, bottlenecked staircase, but which offers a magnificent view of the strip.

One of the hot new nightclubs, the 36,000sq ft (1,215sq m) nightclub offers three distinct areas over two stories. The cream, white and silver decor of the main room contrasts sharply with the VIP-only Red Room with its plush fabrics, chandeliers and upholstered walls. A glass lift will then take you up to the terrace with its dance floor, private cabanas and tables that offer spectacular views of the Strip. Open Fri–Sun 10pm–4am.

Skin
Skin Pool Lounge, The Palms, 702-942 7777
by day a luxurious outdoor lounge with two pools, a lavender-shaded swimming pool and the Mermaid Cove – an elevated pool with portholes where mermaids swim after dark – plus private cabanas and fibre-optically lit water salons, four bars, billiard tables, outdoor swings, poolside blackjack, trampolines, massages and other spa services.

Come night-time in the summer, the lounge is transformed into one of the most spectacular outdoor nightclubs and concert venues in Vegas. It has a concert stage, two dance floors, including Plexiglass dance platforms where aqua go-go girls emerge from the depths of the lavender pool. An elevated pool-top dance floor allows you literally to dance on water. Atmosphere is added with amazing lighting and fog effects.

Along with the rest of The Palms’ venues, this has become a fast hit with locals and visitors alike – a true haven of voyeurism for adults. And if you’re hungry, poolside dining is provided by Nine Steakhouse and includes specialties such as sashimi and ceviche.

During the day, Skin is only open to hotel residents, but in the evening it is open to the public. Cover charges vary depending on the entertainment, while the beach party element is only on during the summer.

Tao
The Venetian, 702-492 3960
Tao is not only a top restaurant but it also hosts what has become the hottest and sexiest ultra lounge in Vegas. It is an odd mix of Oriental spirituality – with sensitive rock gardens, candles and waterfalls, with New York Modernism in the clean lines and colors. Just see the modernistic bar surrounded by hundreds of tiny Buddha statues and you will understand. It is also a hands down favorite with celebrities and home to some of the most raucous parties in Sin City. Open Thu-Sun, 10.30pm-5.30am.

V Bar
The Venetian, 702-414 3200
One of the coolest nightclubs in town, it is based on both the trend-setting supper club Lotus in New York and Los Angeles’s swanky Sunset Room. An upscale lounge, it has opaque glass walls, double-sided leather chaises-lounges and subdued lighting. The focal point is a custom-designed oversized bed made of pearlised silver leather and hollowed in the centre to allow space for a table holding a selection of exotic cocktails. Top DJs spin wide range of heart pumping tunes. Open daily 6pm–4am.