This is the second part of Rick's tour of new nightclubs. Click here for part one.

Tabu at the MGM Grand

I moseyed on over to the MGM Grand for a peek at Tabu, the ultra-lounge concept that leapt on the bandwagon of Ghostbar (the similar and successful club at the Palms) and rode it for all it was worth.

The fact that Tabu still packs people in a year after its opening speaks volumes, especially in this segment of the market, where the cool crowds often move on to the newest thing quickly, leaving some clubs packed for a few months and then empty after that. While other clubs shoot themselves in the feet by trying too hard, Tabu has succeeded by taking the minimalist approach, keeping things simple and focusing on the fun.

The space is smallish, certainly nowhere near as big as Studio 54, the other hot club in the MGM Grand. The design is spare, with dark walls and fixtures fading into the background so you can focus your attention on the few colorful features in the place: a multi-colored glass-tube wall behind the bar and the spotlighted seating areas at the center of the club. The latter is where you'll find most people dancing up on the low tables or in the aisles since, as with most of these "ultra-lounges," there is no formal dance floor.

Those tables draw a lot of attention, owing to the constantly changing patterns projected onto them or through them. A couple actually respond to touch.

The DJ behind the megawatt sound system was spinning a good mix of danceable hip-hop and funky pop on the evening I attended, keeping the party vibe going and the customers entertained. My limited interaction with the rest of the staff was mostly positive -- they seem a touch less intimidating here than at similar clubs around town. I guess that's because their servers are referred to as "models," with one night dedicated of them wearing the latest fashions in a showing of haute couture.

As usual, the crowd was young. At 38, I was easily the oldest person in the room by a solid 10 years, although it was dark and botox does amazing things, so there may have been more of us oldsters lurking in the corners.

Also as usual, the cover and drink prices verge on the heartbreaking, although certainly not any more expensive than any other club in this town. The entry price varies, but on weekends if you can do the admission plus three drinks for less than $50, you've done something wrong.

Of all the ultra-lounges in this town (and there are a lot), Tabu is by far my favorite.

Pure at Caesars Palace

If I'm going out, I prefer the more traditional nightclub -- pounding house music and a big dance floor. You aren't going to find louder and bigger in Las Vegas than at Pure at Caesars Palace.

Taking up the bulk of the space formerly occupied by the Caesars Magical Empire, Pure is a multilevel giant of a club, adding up to more than 36,000 square feet -- the largest club in Las Vegas.

The decor is simple and effective -- 99.44 percent of it is white (wall treatments, seating, light fixtures, etc.). It sounds stark -- and it is -- but the effective use of negative spaces makes the design pop in a way that renders it less chilly than it should be. Besides, this is not a sit around and sway kind of place; this is a get up and move kind of joint so a warm, inviting, lounge is not what they were going for in the first place.

The main club features a huge dance floor (packed to the brim with party people the night I attended), several bars, lots of VIP and/or bottle-service-only seating areas, and plenty of space to stand around and watch everyone being watched. The vibe was definitely more upbeat than what you'll find at the ultra-lounge concepts, a little less drunk-and-sleazy and a little more drunk-and-celebratory.

Upstairs from the main club is a big patio overlooking the Strip, complete with its own DJ, bars, seating areas and private cabanas. To call it a patio doesn't do it justice -- this is more of a rooftop converted to a nightclub, bigger by itself than many of the other clubs in town. The view is great fun, so you should definitely check it out.

A third portion of the club is opening soon. The famous (or infamous, depending on your point of view) Pussycat Dolls are bringing their brand of burlesque to their own showroom at Pure beginning in February 2005.

The lines to get in the place were long, the prices were high and the clientele was an interesting mixture between young party people and slightly older party people. I don't think I was the oldest person in the place, but I didn't feel exactly comfortable, either. Pure is not the kind of club you want to go to by yourself. Take a group of friends and dance the night away.

Krave at the Aladdin

Krave is a great concept, executed well -- in an absolutely terrible location.

As the Strip's only "alternative" club, Krave was initially marketed toward the gay and lesbian crowd, which made sense, owing to its pedigree from Sia Amiri, the former owner of Los Angeles' biggest gay club, Rage, and circuit party impresario Jeffrey Sanker. I know those names mean nothing to most of you, but they mean a lot in the gay club scene.

But the realities of competition in the Vegas club scene have resulted in a slight shift of focus, with that "alternative" moniker being thrown around more liberally and words like "omni-sexual" sprinkled in for good measure. What that means is that, while the place definitely has a gay-club vibe, the clientele is not exclusively of that persuasion.

The space is a definite stunner, with high ceilings, plush booths and lots of seating areas surrounding a big dance floor, a nicely designed and accessible bar, and plenty of dramatic pink and purple lighting effects spotlighting the vaguely gothic decor. If you are gay, lesbian, or open-minded about the whole thing, this would be a great place to party.

Notice the word "would" in that previous sentence.

Krave's biggest problem is its location. Tacked onto the outside of the Aladdin on Harmon Avenue in a building that has already housed two failed nightclubs (The Blue Note and Ibiza), there is no direct access from just about anywhere. It's only half a block from the Strip, but it's hard to notice and there is no entrance from the Desert Passage mall or the Aladdin itself. The only way in is from the street.

There is valet parking at the door, but self parking requires quite a hike from the Aladdin parking garage, all the way through the deserted Desert Passage, outside to the street and up half a block to the entrance. Not exactly what you'd call high profile.

Whether that was the cause of the sparse crowd on the Friday night I visited is probably up for debate, but I couldn't see any other reason for it other than perhaps the Strip is just not ready for this kind of club. Or perhaps I just hit it on an off night.

Body English at the Hard Rock

My final club in the crawl was Body English at the Hard Rock, a place that defines the phrase "trendy Vegas nightclub" with all of its good and bad connotations.

The space, located down a flight of stairs (or elevator) in the room formerly occupied by trendy Vegas nightclub predecessor Baby's, Body English is a riot of energetic design and layout, with crystal chandeliers, rich fabrics and woods, mirrors on the walls, and luxe furnishings adding up to a distinctly gothic feel. It's the club Cher and Ann Rice dream about.

The layout is great, with a balcony overlooking the main dance floor and bar areas, and intimate seating and VIP booths/rooms everywhere you turn. The energy was definitely infectious, with great club music and a lively crowd adding up to a fun party environment.

Of course, there are downsides to this kind of hip success. The line to get in bordered on ludicrous in length and wait time, so if you're not important enough to get on the VIP list, be prepared to make friends with strangers standing with you. Even though the club is not on the Strip, it definitely had those kind of prices, with a $20 cover fairly standard and drink prices in the $8 and up (way up) range.

Plus, it is absolutely the kind of place where you better be dressed to impress -- and it can't hurt if you're young, thin and gorgeous. Anyone else is going to feel out of place, unless you've got enough money to throw around that no one will care.

After Body English I went back to my room and collapsed from the sheer enormity of visiting that many nightclubs in that short a time. The things I do for you people.

The Full Story

World Series Of Poker Changes Hands
Behind The Scenes At Fountains Of Bellagio
More Nightclubs Offer Ultra-Luxury, $20 Covers
Vegas Q&A: Are Jackpots Paid In A Lump Sum?

In Next Week's Column

Next week: The latest from Las Vegas.

Plus, don't forget to send your questions about Las Vegas. I've got room for more, so send them in today!

Click here to go to the main page of Vegas4Visitors.com and see all of the fantastic resources Vegas4Visitors has to offer you when planning your next trip to Las Vegas.