Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Pool Review – Everything you need to know about Planet Hollywoods Pool

One of the main attractions at any of Las Vegas’s hotels is the Pool. A good pool deck can make a trip but a bad one can really sour your experience. A quick look at Planet Hollywood Las Vegas promotional material will lead you to believe the Scene Pool Deck is a Flash, Glitzy pool deck filled with wild party action and Fantastic Vegas Views. The reality is a little less glamorous.

We take a close look at the Scene Pool Deck in our Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Pool Review so you can see if the Pool at this hotel is any good or if you should consider a different hotel if the pool is very important to you. Spoiler Alert – we are not big fans of the deck and if Pool time is one of the deciding factors in your hotel choice the next 5-10 mins read could save you from a big mistake!

Planet Hollywoods Las Vegas Pool

Location – Planet Hollywood Las Vegas
Pools – 2 – Plus FlowRider
Bars and Restaurants – 2 – Snack bar and Pool bar.
Theme – Hollywood Glamour Scene
Drink Prices – Cocktails – $17-16oz/$29-32oz – Beers $10 – Mix and Match 5 for $42

Touted as one of the Hottest pools in Las Vegas the Scene Pool Deck on the face of it seems pretty wild. However, we find it one of the most disappointing decks in all of Las Vegas at least as far as the more upmarket hotels go.

Styled as a rooftop in Hollywood retreat the reality is little more than two square pools surrounded by concrete…with the odd palm tree thrown in. While the deck is rooftop forget the idea of any sweeping Las Vegas Views, the best you get is a glimpse of the taller surrounding structures behind some large grey fences. The pools themselves could hardly be any more square, and we always find, despite the loud music, the whole place really lacks the ambiance we expect from a Vegas pool. We have also found this reflected in the service too, which can be best described as…bored.

Honestly, we don’t like writing bad reviews, we see the world through some pretty rosy glasses, and while we will try and make the best of the pool, compared to some of our favorite Vegas Pool decks the Scene comes up a long way short. But you should consider the Hotel as the whole package, and the pool is just one component of an otherwise really great Las Vegas Hotel.

And remember this is a poor Las Vegas Pool, but it’s still a Las Vegas Pool and even ones as bad as this are still pretty awesome, it has all the components of a good time… Sun, Tans, Drinks, and Pools to cool off in.

Planet Hollywoods Pool Layout

The Deck is large and as you head out of the Hotel there is a large expanse of featureless concrete. The odd palm tree adds a touch of Hollywood and the odd piece of fake grass a splash of green, but the feel is more Soviet than Hollywood. The large lower deck is where the majority of the free loungers are found along with a selection of Day beds.

Here you will find most of the amenities, the main bar and restaurant, towel station, and the concierge. What you won’t find is a pool!

The Pools are located on two raised decks on either side of the main floor. These are surrounded by day beds and Cabanas (there are a small number of free loungers by the south pool). The Pools are rectangular and very bland and quite boring. There are additional hot tubs at both pools.

The North Pool is Family based whereas the South Pool is 21+ and has its own bar and tends to be louder. But other than that, they both share the same layout and lack of inspiration.

The Sundeck is a huge sun trap and gets blasted by the Vegas sun for most of the day. However, the building has a curious property and seems to create a wind tunnel effect on the pool deck, on even moderately windy days the shape of the towers seems to amplify the wind until it’s blowing a gale on the pool. A dangerous phenomenon in the harsh desert sun as it can feel quite cool!

There is really very little else to say about the layout really, it’s a large but quite uninspired space. They really could have done so much more. But if all you want is the sun, a comfortable lounger, a pool to cool off in, and maybe a few drinks, the Deck does have everything you require. In all honesty, we have had much worse at hotels outside of Vegas and never said a word, but the pool competition in Vegas is SO high the PH just feels a letdown.

Cabanas and Day Beds

Day Rates for Cabanas – $100 – $300
Day Rates for Day Beds – $50 – $200

Things start improving when we begin looking at Cabanas and Day beds. The lack of glamor at the pool means the deck is really not all that popular and Cabana Prices are some of the lowest in Vegas. They are also well-equipped and pretty luxurious.

You have the choice of the family pool (north) or the 21+ pool (south). We prefer the family pool mainly as it’s just a bit quieter, the south pool is more of a party pool, with loud music playing for most of the day. The music is loud enough that you can hear it all the way over at the north pool, but it’s not as in your face. We treat Cabana Days as relaxing days, but some just want them as a party retreat, so the south pool works better. However, despite the loud music there is rarely a real party feel on this deck!

The South pool has its own bar, but if you rent a Cabana then you get host anyway so there is no need to do anything as common as head to the bar! And while the north pool doesn’t have its own bar, you can always use the center bar which is less than a 20m walk! But again, you will get a host.

The Cabanas themselves are fairly well-equipped. You get free water and an extensive fruit platter on entry. There is a large Flatscreen TV. Seating for up to six guests, lockable storage units and assigned outdoor poolside seating, and a large supply of towels. and of course a personal VIP Host. They are not the most glamorous cabanas on the strip but for the price, they are pretty good.

Daybeds are meant for up to 4 people but you would need to be pretty friendly with the 3 other guests for it not to be awkward. They are really for couples and families of super close friends. All you get with the bed is VIP host service and bottled water.

The beds are located either poolside at either pool or down on the main deck. Naturally, Poolside beds are more desirable and hence more expensive. We really can’t justify paying to sit down on the bland concrete main deck, and Cabanas are not that much more expensive and a much better option.

Flowrider

The Scene has the only Surf simulator anywhere on the Strip and this adds a little interest and intrigue to the deck. It is mainly a gimmick but it’s a fun experience and does liven up an otherwise dull pool deck.

Prices are $25 for 30 mins which is remarkably good value for an attraction like this in Las Vegas. Surfing the artificial wave is tricky and only accomplished surfers tend to have any luck, however, they offer boogie boards that are much easier and most people can have a great time riding the waves on their fronts.

The Flowrider is probably not the saving grace of the deck, it adds a little intrigue and is worth checking out f you are there but it does not detract from the deck’s shortfalls.

Bar and Restaurants

There are two bars on the pool deck and no real restaurants as such. However, they both offer basic bar snack foods such as Salads, Sandwiches, Flatbreads and of course, Chicken Tenders. It’s all pretty basic stuff but can keep you going if you can’t pry yourself away from the pool.

Drink Prices

Drink prices are on the high side. $10 for a beer is expensive even by Las Vegas pool Standards, but the 5 for $42 mix and Match is more reasonable. This includes any packaged wines or the Hard Selzers, which makes drinks $8.40 each which is still high but all Vegas pool dinks are eyewatering.

Cocktails come in two types Speciality and Frozen. The Speciality cocktails have a wide range and are better than average poolside cocktails, they come in 16oz cups and are mainly liquid and pretty strong.

The Frozen cocktails are the familiar slushy types, served from big icy machines they are flavored and very sweet. Very cooling on a hot day and not overly powerful. These are served either in 16oz ($17) cups or 32 oz jumbo souvenir cups ($29), you can even get a 48oz pitcher for $46 to share with friends!

Overall

Really there is very little to like about the Planet Hollywood pool deck when you compare it directly to other Hotel Pools in Las Vegas. However, all the individual components are in place to make for a relaxing time. Beer, Sun, and Surf!

So while the pool is terribly disappointing it all depends on what you are really looking for in a Vegas Hotel, for many the pool is a side attraction, somewhere to head for a bit of downtime and relaxation, The Scene pool deck fits that bill perfectly.

Others are looking for that really exceptional top-notch pool experience and for this, the Scene comes up well short. You will not be heading home telling your family and friends what a great time you had at this pool.

Any pool in Vegas is a good thing, and the Scene only falls down due to the exceptional competition so we would not discount Planet Hollywood completely just because the pool is poor, but if you are really looking for that Wow-Factor pool then you really can do a whole lot better than the Scene at the Planet Hollywood.

We tend to have split trips, and for that the PH is great, we chose a hotel with one of our favorite pools for part of the trip and crammed most pool time into that, then move to Planet Hollywood to be central on the Strip for the rest of the trip, or some other similar combination!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can only Planet Hollywood Guests use the pool?

Yes, like all pools in Vegas, the Pool decks are for the sole use of the Hotel Guests. The one exception can be if you are renting a Cabana or a Daybed. But why you would come here when we are sure your own hotel has a much better pool we are not sure!

Can you bring in outside food and drink?

No, outside food and beverages are strictly prohibited and bags are often checked on entry. That said they will not stop you from bringing snacks and a single drink in with you, on the condition it is non-alcoholic.

Most Hotels also allow you to bring food and drink, into the pool area, that has been purchased inside the hotel. This can be a little confusing at Planet Hollywood as there are so many food options that are not strictly owned by the hotel but are in the same building. We would only advise trying it from food outlets listed on the Planet Hollywood Home Page!

Have Your Say

Have you been to the Planet Hollywood Pool Deck? What did you think, are we overly harsh and critical or do you actually think we are being kind? What kind of experience did you have? How do you feel it compares to other Pool Decks in Las Vegas? Just let us know in the comments and if you have any questions at all just fire away.