I landed in Las Vegas after catching the red-eye flight for a long weekend with some of my friends. I left home in the middle of the night, already feeling tired from being up with my three year old daughter for the past three nights due to a fever. I felt some remorse about leaving her with her dad to go to Sin City, but I knew she was in good hands. I arrived in Vegas feeling pretty tired and didn’t know how I was going to survive in the city that never sleeps.

The last time I had visited Las Vegas was about fifteen years ago, while road tripping with some of my girlfriends through the Utah and Arizona canyons. Vegas, at the time was on the verge of a makeover, with new casinos popping up and old one being torn down. This recent trip revealed the evolution of a city that has become so popular for everyone, including moms looking for a different type of vacation. But can one really relax in Las Vegas amongst the constant casino noise and the endless partying opportunities? I was about to find out.

None of the women in our group were interested in gambling. We opted to stay at THEhotel, which is part of Mandalay Bay, because it offered a spacious suites for our group of 15 women. THEhotel is a boutique hotel that offers luxury and comfort for your mom vacation. The one bedroom suites are modern, equipped with 42″ plasma TVs and wet bars. We had reserved the H suite, a 1674 sq ft suite with a large sitting area for socializing. Other ammenities include a 14,000 sq ft spa, the Bathhouse. The Bathhouse is a unique spa experience with multiple soaking pools and tubs.

Since THEhotel is part of the Mandalay Bay complex, we had access to the Mandalay Bay facilities, including the famous Mandalay Bay Beach, where we spent most of our days. This water complex offer a wave pool, a lazy river and lots of real white sand. For the ultimate pool experience, we reserved two adjacent beach bungalows equipped with a wet bar and lounging couches. We no longer felt like moms, but more like rock stars! After spending our first day in Vegas lounging by the pool, my energy was starting to be replenished. Since we were all tired from being moms, our first night was spent in our suite. We ordered room service, watched movies and talked. We didn’t feel the need to go out and experience the Vegas nightlife yet.

Our second day was spent at the Bathhouse spa, enjoying a few spa treatments. I decided to opt for a soaking bath, the AROMAPOTHECARY SCENTUAL BATHING. This 25 minute bathing session is a true aromatherapy bathing experience that left my skin silky soft! After a day at the spa, we all felt rejuvenated and were ready to hit Vegas hard for some dinner and nightlife. We opted to eat off the strip at a Thai restaurant recommended by one of the moms in our group. The Lotus of Siam is by far the best Thai food I ever had! If you like Thai food, don’t miss out on the opportunity to eat at this restaurant. We then headed back to our hotel, where we had arranged with our concierge for V.I.P. access to Mix Lounge. Going out on a Saturday in Las Vegas means long waiting lines, unless you are a group of women. You can talk to your hotel concierge about V.I.P access to your hotel clubs. The entrance fee to the club is cheaper if you’re staying at the hotel where the club is located. We spent most of our time outside on the 64th floor balcony sipping delicious drinks and watching the Strip in action on a Saturday night.

Our last day in Las Vegas was spent shopping and walking up and down the strip. We returned to the Mandalay Bay Beach late afternoon to relax one last time before leaving Las Vegas the next day. That night, some of us saw a Cirque du Soleil performance, Ka, with discounted tickets purchased through Tix4Tonight.com. Others checked out the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay, a giant 1.6 million gallon aquarium with various sharks and other aquatic predators.

After arriving in Las Vegas feeling tired and worn down, I didn’t think I would leave feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. But spending time lounging by the pool and spa at Mandalay Bay with my best girlfriends was the cure that I needed for my tiredness. And we never made it to the casino. Who said Las Vegas is only for gamblers?

Our budget for this 3 day weekend was kept under $700. Although our experience in Las Vegas seemed luxurious, the cost is divided by the number of women in your group, making it more affordable. Many Las Vegas hotels are deeply discounted right now because of the low occupancy rate.