Piranha & 81⁄2

Done out with velvet curtains, a marble-topped bar and gigantic piranha aquariums, the $5-million Piranha dance hall and connecting 81⁄2 Lounge is gay Vegas’s most beautiful nightlife palace. Go-go boys and girls are on display in Piranha, while guests take over the stage in 81⁄2; the Skybox VIP rooms give welcome respite from the usual crowds. Cocktails can be expensive and low on booze, but it’s easy to see why this complex is a hit.