There's nothing quite like a swanky bar to make you feel smooth. Off the Strip they don't come ritzier than the Artisan Lounge. The whole Artisan Hotel seems to spring from its own desert oasis, the ground level shrouded in lush vegetation to hide nearby Industrial Road.

Every inch of the wall—and ceiling—is covered with reproductions of famous paintings by Monet, Picasso and Da Vinci. You have to kink your neck to see them all, but it adds to the magnificent ambience of the joint. Glasses full of paint brushes sit atop the counters. The dark wood of the horseshoe bar flickers under candlelight.

In the corner, a jazz musician in a canary-colored Zoot suit performs saxophone solos, intermittently drowning out our discussions of Jackson Pollock.

The lounge, like the rest of the hotel, is a free "wi-fi hotspot," offering wireless Internet access. Food is served from 6 a.m. - 2 a.m.