Life has come full circle for Levan Donato. Donato, who grew up in Las Vegas, began enjoying the benefits of Vegas nightlife as soon as she was old enough. “Palms was actually one of the first places I started partying,” she said. “They had this nighttime pool party called Skin, and when that was over, we would go up to Ghostbar afterwards.” And now, Donato runs the Palms Pool & Dayclub as the pool operations manager.

Donato graduated from UNLV with a degree in hospitality and business management, and her first foray into the industry was as a hostess at Rio. From there, she moved into cocktail serving, spending six years at Bellagio and 12 years at Wynn and Encore nightclubs, eventually moving up to the position of cocktail manager, before joining the Palms this past March. “I took the position because it was a step up but also because I knew that I’d be working with a dream team—the best of the best, I feel,” she said.

Donato looks forward to learning and growing with that team, she said. With her new managerial role, she also recognizes her expanded responsibilities. “To be a good manager I believe that you have to be compassionate and understanding but at the same time you have to be assertive and diligent,” she said.

“I’m always out here at the pool, in all the action, helping out with anything that needs to get done.”

Raspberry Delight

This season, the Palms Pool & Dayclub offers its guests six specialty cocktails that can be served inside a hollowed-out pineapple. A popular pick is the Raspberry Delight, a mix of Belvedere vodka, Chambord black raspberry liqueur, raspberry purée, pineapple juice and Sprite. The pool’s popular weekend Ditch parties are back this season, with special guest performances and DJs slated throughout the summer. This week, catch DJs Vibratto and J Nice on July 28 and Exodus and Konflikt on July 29.