It’s August, a time of intense heat waves and, for students, the last chance to bust out the bikini before the fall semester (and back-to-school depression) begins. So why not make the most of the last weeks of summer by hitting (or trying to hit) L.A.’s most exclusive poolside bar?

The historic Roosevelt Hotel is home to the newest "It" spot, the Tropicana Bar. In its original heyday in the ’20s and ’30s, the hotel epitomized classic Hollywood glamour and today is considered a national landmark. Now its own Tropicana has come to symbolize the latest in celebrity-adored hangouts.

The Tropicana, which has been around since the ’40s, has undergone a stylistic overhaul with extensive remodeling, making it the hot spot for the social elite that it is today. Promoter extraordinaire Amanda Scheer-Demme and designer Dodd Mitchell, responsible for celeb-endorsed restaurants Dolce and Chi, married the old-time Spanish-style look of the pool and bar with a modern feel. Chaise lounges, private bungalows and the requisite palm trees trim the edge of the spa and Olympic-sized pool, which showcases a mural from artist David Hockey on the bottom.

The bar is great for a laid-back afternoon of poolside lounging and swimming (you can buy lunch and drinks at the bar, too), but the glamour gets turned up at night. The Tropicana is now infamous for hosting elaborate private parties and maintaining an elite guest list.

Gossip blog Defamer.com has posted a series of articles known as "Tales from the Trop" about the exclusivity of the bar and the happenings amongst celebrity patrons. Even hotel guests have complained of being denied a highly coveted spot at the pool.

Indeed, you might find it difficult not to run into a celebrity or two, should you actually make it as far as the pool courtyard. Regulars include young stars such as Paris and Nicky Hilton (surprise!), Jessica Simpson, Rachel Bilson, Eva Mendes and Tobey Maguire. When he’s not busy touring, Maroon 5 singer Adam Levine hosts parties at the Tropicana on Tuesday nights.

It only makes sense that with such an extensive list of celebrity clientele, the Tropicana has been host to a fair number of scandals. It’s been widely reported that a friend of Lindsay Lohan took a risky leap from the balcony of her hotel room into the pool, and it’s the site of Courtney Love’s recent "probation violation" (after which she was rushed to a nearby hospital). Scheer-Demme was cuffed and escorted out by police for a less interesting noise violation, thanks to rowdy customers at the bar.

So, why not let a scandal entice you into seeing what all the fuss is about at the Tropicana? If that bouncer thinks you’re cute and lets you in the door, and Kirsten Dunst is willing to give up her throne … er, lounge chair by the pool, you could be in for a pretty sweet day under the sun.

Bar hours: 9 a.m.-2 a.m. for hotel guests, 7 p.m.-2 a.m. for non-hotel guests. For more information, call (323) 466-7000 or check out the hotel’s soon-to-be launched Web site at www.hollywoodroosevelt.com.