Quick Overview of All Atlantic City Hotels and Atlantic City Casino Hotels

What the marketing folks say: “The Jewel of Atlantic City.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “An elegant casino-hotel with fine restaurants and one of the best slot clubs in Atlantic City.”
 

Bally's Atlantic City. Park Place and the Boardwalk. As any Monopoly player knows, Park Place is prime real estate. The casino hotel sits on an 8.5-acre beachfront property that includes the historic 19th-century Dennis Hotel, in addition to a complex of new facilities. Bally's added its new Wild West Casino in 1997. The themed casino was built to resemble a western frontier town, complete with a mountain, waterfalls, animated prospectors and a running water stream flowing throughout the property. Bally's offers another 80,000 square feet of casino space, shops, a spa, convention facilities and nine restaurants.
 

What the marketing folks say: “New Jersey’s largest four-star resort.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “You get to see a wonderful Atlantic City with spectacular ocean and city views from just about every room but you also get a taste of Las Vegas with the always-rocking Wild Wild West Casino.”
 

Caesars. Arkansas Ave. at Boardwalk. It's big, it's gaudy, it's a tribute to excess — it's ancient Rome. From the faux night sky with over 12,000 points of light to the 120,231-square-foot casino, Caesars thinks on a global scale. Because it has few low-limit tables, Caesars is generally seen as a haven for high-rollers. But extensive slot areas offer low-budget options. Aside from it’s fabulous facilities and entertainment options, Caesars has a big Planet Hollywood branch and is located only one block from the Ocean One Mall.
 

What the marketing folks say: “Rome on the Jersey Shore.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “You’ll see some of the biggest money being bet at this pleasure palace as modern-day economic emperors try their luck at the tables, but the slot-club players are getting a great deal here as well.”
 

Claridge. Indiana Avenue at Brighton Park. The Claridge shares prime real estate with Bally’s at Boardwalk and Park Place. The hotels was one of the grand dames of the Atlantic City skyline in the 1930s and remains mostly unchanged on the exterior today. Inside, a small casino offers a full range of slot machines and tables games. The Claridge offers a health spa, a pool, shopping and an intimate theater for headliner entertainment. The casino prides itself on its friendly service and low-key atmosphere.
 

What the marketing folks say: “Smaller is friendlier.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “You don’t have to be a high roller to be treated like a high roller as the Claridge caters to folks with average bankrolls.”
 

Harrah's. 777 Harrah's Blvd. at Brigantine Bay. Situated on 22 acres on the bay side of town, a roof-deck fitness center, 1,174 guest rooms, seven restaurants, shops, and a Broadway-style theater. Some of the other features include a miniature golf course (in-season), a high-limit slot area with vibrating chairs, and a underwater-themed breakfast and dinner buffet, the FantaSea Reef. The casino markets to mid-level players and is generally solid in all areas of service.
 

What the marketing folks say: “Oh Yeah!”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “Harrah’s is another world, a beautiful world that exists in another time and place, and its casino marches to the beat of a different drummer in its gaming philosophy and player-friendly marketing strategies.”
 

Resorts. North Carolina Avenue at Boardwalk. Resorts was first through the gate when legalized gambling came to Atlantic City in 1978. The company bought one of Atlantic City's grand old seaside hotels for $6 million, converted it to a casino and made its money back in its first three weeks of operation. Atlantic City's first casino recently completed a $50 million renovation that added a new style, new games and new entertainment.
 

What the marketing folks say: “Everything's waiting for you.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “A finely-tuned and venerable casino-hotel that offers a great mix of machines and table games, in addition to having some of the best restaurants at the shore.”
 

Sands. Indiana Avenue at Brighton Park. Another casino at the heart of the Boardwalk strip, the Sands provides easy access from the Atlantic City Expressway. It features a range of gambling options to fit players of all levels. The hotel includes a salon and spa and 535 rooms and suites. The Epic Buffet features an affordable option for gluttony and is generally considered one of the best in the city.
 

What the marketing folks say: “We define cool.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “The name says it all as it conjures visions of Frankie, Dean and Sammy playing craps and blackjack; if you just look hard enough, you’ll see them.”
 

Showboat. 801 Boardwalk at Delaware Avenue. Mardi Gras is the year-round theme at this northernmost Boardwalk property. The casino has no headliner entertainment but just strolling through the casino is a delight to the senses as Dixieland bands and other performers entertain around the clock. The Mardi Gras Cats, a seven-piece band of computerized musicians, is part of the show. Gaming is dominated by slots, but the casino floor includes a good mix of table games. Showboat features a health spa, international salon and eight restaurants.
 

What the marketing folks say: “Mardi Gras in Atlantic City.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “Every day is a party in this place, every night, too. From check-in to checkout, the good times roll with musicians and performers keeping the atmosphere lively outside the casino, and the friendly dealers keeping it light in it.”
 

Tropicana Casino and Resort. Iowa Avenue and Boardwalk. New Jersey's largest hotel, Atlantic City Tropicana boasts1,624 luxury rooms and suites, plus a health club, luxury slot-playing in the Crystal Room and a new, Broadway-style theater. Three gourmet restaurants are complemented by five more casual dining options, including the Beachfront Buffet and Hooters, a branch of the popular national chain. One of the best entertainment deals in town is at Top of the Trop, the 20th-floor lounge where jazz artist Michael Pedecin plays several nights a week. The Trop is known as a good place for mid-level gaming and includes a nice poker room.
 

What the marketing folks say: “The best of everything.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “Good slots and video poker returns with a good slot club and a good mix of table games make this one of the best bets in AC.”
 

Trump Marina. Huron Avenue and Brigantine Blvd. The casino formerly known as Trump’s Castle is now marketing itself to a younger crowd. Sultry Trump girls du jour beckon from billboards from Philly to the sea, asking travelers to “Play the Wild Side.” The casino has brought some of the hottest names in rock to its showrooms, and the property includes dance and waterfront clubs that add another dimension to the casino experience. High-rollers like the V.I.P. service and the sometimes lofty table limits. The property shares the marina district with Harrahs.
 

What the marketing folks say: “Play on the wild side.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “By the bay, by the bay, by the beautiful bay with some of the most spectacular skyline views of the shore hotel-casinos from the great restaurants and rooms.”
 

Trump Plaza. Mississippi Avenue at the Boardwalk. If the Trump Taj Mahal is a spectacle of gaudiness and extravagance, the Plaza is its sensible twin sister. Adjacent to the historic Boardwalk Convention Hall, the Plaza is simple and elegant. Tables limits tend toward the higher end but the casino does offer a mix of lower-limit options. The Trump Plaza has some rooms with whirlpools, a swimming pool, and great dining options.
 

What the marketing folks say: “Where the Expressway ends ... the fun begins.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “The New York aura in an A.C. hotel-casino atmosphere makes this a perfect centerpiece for the Boardwalk.”
 

Trump Taj Mahal. 1000 Boardwalk. Mix P.T. Barnum, Donald Trump and the century-old Atlantic City tradition of anything-goes and what do you get? The Taj. The multi-billion dollar casino strives to be bigger and better in all arenas. The Taj has a full array of headliner and lounge entertainment but roving performers make sure everyone on the property is part of the show. The All Star Café and the Hard Rock Café are part of the casino’s dining options. The Taj Mahal is not hard to find. It looks like ... the Taj Mahal
 

What the marketing folks say: “Experience the fantasy.”
What gambling columnist Frank Scoblete says: “Big bettors, big limits, big hotel, big restaurants and a big casino with a big selection of games and machines makes this a big must-see if you’re a first-time visitor to the Queen of Resorts.”

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