Resorts Casino Hotel in Atlantic City, N.J. overlooks the stunning Atlantic Ocean and sits just steps away from the famous boardwalk, beach, restaurants, amusement park, and nightlife.
Atlantic City is More Than Gambling
If you’re like me, the mention of Atlantic City triggers one word, “casino.” So, when I was invited to my cousin’s 40th birthday party in Atlantic City, my first thought was “I’ll pass.” But when speaking with other invited guests, the location of Atlantic City was not selected for gambling. It was selected to accommodate some of the older guests that could easily take a bus from New York. To explain the location, Atlantic City is an approximate two hour drive from New York City, a 60 minute drive from Philadelphia, and nearly an hour from Cape May, New Jersey.
I said “YES” to the birthday celebration invite when I noticed the fun events that were planned for the weekend. We were even going to see “Rod Stewart” at the Hard Rock Etess Arena, and I immediately began packing for a fun-filled mini family reunion in Atlantic City.
I Read Mixed Reviews About the Hotel
I’ll be blunt. I was not excited about the Resorts Casino Hotel when I read hotel reviews. (Hard Rock Hotel where the concert was being held was sold out.) Past guests were complaining about casino smoke being an issue in guest rooms. I didn’t want to be the “spoil sport” of the group and decline the trip after I RSVP’d yes. Well, I caught a huge break. Unbeknownst to me, my cousin that I was rooming with, called the hotel and explained how with her health conditions, she could not have a room that smelled like smoke. Not only were we given a special “non-smoking” room, but we were blessed with a beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean.
Hotel Theme and Perks
I’ve always been fascinated with the “roaring twenties” so one step into the hotel’s lobby and I was hooked. The art deco theme and the showy marble accents may be over extravagant for younger visitors, but the mature guests in our party loved it.
As for hotel perks, there was an onsite spa and fitness center plus an impressive looking indoor/outdoor pool with retractable roof for all seasons. I cannot comment much more because we did not use those areas. The hotel features a 1350-seat Superstar Theater and 300-seat Screening Room Theater offering a wide range of entertainment. I’d say the best hotel perk was the easy access to the boardwalk and beachfront.
Two Sky High Hotel Towers and Massive Casino
Resorts Casino Hotel features 942 guest rooms and suites in the Ocean Tower and the Rendezvous Tower. Built in 1927 and originally named “Hadden Hall,” the 260-foot Ocean Tower is nearing its 100th year. The Ocean Tower connects directly to the casino floor, spa, pool, restaurants, and the Boardwalk. Rendezvous was built in 2004 and offers both traditional guest rooms and suites.
As a frequent guest on Royal Caribbean cruises, I’m used to very small casinos. The casino at the Resorts is HUGE! We’re talking 80,000 square feet of gaming space. In fact, Resorts Casino was Atlantic City’s first casino outside of Nevada. Was it smoky? YES! But was it a hopping place for gamblers? YES! Between the slot machines ringing loudly and the 25 Hours Casino Lounge featuring nightly entertainment, it was pretty noisy but seemed like a fun atmosphere for players.
Boardwalk Location is a “Winner”
While I love cruising on the Atlantic Ocean, it was such a treat to stay in a hotel that was just steps from the beach. Imagine that wherever you stand in the area, you see water and hear the crashing waves. While it was quite windy, we lucked out with a 67 degree day.
I should mention that the Resorts Casino Hotel sits on 21 acres on the famous Atlantic City Boardwalk and beach, specifically the north side of the four-mile boardwalk, near the Steel Pier amusement park.
Atlantic City offers many hotels within walking distance from the Resorts Casino Hotel such as Bally’s, Caesar’s Palace, Trump Taj Mahal, Trump Plaza, and Tropicana. Part of our sightseeing and activities involved strolling to nearby hotels to look around, eat, and shop.
Now For the Hotel Room
I’ll start out by saying that the hotel is not new and it may be described as a bit outdated. But, with the fancy 1920s lobby vibe, I thought it was a decent place to stay at an affordable rate. We had a Premier Queen Room in the Rendezvous tower. I was pleased that it did not smell like smoke as anticipated. The Rendezvous Tower is 20+ years old, but newer than the Ocean Tower. From what we heard, the room we had was larger than those in the Ocean Tower.
The room offered standard features: free WI-FI, television, mini fridge and coffee maker. We had a nice seating area to relax with a cup of tea. The bathroom was nicely designed with marble, double sinks, make-up area, and a walk-in shower. The best part? Of course, the panoramic ocean view.
Decent Buffet at the Hotel
The hotel has a variety of dining options. The buffet at Resorts was standard, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Select from Gallagher’s Steak House for a fancy dinner or Gallagher’s Burger Bar for a casual, relaxed dining experience. The Landshark Bar & Grill is a year-round beachside restaurant and bar. Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Café is always a fun place to eat. Capriccio Italian restaurant features beautiful wall-painted murals and ocean views. Breadsticks Café serves delicious soups, salads, and sandwiches. Boardwalk Perks coffee shop had delicious pastries and may fancy teas and coffee.
Fun Things We Did in Atlantic City
There are tons of things to do in Atlantic City while at Resorts Casino Hotel. One of our highlights in Atlantic City was seeing Rod Stewart perform at the Hard Rock hotel. And of course, the fact that this hotel is located on the famous beach and boardwalk area, we enjoyed just relaxing on the sand and putting our toes in the freezing ocean water. It was not bathing suit weather yet but the sunshine beaming down felt heavenly.
We walked down to the Steel Pier area, where the pier extends 1,000 feet over the Atlantic Ocean, making the amusement park even cooler of an attraction. We didn’t plan to do any thrill rides and it was quite crowded, but it was still fun to see it in person.
To get a break from the people-filled Boardwalk, we took an Uber to the Atlantic City Absecon Lighthouse and walked up the 228 agonizing steps. It’s one of the oldest lighthouses in the country, but recently went through a multi-million dollar restoration. I love beautiful views and the views of Atlantic City from the lighthouse are very special. The Keeper’s House Museum at the Absecon Lighthouse, exhibits, and grounds are all free. The gift shop was nice as well, but definitely not free as we did a bit of souvenir shopping.
We also spent a long afternoon at the Historic Gardner’s Basin, a park located on a protected channel along the bay, across from the Coast Guard station and state marina. We shopped at Crafters Village (lots of handmade items) and ate lunch, and then hopped aboard a boat for some sightseeing on the water where we spotted a few dolphins in the distance. Well, they could have been birds not dolphins but we didn’t have binoculars.
Key Takeaways: Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Located right on the boardwalk, steps from beach
- Easy access to city attractions
- 1920s-themed 80,000 square-foot casino
- Indoor/outdoor pool with retractable roof
- Restaurants, lounges, and live entertainment
Cons:
- Outdated décor
- Smells of smoke in public areas and guest room hallways
- Each room is subject to a resort fee, a hotel occupancy fee, a state tourism fee and a casino Hotel Room Occupancy Surcharge per night.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Resorts Casino Hotel located on the Atlantic City Boardwalk?
Yes. Resorts Casino Hotel sits directly on the Atlantic City Boardwalk, offering easy access to beaches, shops, dining, and entertainment.
- I’m working during my visit, does the hotel have a Business Center?
Yes, the hotel offers a Business Center with Internet and printing services.
- Is there parking at the Resorts Casino Hotel?
Yes, you can select valet or self-parking for a per visit fee (rather than daily fee).
Author Bio: Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Wright now calls Deland, Florida her home. An avid traveler, she has journeyed by air, land, and sea, to many cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean to exciting destinations like California, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Diego, Myrtle Beach, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and more.
This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered travel or consumer advice. Inn amenities, prices, policies, and availability may change. Readers should verify all details independently and use their own judgment when planning travel.