Time Out New York
July 20, 2008

GABRIELLA GERSHENSON

To sentimental Americans, Atlantic City is synonymous with the dinner-jacket-and-cigarettes glamour particular to the 1940s. In reality, it’s a struggling resort town that long ago fell from its heyday perch. So why would anyone who doesn’t have a craps addiction choose to visit? After a desperate, almost decadelong revitalization (there’s even an express train from Manhattan planned for the winter, called ACES), this summer heralds the debut of two ambitious nongaming hotels hoping to attract a clientele that would rather spend money than simply lose it.

Opening this month is the Chelsea ($225–$450 per night for the peak season, $95–$275 per night off-season; 111 S Chelsea Ave at Pacific Ave, 800-548-3030), which claims to be the first casinoless boutique hotel to arrive on the Boardwalk since the ’60s. The developer, Curtis Bashaw, has converted two chain lodgings (a Howard Johnson and a Holiday Inn) into one aspirational destination: 331 rooms decorated in a campy retro style that recalls Mrs. Robinson’s lair, plus two restaurants by Philly restaurateur Stephen Starr—the Chelsea Prime steakhouse, and Teplitzky’s, an upscale diner.

Perhaps the real coup of Bashaw’s vision was his wooing of Beatrice Inn impresarios Paul Sevigny and Matt Abramcyk to design the hotel’s nightlife program, coolly dubbed the Fifth Floor. This den of sin is home to intimate bars-slash-performance-venues (the Terrace Lounge, the Living Room, the Bar and the Game Room), plus a rooftop pool that might make your Soho House–loiterer pals envious.

Though the parties may be Page Six–worthy, mere mortals (like myself) might be more inclined to take advantage of some of the Chelsea’s earthier amenities, like the saltwater swimming pool in the courtyard or the free bike rentals.

If the Chelsea is the Maritime, then the $400-million Water Club (1 Renaissance Way, 800-800-8817), a 43-floor tower operated by the Borgata (1 Borgata Way, 609-317-1000), is the Four Seasons. The accommodations (starting at $299) are sleek, bordering on jaw-dropping. The opulence is of the exotic-orchids, earth-toned-decor, spa-designed-by-a-Canyon-Ranch-vet variety. While sipping a Milk-and-Honey–esque cocktail and munching on executive chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s farm-fresh crudités in one of the outdoor poolside cabanas (the Borgata owns a farm in Jersey that provides the Water Club with much of its produce), I momentarily forgot where I was. Miami? Mexico? Mission accomplished, Water Club.

But for players, the poker tables aren’t too far off. The Borgata, which is connected to the Water Club, is the most Vegas-style of the A.C. casinos. Gambling abounds, and on any given night there are concerts (in one weekend we saw Cyndi Lauper and James Taylor!), comedy shows (see theborgata.com for schedules) and an embarrassment of restaurants—Wolfgang Puck American Grille (this one I can vouch for—the best pork belly of my life) and Bobby Flay Steak, to name a few.

All of this decadence left me seeking some local flavor. So I stood in line with impatient regulars and curious tourists at the White House Sub Shop (2301 Arctic Ave at N Mississippi Ave, 609-345-1564), a legendary sandwich joint that specializes in Italian subs and Philly cheesesteaks. Other favorites are Angelo’s Fairmount Tavern (2300 Fairmount Ave at N Mississippi Ave, 609-344-2439), a sprawling Italian seafood-and-steak joint that’s been expanding since it opened in 1935. Also worth seeking out is the deliciously old-school Tony’s Baltimore Grill (2800 Atlantic Ave at N Iowa Ave, 609-345-5766) where the pizzas and dirt-cheap plates of spaghetti are the perfect complement to the lineoleum-tiled atmosphere.

Perhaps the most precious find, though, is the speakeasy-style Chef Vola’s (111 S Albion Pl between Pacific Ave and the Boardwalk, 609-345-2022), where I could get a table only through the Borgata concierge (customers must be recommended—tell ’em Gabi from TONY sent you). Though there’s novelty to the family-run restaurant, which is hidden in a residential basement, the most entertaining aspect of the Italian-American meal (which comes on platters, not plates) is host Louis Esposito’s epic telling of the specials—it takes him about ten minutes to do it.

But for me, Atlantic City’s biggest draw is the saltwater taffy. I headed to James’ Original Salt Water Taffy (jamescandy.com), a Boardwalk staple, tried something new and was hooked: chocolate-covered taffy. If that turns your stomach, then maybe Atlantic City is not for you.