Planning a trip to AC

So me and my friends are planning a trip with the girlfriends to all go down to AC. I've been once but we didnt stay at a casino hotel, a friend we were with's family had a timeshare sort of thing that we stayed at. So i've never booked hotels there.

 

so some questions, for anyone who has successfully done an AC trip.

 

Whats the best site/way to book a hotel through? I've noticed even the good deals will tack on close to $50 in fees which is insane. Is there a way to avoid the insane fees?

 

What casino do you recommend staying at? I've been to the floors of a few. Revel was insanely nice and it'd be my first choice if it wasn't so damn expensive. I also liked Ballys and Topicana, which are cheaper. Showboat and Golden Nugget have the cheapest rooms but IDK how worth it they are. anyone ever stayed at these spots?

 

any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Golden Nugget is nice and the rooms are newly renovated. Harrah's waterfront tower rooms are nice. Those are the only two places I've been. I've heard Revel is nice.

 

Look on Groupon for deals. There's a deal on right now for cheap rooms at Revel. Though weekends and holidays are usually blacked out.

 

Be prepared to pay out the ass for everything. Place can be fun, but it's a fucking money sink.

yeah I dropped a lot last time I was there but the trip won't be for a while. Putting away a good chunk of every paycheck until then.

 

I was thinking I could avoid fees by booking straight through the hotel's website but apparently they charge just as much if not more in fees than the middlemen do.

I've never used middlemen for a place like AC. The only place I've seen deals is Groupon. Also, if you have AAA, you can get like a few bucks off your room.

Tropicana isn't that amazing, the people I've seen there were really trashy. Not sure about the other places though

yeah I dropped a lot last time I was there but the trip won't be for a while. Putting away a good chunk of every paycheck until then.

 

I was thinking I could avoid fees by booking straight through the hotel's website but apparently they charge just as much if not more in fees than the middlemen do.

 

Showboat is beat. I wouldn't stay there. Revel is the shit.

Showboat is beat. I wouldn't stay there. Revel is the shit.

 

I figured Showboat sucked. however it is right next door to Revel so if anything, the room doesnt matter as much, and we could just go gamble at Revel and sleep at showboat

I figured Showboat sucked. however it is right next door to Revel so if anything, the room doesnt matter as much, and we could just go gamble at Revel and sleep at showboat

 

I guess you could do that, but it's the rooms at showboat that are gross. I think some are renovated though.

I stayed at the Trump Taj Mahal when I went over the summer. Reasonably priced rooms, liked the casino floor. Exit goes right to the boardwalk and beach, not too far from some of the night clubs if you're into that. My friends and I liked it well enough that we booked again for Christmas.

Harrahs is fun for a group along with borgata. Little pricey for borgata but the rooms are real nice.

I stayed at the Trump Taj Mahal when I went over the summer. Reasonably priced rooms, liked the casino floor. Exit goes right to the boardwalk and beach, not too far from some of the night clubs if you're into that. My friends and I liked it well enough that we booked again for Christmas.

 

Not as much into the club scene but if all my friends wanted to I'd go. I'd rather gamble and drink though lol.

A lot is going to depend on what days you're going and whether you're not going to want to travel to your room (IE, you're getting smashed). Also, if you don't want to travel and you want to be on the strip, it limits you a little more.

 

If you're going off peak (non-weekend) you can get some reasonable deals, especially if you're booking for 3 or more nights. If you're going for a weekend, it's going to cost you.

yea its going to be a weekend so I've noticed it gets pricey. I'm fine with it, I'm saving up a lot for it and I'm not bringing money I don't have to spare. Just the Friday we are planning on has actually been pretty cheap at most spots but its the added Saturday that kills.

 

maybe we can pull a thursday-saturday type thing. we'll see

I've stayed in pretty much all of them and been to AC more times than I can count. Nicest place for reasonable money would be Harrah's. Problem is it's not by the boardwalk, but that's probably not as big of a deal this time of year. It's just a bit segregated from the other places so you'll need a cab if you want to go to a different one.

 

If you want to be able to go to more than one without taking a cab, then Caesars, Balley's and the Trop are all reasonable. The Trop has a nice Irish Pub that is still very lively but a nice alternative to the annoying club scene. There is also a good sports bar and a club in there too, and the Hooters there has better wings than any Hooters I've been too. Caesars is also very nice but a bit more money.

 

Wild West bar has in Balley's has the best drink deals in AC and it's a really fun place, always packed on weekends and has a mechanical bull, plus it's just in the middle of the casino floor so you are not even inside of a place and can come and go as you please. Balley's and Caesars are attached, which is a bit further from the Trop, but still walkable on the boardwalk. I'd recommend either Harrah's or Trop. Harrah's is nicer and the Trop is more convenient.

I've stayed in pretty much all of them and been to AC more times than I can count. Nicest place for reasonable money would be Harrah's. Problem is it's not by the boardwalk, but that's probably not as big of a deal this time of year. It's just a bit segregated from the other places so you'll need a cab if you want to go to a different one.

 

If you want to be able to go to more than one without taking a cab, then Caesars, Balley's and the Trop are all reasonable. The Trop has a nice Irish Pub that is still very lively but a nice alternative to the annoying club scene. There is also a good sports bar and a club in there too, and the Hooters there has better wings than any Hooters I've been too. Caesars is also very nice but a bit more money.

 

Wild West bar has in Balley's has the best drink deals in AC and it's a really fun place, always packed on weekends and has a mechanical bull, plus it's just in the middle of the casino floor so you are not even inside of a place and can come and go as you please. Balley's and Caesars are attached, which is a bit further from the Trop, but still walkable on the boardwalk. I'd recommend either Harrah's or Trop. Harrah's is nicer and the Trop is more convenient.

 

Had dinner there the one time I was in AC. that place was awesome

I love the Taj. So, I usually stay there. Revel is amazing too.

Golden Nugget is next to Harrahs and Borgata and depending on what club you plan on going to, if at all.

I would recommend staying at the GN.

I was a cheap bastard, so when I drove down to meet friends we'd stop just short of AC and stay at a Days Inn or some chain. Make the short drive to AC, raise hell, have the designated driver get us back to the hotel room. Hopefully you are better off money-wise than I was then, but there's always a cheaper option if you're creative.