Resorts Atlantic City Review for July 2024

Resorts is the oldest casino hotel in Atlantic City, and is situated on the famed Boardwalk which stretches four miles along the coastline. It is also a five-minute walk from the Steel Pier, featuring its Ferris wheel and other attractions.

If you are looking for a traditional Atlantic City experience, with a downtown Las Vegas kind of feel, then Resorts may well be the option for you. 

In this review we will explore all Resorts has to offer, from gaming options and rewards programme to food and beverage outlets, as well as the room choices on offer.  

The site now occupied by Resorts was originally occupied by The Chalfonte House and The Haddon House, two wooden three-story Quaker houses built in 1868 and 1869 respectively. The Haddon House was then rebuilt in the early 1920s into a larger hotel called Haddon Hall.

Resorts International, a hotel and casino chain, had been planning an Atlantic City casino resort ever since a rumoured attempt to bring gambling to New Jersey. It heavily backed the November 1976 gaming referendum, which passed that year, and bought the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall complex for just under $2.5 million in August 1976.       

The Resorts International Hotel opened in 1977 and its casino opened on 26th May 1978, making it the first casino in Atlantic City history. However, despite initial success, it struggled to compete with the newer, more lavish properties as they sprung up all over town, and it was eventually bought by Merv Griffin in 1988, following a takeover battle between him and Donald Trump. 

$90 million worth of renovations followed, but by 2009 the property was struggling once again and was surrendered to lenders after failing to pay its mortgage for over a year.

The owners of Tropicana bought Resorts from its lenders in 2010 for $35 million, and it was transformed with a Roaring Twenties theme, inspired by the HBO TV series Boardwalk Empire. 

In 2012, the property was taken over by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, who also own Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, with their ownership still in place today.

Location

Resorts is located at the north end of the Boardwalk, just down from Ocean and Hard Rock casinos and opposite the Steel Pier, so is perfectly situated to take advantage of all the Boardwalk has to offer.

For those unfamiliar with Atlantic City, when deciding on the location for your casino resort there are two options – a casino located on the Boardwalk or one further inland in the Marina District. Personally, I would always opt for the Boardwalk, in the summer months for obvious reasons, but also because it allows you to casino hop between properties with ease which is always a positive in my book.       

Whilst you can of course explore the area on foot, or by traditional taxi, I found the best way to get around was by using the Boardwalk Tram Service. This hop on, hop off service runs up and down the Boardwalk throughout the day and early evening between Ocean and Tropicana, and allows you to take in all the sights as well as the sea air as you explore. Tickets are $4 for a single fare ($2 for children under 12) and $10 for an all-day pass. Operating hours vary slightly by season.

My visit to Atlantic City was during early summer and, despite some negative opinions, I had heard before arriving, I thoroughly enjoyed my stay. I found the Boardwalk to be clean and well maintained, well patrolled by Security staff, and at no time did I feel unsafe. Expect to find some shuttered buildings and casino resorts now closed, but this did not detract from my overall enjoyment in any way. 

Resorts Atlantic City boasts 80,000 square feet of casino space, including more than 1,500 slot machines and 70 table games. There is also a 5,000 square feet DraftKings Sportsbook and a high limit area called Hollywood Hills.

Located adjacent to the hip Hard Rock and trendy Ocean, Resorts doesn’t try to be anything other than what it is – reassuringly traditional. The casino could do with a makeover in places, and it screams faded glamour but, you know what? Sometimes there’s nothing wrong with that. The casino floor is maintained very well and is a pleasant space to gamble in.

Table Games Selection

There are two table game pit areas in Resorts, one on the main casino floor and one in high limit.

There is also a Stadium Gaming area, located across from the 5-O’Clock Somewhere Bar, offering live dealer table games via touchscreen terminals where you can play three live games at once - Baccarat, Roulette and Blackjack.  

On the main casino floor, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat and various carnival poker games can easily be found, although Resorts does not offer a poker room. 

Variants:

• Three Card Poker
• Four Card Poker
• Pai Gow Poker
• Pai Gow Tiles
• Let It Ride
• Mississippi Stud
• Spanish 21

As a rough guide though, here is what you can expect at Resorts in terms of table minimums and maximums. 

Slots Selection

Despite the slightly dated casino décor, the slots selection is excellent at Resorts. 

There is a good selection of newer games such as Huff & More Puff, Ultimate Fire Link, Prosperity Link and Wonder 4 Boost Gold, as well as old school three-reel machines. Whilst not the biggest casino space in the city, it is well designed and makes for an immersive gaming experience.

During my slots session at Resorts I felt totally at home. The vibe was relaxed, and the clientele gave the impression that they frequent Resorts exclusively and would never consider gambling anywhere else. I whiled away an hour or two playing some Huff & More Puff and Double Top Dollar while enjoying an ice cream from Haagen-Dazs and, although I had no luck, I enjoyed my visit immensely.

Waitress Service

Like all gamblers, many a losing session I’ve had has been explained away finishing with the immortal line “…but at least the drinks service was good”, such is the importance of it. Indeed, it should be an obvious hook that properties use to tempt us gamblers away from the best online casinos. However, in reality, it can be hit and miss on many casino floors.

During my visit to Resorts it was clear the waitress service was lightning quick in the table game area, which is located in the centre of the casino floor. 

The layout of the casino has the slots placed all around the tables and during my session I was offered a free drink in high limit, and once I had relocated to the main casino floor I could hear the waitresses doing their rounds on a regular basis.

Bar-Top Gaming

As with most modern US casinos, bar-top gaming is offered at Resorts Atlantic City and can be found throughout the bars in the main casino.

Bar-top games tend to be limited to Video Poker, Blackjack, Keno and a few older slot games and the best Video Poker game available at Resorts is 8/5 Bonus Poker. Whilst many casinos in Atlantic City offer full pay Jacks or Better, this is not available at Resorts.

However, bar-top gaming can still be an attractive proposition, with close proximity to bar staff for complimentary drinks, along with a sociable gaming experience a lot of the time.     

Resorts Atlantic City Sportsbook

The Sportsbook at Resorts is run by Draftkings and features 5,000 square feet of space along with a 15-foot video wall with ultra-high definition screens.

Betting hours are Saturday to Thursday 11:00am to 10:30pm and Friday 4:00pm to 10:00pm. Betting kiosks are open 24 hours.  

High Limit Gaming at Resorts Atlantic City

Resorts Atlantic City has a dedicated high limit slots area called Hollywood Hills, where you can find machines in denominations of anything between $1 and $100.

Ultimately this means that you don’t necessarily need to be a high roller to play in high limit, and during my visit I ended up playing a Double Top Dollar machine in this area at $3 a spin. In short, it is what I would term a ‘downtown high limit area’ in that it caters to a wider demographic than that at similar rooms in the higher end properties.  

The Hollywood Hills slot area is also where you will find the VIP Players Club Lounge, reserved for those Resorts Star Card players who have achieved Epic level and above. 

Resorts Atlantic City is one of the smaller hotels on the Boardwalk with approximately 900 rooms spread across two hotel towers: the Ocean Tower and the Rendezvous Tower.

The Ocean Tower is the original Haddon Hall Hotel building and contains 480 rooms. This tower boasts some great ocean views and all rooms were subject to significant renovations in 2018. However, be warned that due to the historic nature of the building the bathrooms in the Ocean Tower are very small and are only really suitable for solo travellers. 

The Rendezvous Tower is the newer of the two towers having opened in 2004, and contains 357 rooms and 42 suites. Whilst the rooms have not been renovated as recently as those in the Ocean Tower, they are maintained very well and are some of the largest standard rooms in Atlantic City (starting at over 500 square feet). The bathrooms are also large and far more appropriate for those travelling as a couple. This tower feels much more in line from what you could expect from new casinos, although it still doesn’t quite get there.

Bars

Resorts Atlantic City offers the following bar choices;

• Margaritaville: Restaurant and Tiki bar with seasonal exterior deck
• 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar: Located on the casino floor and offering cocktails and beers
• Wet Willie’s: Specialising in daiquiris and located on the Boardwalk
• Bar One: Located on the casino floor and sometimes home to various pop-up bar themes

Restaurants

Resorts offers both fine and casual dining along with a food court. Fine dining options include:

• Dougherty’s Steakhouse & Raw Bar: Steak and seafood with live entertainment
• Eastwind Chinese Restaurant: Authentic Asian cuisine
• Mukashi Sushi Bar: Traditional Japanese Sushi and Sashimi
• Capriccio: High quality Italian cuisine with soups, salads, veal, steaks, and pasta
• Cielo Wine Bar at Capriccio: Tapas and fine wines

Casual dining options include Margaritaville, Bubbakoo’s Burritos and Breadsticks Café. 

A food court completes the line up, offering everything from pizza to donuts.     

Shows and Entertainment

Entertainment at Resorts is somewhat limited as, whilst they have the 1,350 seat Superstar Theater, it tends to be mainly used for hosting mostly tribute acts.

Aside from that, Bar One on the casino floor offers DJs every weekend and Margaritaville provides nightly live entertainment.   

Resorts Atlantic City Pool

Resorts remodelled its pool area in 2022, and it is now housed in an indoor/outdoor greenhouse style building with retractable roof to allow for use no matter the season.     

Located on the third floor of the Ocean Tower, the 45,000-gallon saltwater pool is open to hotel guests only, with family swim time between 9:00am and 2:00pm and adults only between 2:00pm and 6:00pm.

Loungers can be found inside the new set up as well as outside on the rooftop, which allows for some great views of both the Boardwalk and Atlantic Ocean.   

Spa

Resorts has a Spa & Health Club, although it is smaller than many other comparable properties. That doesn't mean to say the quality is any less, of course. 

There are competitive prices offered for massages and skincare treatments, and couples services are offered too. 

In addition to the Spa, there is a fitness centre attached, as well as the Bliss Salon for all your beauty needs. 

Resorts is the only property in Atlantic City that is owned by Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment and has its own rewards program called the Resorts Star Card. 

Frustratingly, this rewards program is mostly separate to that in place at its partner properties, Mohegan Sun Connecticut and Mohegan Sun Pocono, although you are still able to redeem your comp dollars from the Resorts Star Card at both partner properties.  

If you are planning a return trip to Resorts it is always worth signing up for the Resorts Star Card as it provides great benefits, depending on your play and tier level. The higher the tier, the better the rewards:

• Premiere (0 – 399 tier points) - Complimentary or discounted hotel rooms/show tickets/meals
• Epic (400 – 2399 tier points) - VIP Club access/birthday dinner
• Paramount (2400 – 4999 tier points) - Priority check in/midweek room upgrades
• Paramount Plus (5000 – 9999 tier points) - Complimentary spa admittance/complimentary manicure/complimentary valet parking  
• Red Carpet (10,000+ tier points) - President’s Event/complimentary room at both Mohegan Sun properties/Birthday Bucks 

To sign up you need to be at least 21 years of age and have some photographic ID. Just go along to the players club desk at Resorts to register. 

Once you have your Resorts Star Card simply insert it into a slot machine and it will track your play throughout each session. Alternatively hand it to a dealer before you play a table game.  

Resorts Atlantic City operates a VIP Club which offers food and drinks to qualifying players and is available to Resorts Star Card members who have achieved Epic level and above. The opening hours are Monday to Thursday 1:00pm to 8:00pm, Friday 1:00pm to midnight, Saturday noon to midnight, and Sunday 9:00am to 8:00pm.

In addition, any Resorts Star Card member who earns 30 tier points in one gaming day receives VIP Club access for themselves plus a guest. 

To progress through the Resorts Star Card tiers players must achieve the required number of points over a six-month period, and on slot machines this equates to cycling through $300 to earn one tier point.             

Should you join the Resorts Star Card?

The one downside of the Resorts Star Card is that it is unique to Resorts Atlantic City, and whilst you can redeem your comp dollars at both Mohegan Sun Connecticut and Pocono, it doesn’t necessarily mean you will qualify for other benefits such as comped hotel rooms at either property. 

The decision as to whether it is worth joining the Resorts Star Card boils down to whether or not you plan on returning to Resorts Atlantic City. If you do, there is no harm in joining, although cycling through $300 to earn one tier point requires significant investment to achieve anything meaningful. 

Ultimately, as with any rewards program, my advice would be to use the Resorts Star Card while playing, avoid chasing tier status, and just see what offers come your way.      

If you are looking for a Las Vegas Downtown-esque casino resort right on Atlantic City’s Boardwalk, then Resorts is definitely the place for you.

The casino is somewhat of a throwback to yesteryear but is maintained well and features a decent slot selection. I especially enjoyed the high limit slot area as machines in there started from 10c denomination so there is something for everyone.  

Rooms at Resorts are nice on the whole, with each of the two towers offering something slightly different. Bathroom size aside, you can’t really go too far wrong with either. Personally, I would stay in the Ocean Tower if travelling solo and the Rendezvous Tower if travelling as a couple.

Food choices are slightly more limited when compared to some of the of the higher end properties, but there is more than enough choice for a long weekend.

As a gambler, my main concern would be putting too much money through Resorts when the rewards program is stand-alone. This would probably drive me to one of the larger casino corporations as I want my bankroll to earn me rewards that I can use in multiple locations, both in Atlantic City and further afield.