Sunday, November 08, 2009
Life, Travel, In this Issue...
Unwind and shine
Get away for the weekend in Atlantic City
Photos/courtesy of The Water Club
Immersion spa Jacuzzi
IF YOU GO
Getting There
AirTran offers daily direct flights from Atlanta. www.airtran.com.
Where to Stay
The Water Club
www.thewaterclubhotel.com
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
www.theborgata.com
Who’s Spinning
www.borgatanightlife.com
Who’s Performing
www.theborgata.com
By Kirsten Ott Palladino
One hundred and thirty four miles north of New York City is another town all abuzz with activity. Atlantic City may not have gotten its due yet, but all that is changing. One noteworthy aspect of its growth is the newest resort to hit the Jersey shore: the Water Club at the Borgata. Celebs like Chelsea Handler and Jennifer Aniston flock here, while visitors from all over pour in for a little R&R in a style like no other.
The Water Club is the newest addition to the Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, which by itself is by far one of the nicest properties in Atlantic City. Together, the combination is rather spectacular. The Borgata offers luxe hotel accommodations, celebrity chef restaurants, more than 161,000 square feet of gaming space, rousing entertainment, indulgent spas and a hot nightlife scene—all under one roof. With flights cheaper than those to Las Vegas, Atlantic City is the ultimate weekend getaway, and Borgata is an exciting gaming destination on the East Coast.
Though the two hotels are booked separately for reservations, look entirely different, and have unique offerings, they are connected by a gorgeous hallway lined with high-end shops, including La Perla, Hugo Boss, Just Cavali and Hearts on Fire.
SWEET DREAMS
At one end of the hall is Atlantic City’s newest property, the Water Club. Completed in 2008, it offers respite from the gobs of gambling going on around you. It’s the only non-gaming resort in town—though it’s connected to a casino via that hallway I just mentioned. Guests who book here still have access to everything at the Borgata, but they’re also getting brand-new luxe accommodations at the 43-story, $400 million hotel, which features 800 guest rooms and suites outfitted in pops of turquoise and chocolate hues; a masterpiece spa; 18,000 square feet of meeting and event space; three residences modeled after chic, urban lofts; five heated pools, both indoor and outdoor, each offering a distinct experience; and six retail shops.
INDULGE THE SENSES
The Immersion is a two-story spa located on the 32nd and 33rd floors of the Water Club. The awe-inspiring water views from the floor-to-ceiling vantage points are worth the trip alone. Any guest receiving a treatment has access to the standard spa offerings (gender-separated sauna, steam room, showers and a whirlpool, as well as a fitness center for everyone). Bonuses include a spread of cucumbers for those tired eyes from all-night gambling, a 25-yard infinity-edge lap pool and a gourmet spa menu by Chef Geoffrey Zakarian. If you’re interested in expanding your portfolio of spa services, try the Balinese massage. This decidedly different meditative massage combines Chinese, Hindu and European techniques for a rhythmic, relaxing and energizing experience. It’s complemented with your choice of organic tropical oils and complete with a coconut lemongrass back scrub to finish.
ALL BETS ARE ON
On the Borgata end of the hall is an expansive 2,000-room casino hotel designed in classic Italian style, with jaw-dropping Chihuly glass sculptures at every turn. A joint venture between Boyd Gaming and MGM Mirage in Las Vegas, Borgata was the first new hotel property in Atlantic City in 13 years when it opened in 2003. Sleeping options range from standard guest rooms to suites in various sizes and two residences at 5,000 square feet. Plush beds and Egyptian cotton sheets make for restful slumber. Downstairs, though, is where you’ll want to spend your time. Most visitors begin and end their days on the 161,000-square-foot casino floor (though I suspect there are more than a few guests who don’t ever leave). Here you’ll find 4,100 slot machines and 200 table games, including poker, blackjack, roulette, Baccarat, novelty games, Racebook, Pai Gow tiles and Sic Bo. Or go all out in the daily tournaments in Borgata’s 85-table Poker Room, the largest in Atlantic City.
CHOW DOWN
Atlanta’s palate is quite refined, and you won’t be disappointed with the culinary offerings of Borgata. Twelve destination restaurants bring a world of gourmet experiences to Atlantic City, including the New York–landmark Old Homestead Steakhouse. Lauded chefs Bobby Flay, Michael Mina, Wolfgang Puck, Michael Schulson and Stephen Kalt compose the stellar lineup of fine dining restaurants with Bobby Flay Steak, SeaBlue, Wolfgang Puck American Grille, Izakaya (a Japanese pub) and Fornelletto. For more casual dining, there’s an abundance of cafes and buffets.
I LOVE THE NIGHTLIFE
Throughout the year, Borgata consistently books acts you’d actually want to see. The casino resort features two venues: the 2,400-seat Event Center, which has hosted the likes of Pearl Jam, Gwen Stefani, Sting, Aerosmith, Kelly Clarkson and Lenny Kravitz; and the Music Box, a 1,000-seat theater that hosts more intimate events and is home to Borgata’s nightly Comedy Club. Comedians such as Frank Caliendo, Chelsea Handler and Bob Newhart showcase their talents here. Coming this fall: Robin Williams (Nov. 27-28), Matisyahu (Nov. 28), Stephen Lynch (Dec. 4-5) and Mike Birbiglia (Dec. 12).
The party goes on late into the night with Borgata’s four nightclubs: Gypsy Bar, B Bar, Mixx and Murmur. The Gypsy Bar stocks every kind of tequila known to man, the B Bar is a new-fangled ultra-lounge for those looking to rock their sultry side, Mixx offers a warehouse-like, hard-core dancing arena with mammoth video screens, and Murmur is an intimate nightclub with cozy booths and bottle service, where you can dig on mixes from celebrity DJs like Samantha Ronson, Ruckus and DJ Jazzy Jeff. For both Mixx and Murmur, expect to wait in a see-and-be-seen line. The clubs at Borgata attract the locals, as well as New Yorkers, and the scene rivals some of the best bars in Atlanta.
SP