Vol. 4, No. 11, November 2007
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The Suite Life
Casinos across the city are investing big in suites
Atlantic City is suite-crazy. And there’s good reason. More suite availability definitely means drawing high-caliber players as Atlantic City casinos compete for the biggest gamblers in the world.
That’s why casinos across town are investing big money in suites. When Harrah’s Atlantic City debuts its new 961-room, 44-story tower and Trump Taj Mahal opens its 40-story, 800-room tower next year, they will be full of new suites. Same goes for Borgata’s 43-story, $400 million, 800-room Water Club, which will feature three residences and amenities in every room from LCD televisions to iPod docking stations.
When Borgata debuted in 2003, it vowed to bring high rollers back to Atlantic City. Part of that allure would be the inclusion of approximately 350 suites in its 2,000-room hotel. The experiment worked, and everyone in town noticed.
“When we opened Borgata, we put great emphasis on our
guestrooms and suites, as it’s an integral part of the overall trade-up guest experience we sought to create within the Atlantic City market,” says Larry Mullin, president and COO of Borgata. “Creating an environment of comfort and luxury in-room entices guests to extend their stay beyond a day trip and allows them to experience more of our amenities—offering them a more enhanced getaway. The addition of the Water Club will continue to redefine travel with a highly personalized in-room experience.”
Borgata realized there was a market for guests willing to pay for suites, even if they weren’t big gamblers. That’s why the Water Club will offer more guests the opportunity to lodge in style.
“The Water Club will add 800 finely appointed guestrooms and suites to the Borgata resort destination, and will introduce a unique brand of hospitality to the market, allowing more guests than ever before to experience Borgata,” says Mullin.
And while the number of suites is increasing with every new tower in Atlantic City, other casinos are doing their best to stay competitive.
Trump Taj Mahal, for example, recently invested $14 million to totally remodel and enhance its seven penthouse suites—a pretty big investment for seven rooms.
“This is a product we were really lacking, and if we were going to redo these suites, we were going to do it better than anywhere else in town,” says Mark Juliano, chief executive officer of Trump Entertainment. “Now that we did it, we have found better customers. If you look at what is happening in Atlantic City, these are the kinds of investments you have to make if you are going to grow the market or take market share from your competitors.”
The Taj’s new tower will feature 40 new suites, including six mega-suites, but Juliano says luxury rooms are just part of the whole package.
“Atlantic City isn’t going to get to the next level by just offering suites,” Juliano says. “It’s one of many things you need: restaurants, shopping, entertainment and gaming. It’s all part of the package. The old Atlantic City won’t survive. It needs to make the transformation to become a truly resort theme, and it certainly needs products like our new suites.”
Phil Juliano, regional senior vice president of marketing for Resorts and Hilton, agrees.
“People take the entire property into consideration,” Phil Juliano says. “It helps having suites, but people consider all of the amenities. That said, big players not getting suites could be a deal-breaker. You lose reservations if someone can get a suite somewhere else and not at your place. They bounce around from casino to casino where they can get the best suite. If they can’t get it at one place, they may go to another.”
“We are the largest hotel in Atlantic City,” says Tropicana President and General Manager Mark Giannantonio, “and we realize the importance of offering a good mix of rooms and suites. It does help you attract top players if you have quality suites. Our penthouses, for example, compare with the suites at any casino in town, and we use them as marketing tools.”
Many suites in town are not available for purchase. The new penthouses at the Taj, for example, will be given to players who have credit lines of approximately $250,000 and higher. Most casinos have already upgraded their suites, too, as wealthy customers look for the ultimate guest experience.
“Guests are willing to pay to upgrade their experience,” Mark Juliano says. “That is a fact.”
“Typically, you are a very rich person to afford suites like penthouses,” says Phil Juliano. “But when you think about it, it’s no different than a wealthy traveler who doesn’t gamble and stays in the best suites around the world like the Four Seasons, the Ritz Carlton, the Waldorf. If you’re getting into the best suites in Atlantic City, money really isn’t a concern, whether they pay for it somewhere else or gamble here.”
Here’s a cross-section of suites of every casino in Atlantic City:
Atlantic City Hilton
Some of the most impressive and eye-popping suites can be found at the Hilton, where former owner Steve Wynn really left his mark, particularly with the six penthouse suites at the top of the former Golden Nugget.
All six penthouses are themed, each equally impressive. But the Hilton is particularly proud of its Chairman Suite, where Ol’ Blue Eyes Frank Sinatra used to stay when he performed there.
The exotic Chairman Suite features an impressive panoramic view and an open design in the main area with an elevated dining room, elevated Baby Grand piano, stunning chandeliers that drop from cut-out ceilings that feature murals of angels, a large, stocked bar with seating for four, a second dining table with leather chairs and a TV room with an ocean view and its own fax machine.
Walk down a hallway adorned with some classic art, pass the full kitchen, half bathroom and walk into the regal master bedroom that is beautiful in itself but taken to another level by the adjoining bathroom. In there, you’ll find a Jacuzzi tub surrounded by plants and pillars that look like something out of a spa, a dry sauna, stand-up shower and imported marble everywhere.
The other themed suites, which range from 1,800 to 2,500 square feet, include an Asian suite and the Wall Street, which has a large desk with oversized leather chair, computer, fax machine, a TV wall to watch stocks—or football games—dining room table, canopy bed, cut-out ceilings, dark woods and two bathrooms.
But if you don’t get into the penthouse suites, there are others that will certainly please as the Hilton has a wide array of suites, including 13 executive suites, and a bunch of grand suites that can be divided into various configurations.
Bally’s Atlantic City
Bally’s only has approximately 70 suites in its 1,700-room inventory, but the ones it has are pretty impressive, particularly in the Main Tower, where the penthouses are extraordinary.
With spectacular ocean views, the modern-designed penthouses were recently remodeled. You realize these suites are special when you walk in the foyer and take in the intricate tile work. The large, open living area features beautiful hardwood floors, crown molding and wood trim everywhere. With a gas fireplace, a telescope, plasma television and sharp circular bar with its own LCD TV, these New York-style spaces are upscale without being pretentious.
The master bedroom’s color scheme is easy on the eyes with its yellows and whites, and a king bed, seating area, plasma TV, Bose Wave Radio and a pillow menu to order your favorite pillows epitomize luxury.
The master bath has two LCD televisions, a dressing table, two sinks, a whirlpool tub, and a stand-up shower with overhead and body jets.
A larger two-bedroom suite has a more open layout, and features a media room with a 50-inch plasma, surround-sound system, digital remote and seating for four, a fireplace and a larger sitting area in the master bedroom, a pop-up plasma in the living room, a larger dining room table with leather chairs, and a second bedroom with two beds and a bathroom that matches the enormous master bath.
Everyone who stays on the luxurious 49th floor also has the right to use the communal game room. Featuring a classic pool table with intricate wood carvings, a television, leather furniture, card table and wood walls, the room offers a great escape for the adults or someplace the kids can hang.
Bally’s also features some smaller and not quite as elaborate suites that are also attractive and, unlike the penthouses, available for sale to the general public.
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
Borgata features six types of suites, ranging from the 282 Fiore Suites, which are a larger version of the casino’s Classic Rooms, complete with sitting area, to the two Residence Suites on the top floor that boast 5,000 square feet of space each.
Unlike most casinos, most of Borgata’s suites have a price. The Fiore Suites, which feature floor-to-ceiling windows, king or two full beds, a large bathroom with two sinks, sunken tub and a foyer with hardwood floor, range from the high $200s to $600. The Opus Suite, which maintains the stylish, classy beige-and-white color scheme of the Fiore, is a little bigger than the Fiore and range in price from $400 to $700s.
The suites really begin to impress at the Piatto level, where stars including comedian Jimmy Fallon have stayed. Super-modern and ultra-stylish, the room features an entrance hallway with wood inlay floors and a living area to the left that features a dining nook, plush furniture, plasma TV, second dining table and light wood walls that blend perfectly with the cutting-edge artwork that is unique to every suite.
The Piatto features a desk in the master bedroom with its own computer and internet access, and a plasma television at the head of the bed. The master bath, loaded with marble, has an LCD TV, deep bath and stand-up shower. The Piatto ranges in price from the $600s to $800s.
When you get into a Quadri, which is generally not for sale to the public, you know you’re a big gambler or VIP. Comprised of six former Classic Rooms, these suites are the lap of luxury and seem suited to host rock stars. A four-seat wet bar features a metallic rock surface, and the entire suite is extremely masculine in its décor.
The huge living room features enough seating for a large party with back-to-back couches, Bose stereo system, large plasma TV and dining table for eight people. The master bedroom has its own sitting area, Bose Wave Radio, plasma TV and canopy king bed.
Finally, the two Residence Suites are the biggest in the city at 5,000 square feet each. Each is different in design. To prove that these are totally indulgent suites, one of them is a one-bedroom suite despite the fact that most families have houses that are less than half as big as one Residence Suite. This place looks like a mini-palace.
The open living room features light hardwood floors, exotic area rugs, majestic drapes, plasma TV surrounded by book cases and an executive desk. The humongous dining room offers an unparalleled view of the Atlantic City skyline as the circular table for eight sits on intricate tile work.
There’s also a kitchen, a massage room for two, a separate office with a computer and plasma TV, a master bath with a shower that’s big enough for six people but only has two overhead shower heads, two huge vanities and a Jacuzzi tub with an LCD TV built into the wall above it, including surround-sound in the ceiling. Another half bathroom in the hall area is as big as most people’s full baths.
While stars like Bruce Willis—who is a big gambler—have stayed there, the room is also used for executive meetings and functions.
Caesars Atlantic City
One of the most upscale casinos in town also boasts some of the nicest suites. Most of the best suites, however, can be found in the Ocean Tower, where many of them have been renovated and aren’t as outdated as some other suites in town.
Former themed suites have been remodeled with a more modern, classy look with a tan/white color scheme that features a large living room, hardwood floors, stereo system, Jacuzzi tub in the master bathroom, dual sink and stand-up shower. Some even have their own treadmills.
Emperor Suites impress with their white marble foyers, three-seat wet bars, majestic yellow carpets, Jacuzzi tubs that overlook the ocean and Pier, granite countertops, tile showers, double sinks, dressing table, dining room table with candelabra chandelier and plush furniture. One step down, but still impressive, are the Senator suites, a bit smaller but with most of the same amenities. The Tribune suite features a studio layout that is still striking.
There are a different penthouse layouts, but one boasts a wild design with a leopard skin-like carpet, granite wet bar with two seats, television and stereo system, glass dining room table, faux stone pillars, step-up Jacuzzi, bidet and canopy bed with Bose Wave Radio.
Many of the Ocean Tower rooms are currently being renovated and are as nice—but not as spacious—as suites. They include 42-inch plasma screens and down comforters, and are available for purchase. Caesars’ penthouses are reserved for players only.
Harrah’s Atlantic City
Harrah’s has quite an array of suites throughout its property.
In the Bay Tower, the penthouse is amazing. With wood crown molding, 12-foot ceilings and a beautiful granite wet bar with two seats, the three-room modern suite features a huge living room with working fireplace, dining nook with hardwood floors and small bar, master bedroom with its own seating area, a master bathroom with burgundy marble floors, Jacuzzi and two sinks, plus a stand-up shower. The King Super Suite is also impressive in the Bay Tower, with its large living room and spacious bathroom with Jacuzzi.
In the Atrium Tower, the Super Suites are a popular high-roller choice for a reason: they are stunning. With a very homey design that looks like something out of Martha Stewart’s magazine, the living room features a working fireplace, while the top-floor rooms have dining rooms with hardwood floors and satellite windows. A two-step Jacuzzi is located right in the bedroom overlooking the bay, and there are plasma screens, BOSE Wave Radios and a bar.
In the Harbour Tower, the Executive Suite also boasts a modern, classy design scheme with a large, boardroom-like dining room table for eight, a wet bar, leather furniture, Bose stereo system, and the obligatory Jacuzzi tub.
Harrah’s does not sell its suites to the public.
Resorts Atlantic City
Resorts’ relatively new Rendezvous Tower reflects Atlantic City patrons’ attitude that bigger is better. For starters, the Rendezvous boasts the largest standard rooms in the city, and nearly 10 percent of the 450 rooms in the tower are suites that range from 1,090 to 1,150 square feet.
Located on the top six floors of the Rendezvous, the suites are decorated in a style similar to the rest of the Rendezvous rooms. Classy and simple with tan and yellow colors, most of the suites feature 42-inch plasma screens in the large living room, which also has a dining table, wet bar, refrigerator and marble foyer.
Each suite boasts king beds, and features two bathrooms with imported white marble, double vanities and a makeup table. One bathroom has a walk-in shower, the other a whirlpool tub.
For the whale, Resorts’ Chairman Suite is something to gasp over. The late Merv Griffin’s former personal suite, the Chairman Suite can combine with the adjoining vice-chairman suites for extra bedrooms.
But it’s hard to believe anyone would want more than what it already is. The only suite in town that has its own private elevator entrance, the Chairman Suite is the epitome of class. Former guests have included Whoopi Goldberg, Evander Holyfield, Tom Jones and Jerry Seinfeld. And scenes from the Danny Devito-Joe Piscopo film
Wise Guys were filmed in this suite.
With its own-full-sized white kitchen, including a television, refrigerator, dishwasher and matching appliances, the Chairman Suite is bigger than some people’s homes.
Located in the Ocean Tower, the suite boasts marble floors, rich woods, a Baby Grand piano, stocked bar with LCD TV and seating, living room with adjacent sun deck and dining room table. The master bathroom still features the sunken whirlpool tub Griffin personally picked out, an LCD TV at the makeup table, stand-up shower and bidet. A second bedroom has two full beds with its own bathroom. It is simply amazing.
Resorts does not sell its suites to the public, saving them for qualified players, but they are sometimes offered to paying customers as upgrades.
Showboat Casino Hotel
The hippest and newest suites belong to Showboat, where 22 House of Blues-themed suites opened last year. Located in the Orleans Tower, the trendy suites feature a two-level design, including a living room with 42-inch plasma screen above a fireplace mantel, surround-sound system with iPod docking station, Sirius satellite radio and free Wi-Fi.
In the elevated bedroom, relax in the king bed, listen to the Bose Wave Radio and check out the adjacent master bathroom with multi-jet, stand-up shower and dual sinks. Designed to resemble the Foundation Room, the House of Blues’ private club, the suites feature mural ceilings, cool artwork, Persian rugs and hardwoods. Unlike most casino suites, the HOB suites are available for purchase and range from $175 to $500 in price.
Before the House of Blues, however, Showboat had some other suites that remain some of the best in the market.
Particularly impressive is the Mardi Gras Suite, a stunning, modern design that looks like a high-end Manhattan apartment with a beach view, wrap-around balcony, leather furniture, 42-inch plasma TV, hardwood floors, Kenwood stereo system, and a king bed that overlooks the ocean. There’s also a Jacuzzi tub and stand-up shower.
The Garden Court offers a more open configuration with two plasma TVs—one in the living room, one in the bedroom—breakfast nook, dining table, hardwood floors and a bathroom with an LCD TV, Jacuzzi tub and awesome overhead shower that is bubble-shaped with frosted glass that juts into the bedroom.
Tropicana Casino and Resort
With more than 2,100 rooms, the Tropicana obviously has its share of suites in its various towers.
Its 500-plus-room Havana Tower, completed in 2004, features more than 30 suites, including some aimed at convention-goers that include large, open party meeting areas on the same floor as large meeting presentation rooms.
With its Cuban theme carrying into the suites, furniture features red leather, 42-inch plasma screens and a wet bar in some. The bright-colored suites also feature a king bed, dining room table and more.
Other Tropicana towers, however, boast more impressive suites, particularly the West Tower’s 40-plus suites, including six themed penthouses that are spectacular.
The themed suites all feature two bathrooms with Jacuzzi bathtubs, stand-up showers, large living room areas and master bedrooms with king beds, pop-up televisions and cool designs.
The Santa Fe features a rich-looking Southwest décor; the signature Marakesh resembles a Moroccan mosque; the Caribbean boasts a beach theme; the Villa Roma has rich marble and Italian design; the Versailles’ wood floors and faux fireplace are beautiful; and the humongous Park Avenue features three bedrooms, a breathtaking ocean view, Baby Grand piano, fireplace in the master bedroom, sunken whirlpool tub, black and white tile floors, four-seat bar and four bathrooms.
While those suites are not for purchase, there are some suites in the West Tower that are available by upgrade that include a Jacuzzi tub inside the master bedroom and a spacious living room area.
The North Tower is loaded with suites, including bi-levels with spiral staircases. Featuring usual suite amenities like Jacuzzi tubs, bars and lots of space, the penthouses are smaller than the West Tower penthouses, and are not as elaborate, but beautiful.
Trump Marina Hotel Casino
Trump Marina, like its sister properties, is trying to keep up with the Joneses by also offering many of its suites to the general public.
The Marina features approximately 150 suites, with nearly 100 of them in the Crystal Tower, an all-suite tower that was built in 1990 and renovated in 2005.
There are four types of suites in the Crystal Tower, ranging from the Junior Executive one-bedroom suite that is sold for $189 to $400 to the 12 penthouses that are never for sale.
The penthouses, which vary in design, are all nicely adorned in exotic fashion, loaded with imported white marble. The open parlor features four comfy chairs and a couch in front of a plasma TV. There’s a dining room table for four, and a nice wet bar with seating for two.
The ceilings are layered, featuring beautiful wood, and the master bedroom has its own seating area, king bed, red whirlpool bath and bidet. There’s also a split bathroom, one area featuring a bath and the other featuring a stand-up shower. The penthouses are available in one- and two-bedroom layouts.
If you are a guest in any suite, you are able to enjoy the Trump Club, a recently renovated bi-level club that features plasma televisions, open bar and light bites, including breakfast.
In the original Bay Tower is one of the nicest suites in town, a bi-level suite with a spiral staircase. Downstairs features a living area with a modern design scheme and dark-fabric couches, a plasma TV and a beautiful dark wood dining table. In the hall, relax with a drink in two modern seats while taking in the spectacular bay view.
Go upstairs and admire the classy master bedroom that features a plasma screen at the head of the bed, a seating area and a stunning master bath. There are two and a half baths, and each main bathroom features Jacuzzi tubs. This suite is often used for parties hosted by the Marina.
Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino
Trump Plaza also features some beautiful super suites that were remodeled in the last year. The stunning rooms’ nicest feature is a dividing wall that features a built-in gas fireplace open on both sides, and a plasma screen built into the living room side.
But that’s not all. There’s a beautiful glass dining room table for eight, a wet bar and overall elegant design scheme that uses light colors. A half bath features a modern design with hardwood floors, and the master bedroom has suede-padded walls and a plasma TV and adjoining master bath, including marble floors and a stand-up shower with small tiles that form the image of flowers.
Also not for sale is the Executive Suite, which is very similar to the super suite but smaller. The dividing wall does not have a fireplace, but it does have a plasma on each side—one for the living room, one for the bedroom.
In the Main Tower, contemporary suites are available to the public for around $600 an night. With a classy theme using tans and greens, a small living room is divided by a beautiful glass door that leads to a master bedroom with adjoining master bath that has a whirlpool tub, stand-up shower and multi-colored marble flooring.
Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort
The Taj Mahal’s aforementioned $14 million investment in its seven suites really shows. Each suite has its own unique design, and they truly are some of the—if not the—most beautiful and lavish suites in the city.
The penthouse suites are absolutely mind-blowing. One, for example, boasts a modern décor with a bathroom that is bigger than most guest rooms. A wide-open living room has classic, elegant furniture with a two-seat wet bar and plasma TV. Take three steps to the elevated master bedroom and you’ll find a BOSE Wave Radio and a plasma TV that pops out of a dresser and can be swiveled via the remote control.
The master bath has a huge Jacuzzi, steam shower, dual granite sink and dressing table. One of the most striking features is the inset dining room that looks like something out of TV with its hardwood floors, domed ceiling and long dining table for eight.
But the signature suite is the Alexander the Great Suite, which is so big you can get lost. Walk into the living room and check out the plasma screen set into the wood wall, the Baby Grand piano, wet bar and domed, illuminated ceilings.
The dining room is even more impressive than the previous suite in size and beauty, resembling something out of a millionaire’s mansion with its mural ceiling, grand chandelier and long wood dining table.
There’s also a kitchen, separate make-up room, two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms and more marble, plasma TVs, showers, Jacuzzi tubs and amenities than anyone could possibly use.
The Taj has 216 total suites among its 1,250 rooms. Most offer a slew of amenities. The gorgeous Rajah Suite, for example, offers a two-seat wet bar, wireless internet, BOSE Wave radios, iPod docking stations, in-bedroom Jacuzzi and, like every room in the Taj, plasma televisions.
