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Atlantic City is known for its beach and boardwalk. But, while alternative gambling options are popping up along the East Coast, including in Pennsylvania, the shopping, dining and entertainment at the shore point are proving equally as important as the slots and table games.
Earlier this year, Boyd Gaming and MGM-Mirage — companies that forever changed the stakes in Atlantic City with the Las Vegas-style Borgata Casino Resort & Spa in 2003 — took the experience to a whole new level when they cut the ribbons on The Water Club, the city’s first boutique hotel. With a price tag of $400 million, this 43-story, 800-room resort, which connects to the Borgata through a high-end shopping promenade, is where personal service and detail make it like no other.
From the moment cars pull into the valet, guests are greeted curbside by a Water Club ambassador, who starts the check-in process. Sending information to a second ambassador, the latter arrives with pre-printed room keys and a glass of champagne, eliminating the front-desk wait. In the room, guests see their name on the LCD-TV.
Guests can stay secluded for days or enjoy pampering at Immersion, the 36,000-square-foot spa in the sky.
Drew Schlesinger, Water Club vice president and general manager, said the market has been looking for the boutique-style experience.
"When Borgata opened, everything was sort of naysaying, ‘What do they know? What are they going to do?’ It opened up with such a bang, such a demand, that it was almost overwhelming," Schlesinger said at the summer’s grand opening. "After two or three weeks, they started planning [The Water Club] hotel and the expansion because there is a truly a need and a want for this style of hotel."
With competition coming from Philadelphia, New York and other markets, the big players went back to the drawing board with the goal of transforming the East Coast gambling mecca into a resort destination. Adding towers of finely appointed rooms, as well as more dining and shopping, are the ante for staying in the game.
"We have 800 staff for 800 rooms at The Water Club. We believe we offered a great separation from the rest of the market when Borgata opened and we felt we could offer an even more intense service standard with The Water Club and that was the whole concept with that boutique approach," Larry Mullin, Borgata president and COO, said.
An overnight stay does not come cheap, with rates between $239 and $539 during October and November. Every room comes with water views, either of the Atlantic or the bay. Water is important here, with five swimming pools, both indoor and out.
When building any upscale experience, food is crucial. Guests have easy access to the Borgata’s restaurants, including modern Japanese pub Izakaya, Wolfgang Puck American Grille, Bobby Flay Steak or Michael Mina’s Seablue. Those who prefer room service will be content with a menu put together by Geoffrey Zakarian of Manhattan’s Country and Town. He is overseeing all Water Club food and beverage for the spa, pool, special events and room service. The chef said coming aboard was a simple decision.
"They wanted me to help brand a boutique hotel and bring in something different," Zakarian said. "It’s not just another hotel, it is an actual lifestyle hotel with no casino.
"I did do some research in Atlantic City. I went to all [the] restaurants. I found a lot of stuff I liked. [With the] Philly cheesesteak, a lot of them too heavy and greasy for me, so I invented one that is a little lighter. You can have it whenever you want."
Guests looking to dine in a more social setting can grab a bite at the Sunroom, the hotel’s lobby lounge. With the sounds of waterfalls in the background, the South Beach-inspired atmosphere is the perfect place to relax.
Zakarian, who was in town for the grand unveiling, enjoyed the finished product.
"Honestly, when you walk through the doors you don’t think you are in AC," he said. "When you get to the actual retail and the slots you go, ‘oh yeah I am in AC.’ You have the energy of the Borgata and the sophistication of The Water Club, and they both really help out each other.
Having retail adds to the formula. The Shoppes at The Water Club offers an array of options, including North America’s first Hearts On Fire, the place to purchase perfectly cut diamonds. Major names Hugo Boss, Just Cavalli and La Perla sit alongside Fixation, for complements of shoes and bags, and Cameo, which carries Water Club items, like towels, sheets and glasses. Shoppers can make Water Club purchases without leaving home at www.shopthewaterclub.com, which offers everything from comforters to the fish paperweights found in rooms.
"We believed we offered a great separation from the rest of the market when Borgata opened, and we felt we could offer a more intense service standard with The Water Club, and that was the whole concept with that boutique approach," Mullin said.
