Hotel Review: Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa (★★★★)

A destination hotel that has it all, including wildly comfy rooms that make it easy to stay in all weekend.

Borgata isn’t just a hotel casino and spa, it is an experience.

Just 120 miles south of New York City and 60 miles east of Philadelphia, this massive hotel celebrating its 20th year includes over 2,700 rooms and suites across its main Borgata Tower and its MGM Tower, meaning you’ve got options. Earlier this year, Borgata did a $55 million remodel of the Water Club (rebranded as the MGM Tower) to include 700 completely reimagined guest rooms and add a collection of luxury “Vista Suites” with wraparound views of the Atlantic City skyline.

Walking into my room with a plush, king-sized bed with crisp linens and a gorgeous sweeping view of Absecon Bay, I was immediately de-stressed from my over-two-hour trip from NYC. The airy room, which was one of the revamped MGM Tower rooms, welcomed me with a nautical palette of neutral and blue tones accented with deep wood finishes. The shower was massive for one person and was sequestered away from the toilet, thankfully, which has its own door. I was comfortable working from my room thanks to the spacious layout that includes a nicely sized table.

Thousands of people pour into its 161,000-square-foot casino (packed with 176 gaming tables and 2,859 slot machines) or 13 shops and 15 restaurants every day! My favorite places to dine were American Bar & Grille (order the corn soup and the truffle pizza) and B-Prime (you can’t go wrong with its steaks, of course). After dinner, its nightclub, Premier, has a wide range of acts but especially good electronic music—Pauly D, included.

Borgata also has two indoor and two outdoor pools across its property, complete with pool menus so you can sip poolside. There’s also a spa, a barbershop and salon and a gym for those who need a little self-care between taking in shows and gambling.

There’s so much to do at Borgata that I could have simply never left the entire weekend I stayed.

Neighborhood: Atlantic City, known for its gambling and casinos, actually has a thriving community outside of the glitz, especially in the up-and-coming Orange Loop neighborhood and Tennessee Avenue which is filled with new restaurants, beer halls and shops. AC’s boardwalk is a fun jaunt, too, with restaurants and bars along the way and a fun carnival atmosphere at Steel Pier. If you plan on leaving Borgata, you’ll need to have a car or ride the public transit bus, the Jitney.

Nearby: Harrah’s is next door to Borgata, but most of the action (and other casinos) is about a 10-minute car or Jitney ride away, including Steel Pier with its rides and carnival games, Showboat and its arcade, and the ocean.

Time Out Tip: Leave the Borgata and search out other fun things to do like spending the day at the world’s largest indoor beachfront waterpark at Showboat and renting a private cabana at Ocean Resort.