The Claridge Hotel

Samantha at the front desk was a pleasure to deal with and very accommodating. The pool was closed for maintenance, but the hotel removed the resort fees, which we really appreciated. We’d booked through a third-party site at first, then made a last-minute reservation directly through the hotel for our daughter and found that direct booking was much cheaper. Good to know for next time. We loved the Claridge Hotel’s historic character. It stands apart from the other casino resorts on the strip, and felt quiet and peaceful away from the gambling bustle. Our 21st-floor room had a beautiful ocean view, which made the stay extra special. We’ll definitely stay at the Clairidge Hotel again!

The Claridge is a beautiful, one-of-a-kind tribute to old Atlantic City, and I loved the vintage colors, decor, and furniture in our cozy room. The bed was crisp and comfortable. We had the Drive-in Romantic getaway package, which was a great deal, and I’d happily do it again. There were a few room issues, though: the shower drained slowly, a lamp didn’t work, and some crevices looked worn, but those took a while to notice. Check-in started with a long line at about 5 p.m., and I waited around 30 minutes to speak to someone. Before that, my online booking had been canceled when my credit card didn’t go through. I called frantically the next morning, and a patient, kind woman at the hotel managed to keep and confirm the reservation. My package room wasn’t ready when I arrived, but the front desk person immediately gave me all the package perks and found us a beautiful high-floor room with an amazing view, so we could get in right away. I actually felt lucky the original room wasn’t ready. The elevators were slow and had a long wait around check-in, but over our two nights and three days we rode them constantly without any problems. They were fast and available after that. Most AC hotels have elevator trouble around check-in and checkout at certain towers, so it didn’t worry me. The Vue has long been a favorite of mine even before staying here. We visited twice and enjoyed very good food, good prices, a great vibe, and music. The staff there are always pleasant and wonderful. We were told it closed at midnight, but it shut at 11. I understand, since it was a slow night. The Twenties is another lovely vintage space, full of charm. On the first morning I tried to get breakfast at about 10:35. The young woman at the front said she’d have to check whether they were still seating people because they closed at 10:30, even though the front desk had told me 11. She also said the food would take a long time if I sat down. I got the impression she was trying to put me off eating there, which didn’t feel good, so I left. The next morning we arrived around 9:30 and two men were working. They were great, seated us right away, and our waiter was lovely with excellent service. The food and jazz were great too. I wanted the steak and eggs, which looked good, but the kitchen was out of steak that morning. It seems like The Claridge tries to offer daily room cleaning, unlike most hotels now. Around 4 p.m. a woman knocked to ask if we wanted service. We did, but needed about ten minutes to get out. I asked if that would be too late, and she said it would, though she brought us towels and whatever else we needed. I love Atlantic City and think this could be a premier hotel in its own category with a few small tweaks, so I wanted to give honest, detailed feedback. With more staff and stronger service, it could be way ahead of many nearby hotels. We’ll be back.

We slept well both nights, and the location was convenient, but there were plenty of frustrations. We arrived late after a long drive with my six-year-old for an event. The first key the front desk gave us didn’t work. After going up to the 14th floor and back down, I felt judged when the worker questioned which hand held the key and which held my phone, even though I’d said they weren’t near each other. He tried resetting the key, but it still didn’t work at the room at the end of the hall. A friendly female worker then gave us a different room. The room was okay if you ignored a pile of dirt and a half-eaten Jolly Rancher behind the bed and under the bedside table. There was no microwave or TV guide. Housekeeping took our dirty towels but didn’t replace them, so by day two we were sharing one, and by day three we had none. At the pool, staff brought out stacks of about eight towels, and people rushed to grab them for their rooms. My kid couldn’t get one to dry off. We walked from the eighth-floor pool to the front desk, where they said they had none and would bring some to the room. About an hour later they arrived. By then I’d already showered my kid and dried him with half a napkin and a pair of pajama pants. The bathroom, elevators, and main areas smelled of cigarettes and marijuana, and there were cigarette butts in the parking garage elevators. I also didn’t appreciate paying $25 per night for parking or the many hidden fees at checkout.

The shower design was especially annoying: you have to get all the way inside and get hit by cold water just to turn it on. They could let both glass doors slide so you can reach in first. The heater also made a loud noise at random through our first evening. The TV had no guide, channel list, apps like Netflix, or movies, and didn’t work well anyway. We’d booked months ahead for a convention center event and requested adjoining rooms, but they gave us rooms eight floors apart. The decor is very dated, and the smell was like someone’s grandma’s attic. Given the hotel’s history, I could live with the old-fashioned look if they modernized other things. There’s no reason for that smell in 2026. The large dispensary signs all over the lobby also detract from the antique feel. It wasn’t a relaxing stay.