stever

So, we decided last minute NOT to go to Ocean City, Maryland for our usual end of summer, 3 day stay. We have always been curious to go to Ocean City, NJ together instead of our usual OC Maryland trip, so this year we cancelled our plans with a week to go and booked the OC NJ, Mariott Residence Inn (vs. our usual Holiday Inn Express in OC, MD).

What a difference OC NJ was. We got to the area VERY early in the morning on 8/22 after leaving our house at 7am. It only took 3 hours to get there, faster than our OC Md trips by at least 30 minutes or so. We thought we'd hit Atlantic City first and THEN go to our hotel in Ocean City, so we headed to the Bally's parking garage to walk the boardwalk and get some breakfast or an early lunch. We got out of our car and smelled the most vile reek we have ever smelled in this garage. It reeked of pee, and smelled worse than our 4 cat's 2 litter boxes at their worst. Wherever we walked in this garage, it smelled the same. How can people pee that many times all over this garage and it not be cleaned up and "de-smelled" by Bally's staff? Don't they care what people think? It didn't leave the best impression on us. We had to hold our breath as we searched for the stairs, which also reeked and was littered with trash. I stayed here 20 years ago and it was nice then.

We walked through the miserably smoky casino and were appalled at the condition of the place and the stink. It looked run down, tired, and sad. Many people gambling at 1030am were half drunk looking with cigarettes hanging out of their mouths, looking like they'd been up all night doing the same thing.

We thought - "Atlantic City, this is going to be pretty bad" - oh, were we wrong about that. We got out of Bally's as fast as we could, were ready to head back to the car when we spotted a sign for the Pier Shops at Caesars.
http://www.thepiershopsatcaesars.com/index.html
60 new shops with 7 new restaurants? We're THERE! We walked in to this mall and were blown away by it's beauty, the water show (semi Bellagio style), the amazing architecture of the mall itself (even the wooden stairs to the 2nd and 3rd level were a work of art), the great shopping, the nice people in the stores, the unbelievable assortment of restaurants on the top floor, and the thought - "Why did it take so long to build something of quality like this in Atlantic City"? Apparantly the place is about a year old and we had a blast there, spending a bit more than we had originally intended to but were happy all the while.

We found out our favorite Philly restaurant Buddakan was on the top floor as well as The Continental Restaurant, our other favorite Philly place. We lunched at Buddakan
http://www.buddakanac.com/

and had the veggie rice dish big enough for 2, the edamame beans for 2, and the edamame ravioli (we asked for a couple extra ravioli) was delicious and left us very sated. We planned to go back the next night for dinner which we did and it was equally great. Split a wasabi encrusted filet mignon (our favorite) over mashed potatoes and a huge (small) house salad with ginger dressing and we were both full. It's really a bargain restaurant as the meals are so big you can split them.

We left the Pier Shops very happy and headed to the Marriott Residence Inn, Somers Pt, NJ for our stay. We got there, and our room seemed nice at first. We wanted a nice hotel right at the OC beach but gave up on that after looking on the net. Under $200 doesn't buy much in terms of quality lodging in OC right at the beach. We don't like to stay in small or dumpy hotels/motels and were unsure if the B&B's would be quiet or noisy. We didn't want to risk it so we stayed 3 miles away instead, at Somer's Point. It was a King Suite for $189 a nt and had a kitchen and a fireplace. They even did free dinners Monday-Thursday night at their breakfast area but it looked pretty bad to us. Perfect if you have kids, though. It didn't seem bad at first, but after staying there a night, and after our noisy neighbors came back and started making lots of noise walking around above us (I heard in advance that the floors were thin but this was ridiculous), we decided to leave. The breakfast the next day was awful, we just had cereal and left. Even the coffee was undrinkable. The people there were very nice to us at the front desk and had a great attitude, but the hotel wasn't great to us if you were staying in the non-Penthouse suites due to noise from walking around. The PH suites are above the king suites and wouldn't have much noise as no one would be walking on "top of" your room. It was $229 a nt. for the PH and we didn't want to pay that much. Live and learn... The hairblower was not working great either and it shorted out the whole "apartment" at one point. We had to wait 30 minutes for a guy to come and replace the fuse to get our lights back on when all we wanted to do was check out and leave that next day. The bed was fairly uncomfortable too but it was nice having a fire in the fireplace on a very cool summer night. The TV remote was missing when we checked in and it took a guy 20 minutes to get another remote to work while we waited with him in our room. He had troubles programming it.

The kitchen appliances were horribly dated, looking like they were 30+ years old with terrible wear on them. The carpet in the bathroom looked like bleach spilled all over it in spots and there was a white, dried liquidish spot on the sofa that we didn't care to guess what that was, though I'm sure you can imagine what it probably was.

We were told that Primo's
http://www.waltsoriginalprimopizza.com/
had great pizza so we tried them for dinner that first night. It was ok, not great. The salad was plain too with Paul Newman dressing in a packet on the side. Tasted just ok, but what do you expect from a pizza parlor, ya' know? We looked forward to trying Primo's competition the next day -Mack and Manco's on the boardwalk for comparison. I LOVE pizza and couldn't wait...

We called the Borgata Hotel in Atlantic City as we had visited it once and it looked amazing. They were $329 a nt and they wouldn't budge on price. WAY too much for us, so we called Harrahs by the marina (my wife didn't want to stay ON the boardwalk due to the perceived scuzziness of the scene there) which was supposed to be nice and they quoted us $169 for a 500sq ft room. 500 sq ft? We were psyched about that as that's alot of room for the money. We booked it and left the Marriott after that one night.

We did the boardwalk in OC that day before we left to go to Harrah's in Atlantic City We spent 2+ hours and had alot of fun getting taffy at Shrivers (the best on the planet (our opinion of course) with the best flavors too!)
http://64.68.157.93/Merchant2/mercha...ory_Code=swt01

We found the Bashful Banana place I used to go to 15 years ago too...
http://www.bashfulbanana.com/
Had an incredible banana whip with raspberry and strawberry mixed in and no sugar. Delicious, and no guilt.

Also made it to Mack and Manco's pizza place. The pizza was significantly better than Primo's though it had a bit too much cheese for our taste. It slithered down the sides as you bit into it.
http://www.mackandmancos.com/
There's NOTHING like Grotto Pizza
http://www.grottopizza.com/

in Rehobeth, Delaware. It's our favorite for beach trips. We were slightly disappointed by the pizza in OC, NJ but it was acceptable for sure.

The beaches in OC, NJ? That's another thing altogether. From what we saw on the boardwalk there, they looked awful. They have these rusted out drain pipes every few hundred feet or so breaking up the beach, as well as rocky outcroppings, PLUS you have to pay to use them? In OC, Maryland, the beaches blow these away, are alot wider and are free. No rusted pipes, no rocky outcroppings - just sun, sand, lifeguards and better views up and down the beach. Score another one for OC, MD.

We were done the boardwalk and decided to head to Atlantic City and see if we could check into our hotel. We realized we much prefer high rise hotels as they're quieter than the type we were just in, and the views from the top floors are outstanding. We asked Harrah's for a top floor room with a view.

When we got there, we were excited by all the gambling buzz and the nice lobby. We got to our room and it was very small but luxurious compared to where we just came from. It was also $20 a nt less which was good and free parking, not easy to find in Atlantic City (The Trump Marina and the Borgata both charge non-gamblers to park). I asked them why the reservations clerk misinformed us and said the room was 500 sq ft when it was nowhere near that size but they didn't know either... they offered to give us the room for only $129 and we were even happier. We don't gamble, so we would never earn a "comp" room, but at $129, it was close in price .

We set out for the day to go back to the Pier at Caesars to return some wrong sized items, buy some more stuff and eat dinner at Buddakan again. Had another blast in Atlantic City but parked at Caesar's self park this time. Much nicer garage without the pee smell that was overpowering at the other garage, plus direct access to the Pier Shops.

We called Caesar's just to see how much it would have cost to stay there out of curiosity and they told us that they were fully booked! Next week would have been $209 nt for the same nt. I guess it's almost worth staying there as you have the beach view (if you can get it), the easy access to the Pier Shops and the entertainment in Atlantic City (Comedy shows, concerts, etc).

We got back to the Harrah's and we were amazed how smoky the hotel had gotten since we left. Our room slightly reeked of smoke even though it was a non-smoking room, but we survived. They had nice marble in the bathroom and foyer that we appreciated and everything in the room was in nice shape. The lamps, the carpeting, the bed, and the shower were all in fine condition to us. Yeah, the room was a bit dated looks wise, but it was nice. It was very quiet too, even though they're doing construction.

The pool area is amazing there and brand new. Too bad they charge $10 for the gym though. I like that Starwood's and Four Season's throw that in for free.

All in all a fun trip. The casino smoke was a turn off for us in the hotels we visited (we're used to everything being non-smoking here in Maryland) but we're still planning on doing Las Vegas on December 3 for a week at the Wynn. We've never been there together so we look forward to that.

Cheers,

Steve and Julia R
Silver Spring, MD

bookhall

Great report! Thanks, guys...

wanderluster

Great report! Good to hear there's been some improvement in AC.

We totally agree; the beach in OC, MD is hands down superior to OC, NJ. What NJ has however, is *location location location*.

The OC, NJ surreys are a cute touch though, don't you think?

Thanks for the report!

wanderluster

Oh and just seeing the name Mack and Manco's pizza has me drooling!

stever

Thanks for the kind comments. Speaking of the NJ surreys, we were almost mowed down by them a few times on the OC boardwalk as the ratio of bikers and surreys to people seemed like 3 to 1! We've never seen so many bikes and surreys as you call them on a boardwalk before. Not sure if it was because it was a cool, misty day the last Thursday before school starts and everyone and their grandmother was on the OC NJ boardwalk or if it's always like that in the summer.

Steve R

amp322

Nice report. Thanks for sharing. For people who don't know much about AC, the Tropicana Quarters and Spice Row at Taj are some other newer options for finding good dining (shopping also, at Trop). There are outlets lining the walk from the boardwalk all the way to the convention center, if you are looking for affordable shopping (the Pier at Caesars has mostly expensive shops). Even if you don't gamble, you can find plenty to do for a few days.

stever

Thanks for the additional dining tips amp322. I'll have to check some of those out should we ever go back to Atlantic City, which would be a long time from now! Ocean City MD is hard to beat for family fun, but if you want to include high end shopping, Atlantic City has it beat hands down with it's new Pier Shops.

Steve R

karens

I enjoyed your report and observations. Growing up in PA, I've heard for years that OC, NJ is THE place to go with family at the Jersey shore. I had never been there until last year (people can't believe that), and I also was pondering those ugly pipes running down the beach. Ick.

We went last Labor Day and saw Carlos Mencia at the Borgata - the public areas in the casino are very nice. Couldn't believe the traffic around AC. We're heading down again for Labor Day, but are only going to be in OC with friends. Am looking forward to M&M pizza!

stever

Have fun then, Karens. I think I'll spend alot more time at the Borgata even if we aren't fortunate or moneyed enough at the time to stay there, shopping and eating at the Borgata's "swank for Atlantic City's" restaurants. I'm kind of mad that we didn't stop by there this visit... Oh well.

Steve R

BoniseA

I’m sorry you didn’t like the Marriott Residence Inn, Somers Pt, NJ. My husband has stayed there many times. I was there earlier this year. The fireplace was really nice. But DH knows about the thin floors/ceiling and tries to always get an upstairs apartment.

Years ago, before I met DH, he was staying there long term. He was standing outside of the entry way into two of the suites. He was drinking a beer and watching the sunset. A man came outside of the next door suite. DH and the man got to talking and DH gave him a beer. After a while the man said to DH, “you don’t know who I am, do you?” DH said he didn’t. The man said he was Johnny Mathis. Then DH realized it was indeed Johnny Mathis. Mathis was staying there with his hairdresser. Later that night DH could hear Mathis and the hairdresser having a fight. He said it was funny because they were calling each other the B word.

DH was staying there another time and Dolly Parton was staying there too. She likes to cook her own meals. So she likes Residence Inns for the kitchen. DH never saw her, but he did see her limo.

stever

Wow, those are really cool Marriott stories you have. I just wouldn't expect Johnny Mathis to be staying at a Residence Inn! The Borgata maybe, but not a Residence Inn.

Good stuff,
Steve R

amp322

This is so cool - a Johnny Mathis story popping up on an Ocean City/AC thread! I'm a violinist & have actually played with Johnny Mathis a few times, but not down in AC. He's a great guy, but on the road, all of the singers get stressed. I met his costume person, but I don't think I kow the hairdresser or the plastic surgeon,... lol!! OK, I'll leave him alone, because he is an awesome singer!!

amp322

PS- the word "kow" in the previous post should read "know"!

Maggi

Stever, your report couldn't have been more timely. We'll be in AC next weekend for a concert. I couldn't decide where to stay and since I had read not-so-good things about it, we opted for Cape May. But we will drive up to AC for part of the day and will probably eat at Buddakan on your recommendation. Thanks!

BoniseA

DH found out that I was posting his Johnny Mathis story on the 'net. He said to tell everyone that the reason famous people stay there is because it's away from the boardwalk. Everytime they leave their room they're not mobbed with people. It's a private place.

I like to tease DH about sharing Heinies (Heineken beer) with Johnny.

stever

Maggi - Enjoy Budakkan. You're in for a treat!

I still don't know any stars would stay at this residence Inn as it seemed fairly dumpy to us once you get past the quick, initial impression. To each his own.

I'm already having Shrivers taffy withdrawals though... I might have to check out their website and order some! Seeing that ancient taffy making machine in their boardwalk OC store really adds to the wonder...

Cheers ya'all,
Steve R

njsusan

Hi Steve-I was just reading your trip report from St John,and went to look at your pictures from your trip.
The first picture that I noticed(being a cat lover)was the one with your wife and your cat.Is your cat a silver Egyptian Mau?He looks just like my Mau.

Thanks for always posting tour trip reports,they are always a good read.
Susan

stever

Hi Susan... yes, I guess we both have an Egyptian Mau then. They're the best, are't they? They're the fastest running and highest jumping domestic cats. I adore that little kitty (we also have a Tonkinese, Oriental Shorthair and Ocicat).

Huge cat lovers here!

Steve R

Maggi

We're cat lovers too and swear by our Russian Blues. I've never seen an Egyptian Mau - they look great.

Steve R thanks a million for the reco on Buddakan. It was everything you said and more. We had one of our top meals ever there on Saturday.

stever

Maggi - Wow, glad you loved Buddakan as much as we did. It's one of the top reasons we'd come back to Atlantic City with our daughter.

Now, to find a reasonable priced hotel when we return that's a suite, that would accommodate our daughter and her friend in one room/section and me and my wife in the other.

Cheers,
Steve R