The Tropicana is still a Bargain!
Written: Jul 08 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Price, the New Quarter, Large Casino
Cons: Long Walk from Casino to Hotel Areas
The Bottom Line: The Trop has done a Great Job Updating to attract a more Trendy Crowd but they haven't forgotten the Budget-Minded!
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| wwtom's Full Review: Tropicana Casino and Resort |
This was the 3rd time I've stayed at the Trop in 2yrs so I guess I must Like the place!
LOCATION
Directly on the Boardwalk approx. 6 blocks or so South of the Main Group of Casinos at the "Center" of the Boardwalk but only 4 blocks North of the Hilton which marks the Bottom end. You will find that to be located in the "Middle of the Action" will cost you more in Price than the Trop.
ROOMS
If you like you CAN spend about as much as you will for staying at Bally's, Ceasars and Trump Plaza by booking your stay at the New Havana Tower. I've heard those accomodations are nicer but what would you expect, it's only 1 year old!
I've booked All of my stays at the older West Tower which will save you Substantially and have been well pleased with the Contemporary Styling, the White and Blue coloring appeals to me, the TV is a smaller 19" set (How much time are you going to sit in your room and watch TV anyway?) but the Bathrooms are Large probably to ease Handicapped Access throughout the property.
FOOD
The Opening of "The Quarter" provided the Trop with the opportunity to add several Upscale Restaurants and Bars, suffice it to say that I'm simply NOT an Upscale Person so despite the Grand New Decor of "The Quarter", I passed it up for my more Traditional Favorites. Corky's Ribs and BBQ just should not be missed! Definitely serving some of the Best BBQ that I've tasted, Corky's also has an Extremely Affordable Breakfast Menu. Hooters, well what can I say, the food there is good enough for me and the scenery there isn't bad either. One of the Trop's In-House Restaurants, the Seaside Cafe has a Brick Pizza Oven and delivered a Very Tasty Pizza at a price that was more than Reasonable!
SHOPPING
The Quarter is home to more than a Dozen Upscale Shops, that may be fine and dandy for some of you but I confined my activities to Browsing. Even the Regular Hotel Gift and Sundries Shops were as expected, Overpriced. Heck, they were selling a Hawaiian Gambling Shirt for $50 that I had bought on Ebay for $20.
ENTERTAINMENT
The Trop now boasts AC's only IMAX theater along with several other attractions but there are Bands playing at different times both in The Quarter and the Main Casino Bar that won't cost you a Cent. Besides I thought that when you went to a Casino, Gambling WAS the Entertainment! Which brings us to....
CASINO
The Trop, according to "Simply Slots" Magazine has 4,252 Slot Machines which is Second only to Bally's, consider though that Bally's Total is a Combination of 3 Casinos, Park Place, the Wild West and the Claridge making the Trop the Leader in Slots under One Roof! "Simply Slots" magazine also lists the Trops' OVERALL Payout Percentage at 91.3% for the month of March 2005 (the latest obtainable figures). This is a tad low compared to most of the other AC Casinos but this figure varies from Month to Month (figures published in the magazine are from the New Jersey Casino Control Commission)
Table games have been Expanded and they have Enlarged their Poker Room due to the Demand caused by all those Poker Shows on TV.
Penny Slots continue to gain in Popularity, the former "Fortune Dome" area has been renamed the "Penny Pavillion" and there are other Penny machines scattered around. For the Un-Initiated, Penny Slots can still Cost you, if you figure 25 Lines at 5 Coins per Line, that's still $1.25 a Spin, but you'll find yourself usually playing Longer and still hitting $50 to $100 payouts more frequently. At least I did!
HINTS
Book your stay from Mondays to Thursdays and get the Best Prices.
Don't check in at the Main desk, avoid the lines, when you come out of the "A" garage or elevator, DON'T go across the Walkway into the Casino, go to your LEFT down the Hall, there is a person there at a Concierge Desk who will Check you in right there!
OVERALL
The Tropicana WOW'ed me on my 1st visit to AC over a year ago and continues to be my Favorite place to stay. I'm already looking at Booking again sometime in Sept.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
wwtom
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Member: Tom
Location: Baltimore, MD
Reviews written: 17
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
I'm over 50 but you CAN Trust Me!
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