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Ballys or Harrahs? AC?

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Casino Hotels' started by Lmarl72936, Mar 10, 2017.

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  1. Lmarl72936

    Lmarl72936 Low-Roller

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    Im going to AC next weekend. I go to Vegas often however I have never been to AC. Going just to go. Staying at Ballys... Im reading that the pool area charges for use. Is this true? Does the Harrah's pool area charge to use the pool too? I'm debating whether to switch properties. Both resorts are comp'd so im not paying anything other than tax and some sort of $8 fee. Dont know why im paying the $8 fee since I hold a diamond card but oh well its not a big deal... I'll have a car so it wont be a big deal to move to Harrahs and drive to Bally's to explore the boardwalk area. Anyone know if the Diamond Lounges in AC are comparable to Vegas?
    Anything worth while to check out in AC? Thanks everyone!!
     
  2. pfunk

    pfunk Low-Roller

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    If you get a host to book your stay, the $8 AC tourism tax is waived. Sometimes, you can get the VIP registration to remove this. Bally's is connected to Caesar's and the Wild West Casino. The WW has a party atmosphere with music on weekends if that's your thing. Harrah's pool turns into a night club on weekends and it's just been renovated. The renovated Bayview rooms are best. Harrah's is close to the Golden Nugget and Borgata.
     
  3. NandJfrmNJ

    NandJfrmNJ VIP Whale

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    Harrah's by a long shot. Bally's only advantage is that it's on the Boardwalk and Caesar's is right next door but that won't be a problem since you have a car. The DL are MUCH better than those in LV. They all have a full buffet and the food is pretty good. The DL's at Caesar's and Bally's are very large with expansive views of the Boardwalk and ocean; the one at Harrah's is smaller and has minimal views of the bay. They do charge $10 comp dollars unless you have 25K points but they're well worth it.

    The pool at Harrah's is awesome-no kids allowed. There is another indoor pool in one of the other towers that does allow kids but we never go there. No charge for the pool unless you're going to one of the pool bashes on the weekend and, unless you're a 20 something, you probably wouldn't enjoy it.
     
  4. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    I definitely recommend Harrah's. It's worlds better than the other two TR casinos. I only stay at Ceasar's because it's on the boardwalk and because I've had much better luck there than at Harrah's.
     
  5. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    I prefer Bally's over Harrah's due to the boardwalk location, its right next to Caesars, and there are more dining and drinking options. The Tropicana is a short walk if the weather is nice. I always seem to make a donation at Harrah's, but I will say the rooms are nice.

    At Bally's, I have only stayed in the Dennis Tower and the rooms are fairly spartan. The Dennis Tower was the old Dennis Hotel built in 1911 (north tower) and 1925 (south tower). Good Luck!
     
  6. smerrian

    smerrian View from Bally's

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    As others have stated, Harrah's is a much better property. Harrah's is CZR best property in AC. (remember that it's Caesars on the boardwalk and NOT 'Caesars Palace' like in LV).

    The pool at Harrah's is large and is located in a huge glass domed atrium complete with many hot tubs, a full bar and a lot of tropical foliage including full sized palm trees...very nice. The pool at Bally's, while nice, is not nearly as nice as Harrah's pool. Both pools have free access for guests during the day. Harrah's has the best pool in AC.

    The spa at Harrah's is privately owned Red Door spa. They charge about $40-50 to use their spa...even for diamond guests. The spa at Bally's is more abridged and they charge a smaller fee. The spa at Caesars is a Qua spa and though it also charges $40-50 to use it's not quite as good as the one in LV. Connected to Bally's is the Claridge Tower. The Claridge tower also has a small spa in it that is free to use for Bally's guests but I'm not sure if they still have the Claridge Tower and it's pool and spa open. Worth looking into.

    The diamond lounges in AC are the best in the country for CZR properties. Full meals with soups, salads, desserts. Basically, a full, if slightly abridged, buffet. Like NandJ said, totally free if you have 25,000 tier points or $10comp/person if you have diamond status under 25,000 points. 2 guests/card (that's you and one other person) and extra guests cost $25comp/guest (if you want to bring in more than one other person with you). I like the food at Harrah's a bit more than Bally's or Caesars but it's basically the same. Harrah's has a crappy view, Caesars has a good view of the boardwalk. Bally's has a good view of the boardwalk and a really nice bar setup. No comparison to the LV lounges which are just plain disappointing.

    I like the Tower Rooms at Bally's...ask for an ocean front/view if possible. Corner rooms even better. The other towers (not really 'towers') are okay, too...converted from previous hotels that were at the location before it was built up into Bally's (Dennis, Garden, Claridge). At Harrah's the Bay View rooms are my favorite even before they were rehabbed. This was just completed a month, or so, ago. Water Front Tower is good, Atrium tower is good. Really no 'bad' rooms at either location; just some are better.

    Free parking with your diamond card...even on Sat night.
     
  7. hotreds

    hotreds Illegitimi non carborundum!

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    I have stayed at Harrah's and Caesar's. Not sure why you didn't include the latter in your options. Being on the Boardwalk is very nice, and when we were at Harrah's we ended up taking the shuttle to the Boardwalk each day. So far the best restaurants we have encountered were both at the Tropicana; Carmine's and Cuba Libre. Guy Fieri's at Bally is not recommended. I asked similar questions in a coupla threads a while back, search for them for some very good info! Enjoy your trip, SWMBO and I do enjoy A/C, basically it is all relaxation, unlike Vegas, where we go to at least one show everyday!
     
  8. grosx2

    grosx2 Have fun storming the castle!

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    Recently moved back home to Chicago and considering an AC trip this year. Would the properties basically be summed up like this:

    Harrahs - nicest, but not the best location
    Caesars - next nicest, but better location
    Ballys - really no reason to stay here when you are comped at all three CET props

    Accurate?
     
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  9. Lmarl72936

    Lmarl72936 Low-Roller

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    Thanks everyone! you guys are awesome! i think i'll switch to Harrahs the second im done posting this. Im excited to check out AC. Im a low diamond so it looks like im paying the $$ to get in but to me its worth it. Sad that next weekend its going to be cold but thats ok.
     
  10. lithium78

    lithium78 VIP Whale

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    I have stayed at all three casino hotels and Caesars is by far my favorite. Their Centurion Tower rooms are magnificent. On par, I think, with the Octavius Tower standard rooms at CP in Vegas. I stayed in the Bally's Tower at Bally's and I thought it was okay. Not great, but all right. I stayed in the Bayview Tower at Harrah's before the renovation and I thought it wasn't great. Felt like I was staying at a budget hotel and it was their second highest level standard room.

    Caesars has the better casino, in my opinion, because I'm a non-smoker and they have an entire non-smoking floor. I could actually breathe. Their buffet was also much, much better than the one at Harrah's.
     
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  11. smerrian

    smerrian View from Bally's

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    > Yes, Caesars Centurion Tower has very nice rooms but I like the bathrooms much better in Harrah's Bay View Tower...they have a walk in shower AND a large deep tub. The rooms are above average and with the shower/tub available they top my list.
    > Caesars does have a non-smoking floor to their casino but it has no table games and only lousy paytables for video poker. If you only play slots it works for you...but it just seems to me that they probably put poor RNG programs in their upstairs slots.
    > Surprised that you like Caesars buffet so much. Borgata and Harrah's always fight it out for #1 and #2 spots in polling data. Well, to each his/her own. :)
     
  12. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    One thing to add on Harrahs AC that I'm not sure I read - there are numerous towers - try to get in the best one you can in terms of room quality. Back in the day when I went this was the Waterfront Tower and then I think the second best was the Baymont or something like that, but it's been ~5 years since I have been.

    Others will have to comment on what is the best.
     
  13. JRSOBX

    JRSOBX Low-Roller

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    I received a random call from a Ballys host saying he was assigned to me account and that he would gladly give me a room whenever I needed it. I have never stayed at Ballys. The only time I would gamble there is when cocktail service got a little slow at Caesars so I would walk next door, put a few bucks in a slot machine and order a drink from the machine.

    I decided to try out my new host and booked a room at Ballys, knowing I could have booked a free room at Caesars online myself. It was the worst room I have ever seen and I've stayed in interstate hotel rooms that cost $29/night. Everything was broken and/or soiled, there was graffitti in the bathroom that said, "XXX was here 08/29/2012" which made me think they had not bothered to clean the bathroom for a few years. My better half nearly refused to stay there. We checked out the next day and went home.

    I like Caesars and Harrahs. Caesars has a better location but Harrahs is more spread out and generally nicer.
     
  14. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    Bally's is the worst of the three by far in terms of rooms. I stayed at the "nicer" Jubilee rooms and still hated it. Also, the room in the Dennis tower start from the casino floor level -- feels like there's no privacy. I'll stick to the cleaner, nicer and newer properties. That said, I do like Bally's gambling options (there high limit areas are literally triple the size of Ceasar's) and nightlife scene.
     
    Last edited: Mar 13, 2017
  15. hammie

    hammie VIP Whale

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    Forgot about that, the Mountain Bar usually has a live band on Friday and Saturday nights.
     
  16. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    I need to coordinate an AC meet on this board. Didn't realize there was such an AC following on here.
     
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  17. Tony Y

    Tony Y Low-Roller

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    Spdandpwr.....not to hijack but will be at Borgata April 9th & 10th if anyone wants to meet up
     
  18. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    i'm in Vegas the week after -- haha, that's too much gambling...then again...
     
  19. Tony Y

    Tony Y Low-Roller

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    I wish you save travels and great luck............. we will meet another time
     
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