The Chelsea

This is the The Chelsea Hotel as it opened in Spring 1899. Many famous guests stayed there including; Presidents William Howard Taft, Woodrow Wilson and Franklin Roosevelt. The new Chelsea Hotel opened in Atlantic City in July, 2008 and that is what I will be reviewing today.




First a moment of silence for the original.




Ok, so we're talking about the NEW Chelsea Hotel. The website states that "The Chelsea ushers in a new era of Atlantic City chic, re-imagining the fabled heyday of “America's Playground” for the savvy modern traveler. The first non-gaming hotel to grace the Boardwalk since the 1960s, the Chelsea captures imaginations by conjuring the long-lost glamour and sophistication of this seaside resort town as a magical retreat where leisure and luxury come together in a perfect blend of great service, true comfort, and alluring spaces." Just by looking at this sign it kind of harkens back to the old Las Vegas and Rat Pack Days. And that is what I found inside, a classy, upscale comfortable place to stay.



I was plenty excited to move to Atlantic City, but it also finally gave me a chance to check out the one hotel that I'd been hearing a lot of buzz about. Last year, the scene was all about The Pool at Harrah's and earlier this summer, DJ AM's Dusk. Although The Chelsea opened last year the buzz really started humming around the time that The Chelsea tapped The VINE Group, comprised of my friends Dennis Piccone & Jimmy Richards to take over promotions for this club and they re-launched it as "The Fifth Floor" this past spring. The Fifth Floor is the entertainment and nightlife destination within the Chelsea Hotel. Located on the fifth floor, The Fifth has options for all tastes and all hours of the night including the Living Room, the Cabana Club, C5, and Chelsea Prime. These elements combine to make the most incredible destination for all of your nightlife desires. Sip champagne and cocktails in the Living Room, dine at Chelsea Prime, lounge with friends at the Cabana Club, and dance until late night at C5.



The Chelsea Hotel is a resort, Atlantic City's Club Med, if you will. There's a daytime party by the pool, set up with multiple bars, food, servers to wait on your every need, a DJ to get you in the groove, a great pool and people to mingle, oh and occasionally a little dancing in place.



There's also private Cabanas where you can hang out with your friends, relax, watch TV.. yeah that's right, you can go to the pool with your girlfriend/wife etc and while she's working on her tan you can watch the game in your private Cabana. Talk about escaping the stresses of the day!



Inside the hotel, I think they call this the C5 part, you will find a pool room with this very funky light fixture, as well as original shots of the hotel from it's inception which was actually two different hotels -- a Holiday Inn and a Howard Johnson's. I remember when I had stopped by weeks earlier it was this space that got me thinking what was this place like in the evening, and having stayed in Miami's Delano, I had a feeling it had the same hip vibe.



I love when entertainment spaces think outside of the box. I remember reading of The Chelsea's opening last year and hearing that their target audience was NYC. Well, NYC already had a lot of cool hip places to call their own, and the summer crowd heads to the Hamptons. Philly was starving for a place like this at the beach. A one stop shopping resort party zone, especially for the younger, money spending set, because even though the decor may reflect your parent's generation, or even your grandparent's, there's a good chance you're not going to find them here. It's young, hip, fresh and energized. I really loved it.. can you tell?



This is The Living Room on the Fifth Floor. Behind the curtain is a balcony that runs the length of the 5th floor. Great for lounging and looking at the ocean, at night great for chatting and enjoying the crash of the waves.



Chelsea Prime is located on the Fifth Floor, “the hotel’s social scene and destination.”

Where else would the Chelsea locate its signature steakhouse, Chelsea Prime? Renowned restaurateur Stephen Starr dreamed up this restaurant and cocktail lounge, the focal point of the 5th Floor, in a setting evocative of a 1940s supper club with options for both indoor and outdoor dining. The cocktail lounge with a banjo-shaped bar and entertainment in the form of a suitably timeless white grand piano are complimented by an incredible cocktail menu and energy flow from the adjoining Living Room. Chelsea Prime is filled with classic black and white photographs of 1940s Atlantic City and features elevated, Hollywood-style booths and sweeping ocean views. While Chelsea Prime is classically authentic in design, it's style, food, and energy are modern and glamorous. The restaurant is the perfect place to begin a night of socializing at the Chelsea or end of day of sun and cocktails by the pool.







On the Chelsea's ground floor, guests can enjoy a dining experience at Teplitzky's, a Stephen Starr original concept restaurant and mid-century-inspired diner which pays homage to the original hotel owner.

With both indoor and secluded outdoor seating, reminiscent of a Palm Beach garden café, locals and hotel guests have the opportunity to watch passers-by on Chelsea Avenue or enjoy a drink in the cocktail lounge in the back which opens out onto a heated salt-water swimming pool area of the Sea Spa complex.

Teplitzky’s serves diner-inspired food in a fun, classic setting that also houses a bar and coffee shop brought to life with original terrazzo floors, redwood walls, and cantilevered stools. Teplitzky's also provides the hotel's twenty-four-hour room service, and a poolside menu from its hideaway cocktail lounge.




As you can see there are many great nooks, crannies and seating areas for you to catch up with old friends, chat with new ones or just hang out. That was another plus I liked about the place. They are bringing it and the rest of it is up to you to make your fun, enjoy the music and have a great time.

So get your ass down to Atlantic City and enjoy The Chelsea and all it has to offer before the first frost is upon us. But don't worry.. long after the beach towels are washed, and the beach chairs are put away, The Chelsea will still be buzzing along.. did I mention they have three fireplaces on The Fifth Floor?? The party may be a little more chill, but the music doesn't stop there. Check out their website to see what they have planned for the coming months.

Http://www.thechelsea-ac.com