Tropicana
Brighton Avenue and the Boardwalk, Atlantic City
(800) 843-8767
tropicana.net
Cost: Rooms start at $69 (Mon.-Thurs.) and $195 (Sat.-Sun.).
Drive time: About 90 minutes from the Main Line (you know the drill).
Amenities: Spa, indoor and outdoor pools, cabana service, salon, business center, casino.
The scoop: While the Trop’s Havana Tower may sound exotic, the rooms are standard-issue casino generic. But, hey, you’re not in A.C. to hibernate anyhow—especially when The Quarter awaits. This 200,000-square-foot indoor shopping, dining and entertainment complex was designed to evoke 1940s Cuba, and its domed ceiling and subtle lighting combine to replicate a gorgeous chunk of horizon at different times of day.
Don’t miss: The Swedish massage at Bluemercury’s Resort Spa (609-347-7778, bluemercury.com) is so relaxing they may have to wheel you out on a gurney. For couples: Try dinner in a secret booth—with privacy curtains and internal sound system—at Red Square (609-344-9100), Jeffrey Chodorow’s trendy Soviet-themed restaurant and vodka bar. Be sure to call ahead for availability.
