Image: Lauren DeLisa Coleman
Revel Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, N.J. will crush all your previous notions about this few-steps-from-seedy, gambling town.
While no self-respecting tech sylista would be caught dead next to the blue-hairs and saltwater taffy at the Tropicana or Showboat, and Harrah’s and Borgata have offered some flavor for those who appreciate chic fun, Revel outshines the rest in terms of efficient and slick tech usage.
Behold the gleaming glass behemoth, located at the far north end of the town and christened by Beyonce’s performances in its Ovation concert venue during Memorial Day weekend, complete with Mrs. Obama and daughters in the audience. Converging the hot South Beach vibe with the over-the-top nature of Vegas, the Revel team really focused on seamlessly integrating a tech aspect within the casino/resort experience.
Check in or out at the push of a button. Image: Lauren DeLisa Coleman
To begin, guests can check in and out electronically via a circle of kiosks and bypass the whole scene at the registration counter should that so be the desire, just as you would at the airport. After a quick elevator ride, room entry meets digital. Forget those swipes and dips of cards where the light almost never turns green for access. Simply touch the plastic room card to a circular space just above the handle and voila. Works every time.
Arrived at night after a long flight? Don’t want to be bothered by housekeeping too early? Don’t look for any tacky knob holders or light switches. All of the lights are controlled by one simple button on a wall pad. Located on the same pad is a “do not disturb” button that is activated when touched, emitting a cool red glow outside the door to indicate your unavailability.
Time to drop the bags and settle in. Get a feel for the property or check a few emails without turning on your computer. Each room comes with a Cisco Tablet and phone all-in-one. The tablet is easily removed from its built-in charging dock and ready to roll. The content on the property, though not yet robust, is promising and the inclusion of the device itself signals Revel understands it is speaking to the modern-day, tech-savvy fashionista. Complete with lightning fast wifi, one really can’t ask for more.
Revel has actually suffered from poor casino earnings since its April opening, only saved on Friday from a state regulatory investigation into its financial stability.
“Because our business model is the way it is, our cost on a daily basis is significantly lower than most folks believe,” sad Revel Entertainment CEO Kevin DeSanctis. From the beginning Revel was sold as a “non-gaming” alternative to all else that Atlantic City has to offer, with a focus on fine dining, shopping and spas. Much thought and care seems to have gone into using innovation to entice and engage the influencer-generation. Revel’s offerings provide a more holistic lifestyle offering that could lead to quite robust future revenues.
There are a number of other tech integrations on the property outside of the room, but one that is most impressive is inside Revel’s new nightclub HQ. If you appreciate state-of-the-art lasers and two-story screens complete with “running” video, then this is the place for you. And only two of the four floors are open so who knows what other goodies will be in store.
Not to spoil any of your own personal discovery, the virtual journey will stop here. Online pricing starts at $209 a room.
