Chelsea Lately
The Beatrice Inn Hits the Beach

Like any gambler to grace its sandy shores, Atlantic City has been up and Atlantic City has been down.

Right now, there are some real signs of life down the shore—plus we've always had a soft spot for the East Coast old-school Vegas.

So with next Friday's opening of The Chelsea, the new Soho-meets-Miami retro boutique hotel that brazenly opted not to have gaming (it's crazy but it just might work), you might want to consider making your reservation now.

You may not be able to sit down for a leisurely game of baccarat, but all that means to us is that you won't have to mix with the nursing-home slots crowd. This is your opportunity to lounge in peace with a cocktail at the lower-level saltwater pool, or the Fifth Floor (more on that later) terrace pool, decked out with oversized lounges and a large fire pit, before heading indoors for...more cocktails.

You'll want to exert most of your effort on the Fifth Floor, the indoor/outdoor nightlife playpen designed and run by Matt and Paul of the Beatrice Inn, consisting of the Game Room (for scotch and billiards), the Living Room and the Terrace, the outdoor rock-and-roll hipster ying to the Beatrice's yang. And even though it has an ocean view, the vista may have trouble competing with the scene.

Is that Lohan making out with Ronson in the pool?