Howard Johnson by Wyndham Atlantic City
A budget Chelsea base offering oceanfront views and quick access to the Atlantic City beach and boardwalk.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
Located in the Chelsea area, this hotel provides an accessible base steps from the boardwalk, beach, and local casinos. Guests appreciate the comfortable beds, friendly staff, and balconies with oceanfront views. However, visitors frequently complain about maintenance shortfalls, including dated decor, cigarette smoke smells, and persistent traffic noise. 1310
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- Guests agree that the location in the Chelsea area provides quick access to the Atlantic City boardwalk, beach, and Tropicana Casino. 13910
- Multiple visitors highlight the spectacular oceanfront views from their balconies and waking up to the sound of the waves. 10
- Reviewers consistently praise the comfortable beds for providing a restful night of sleep. drawn from the full read
The catch
- While some guests report a remarkably quiet night, others complain that doors and windows fail to block out loud traffic noise. 7
- Reviewers are divided on room conditions, with some finding clean, comfortable quarters while others point out dated furnishings and curtains that do not close completely. drawn from the full read
Who it's for
- — Budget travelers wanting boardwalk and beach access
- — Casino-goers visiting Tropicana and Boardwalk Hall
- — Guests looking for oceanfront balcony views
Skip it if
- — Light sleepers sensitive to street traffic noise
- — Guests bothered by lingering cigarette smoke odors
- — Travelers looking for upscale, modern finishes
Seen on camera
24 moments · 3 videos · Howard Johnson by Wyndham Atlantic City
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“me go ahead and close this curtain because I feel like somebody might be peeking me this thing does not close all the wa…”
youtube.com1:18“and the one thing I really notice about these bathroom vanity lights is first of all they they have dust building up lik…”
youtube.com10:56“Ocean also has a ton of other activities to do for the entire family, including the largest Topgolf suite in the entire…”
youtube.com2:53“Spacious guest rooms feature modern bathrooms, plush bedding, and free high-speed Wi-Fi for a relaxing stay.”
youtube.com6:17“The ceilings you can see how it's bubbling up there let me pan up you see how it's kind of bubbling up there looking pre…”
youtube.com2:10“I hate this little like carpet going up the side of the wall it never turns out good”
youtube.com2:43“and then you got your Samsung TV this is a it looks like it's a 2012 model TV yeah it's fine I mean no big deal”
youtube.com3:34“looks like in the ceiling I'm not sure if that's mold or not but it doesn't look great does not look great”
youtube.com3:52“another thing I really noticed is the fact that you can really hear the traffic it is really loud the windows and the do…”
youtube.com5:11“yeah so check this out this bathroom is not looking great I mean it's lighting up like a Christmas tree over here all up…”
youtube.com8:16“and this is our shower curtain this thing is in rough condition I mean look at that why why I even keep this thing aroun…”
youtube.com10:44“very small room you're not going to get much in here this is probably one of the tiniest rooms I've been in as far as an…”
youtube.com12:08“what was I thinking to just really believe they would offer up a halfway decent breakfast was clearly asking for too muc…”
youtube.com15:37“yeah and I got to tell you this coffee is not good at all it tastes like water dirty water honestly so I think I'm going…”
youtube.com17:14“Comfortable rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a complimentary light breakfast help make every stay simple and convenient.”
youtube.com4:19“In the Chelsea area steps from the boardwalk and Atlantic City beach. It is close to Tropicana Casino and Boardwalk Hall…”
youtube.com9:04“so this area is actually I mean this is walkable and you have the iride trolley that picks you up right off this street…”
youtube.com21:16“Hard Rock Hotel recently opened in 2018 and very well decorated and we really like going there as well for gambling.”
youtube.com1:00“Yeah, absolutely. It's got ton of memorabilia from your favorite artist and it has great restaurants right on the boardw…”
youtube.com1:08“And they recently redid the rooms as well as the restaurant area. They included a new Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse where we…”
youtube.com1:56“and this AC unit looks absolutely horrible it's lighting up check this out look at all this back behind this wall and it…”
youtube.com9:50“Renovated in 2020, the hotel offers comfortable rooms with large beds, free Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs with HBO, refrigerato…”
youtube.com0:16“The hotel features spacious rooms with modern furnishings, refrigerators, in-room safes, and entertainment options for a…”
youtube.com5:09“And honestly, the customer service there is just really gone downhill as of late.”
youtube.com2:10Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
Paying $5 more direct is likely worthwhile if you value Wyndham Rewards points, status credit, or on-property benefits.
Prices shown are an estimated range, not a live quote — the booking site confirms the real rate for your dates.
This sits inside our estimated range for this hotel.
Confidence: low · modelled estimate, not a live quote. Check the supplier for the real rate on your dates.
Score breakdown
How the 68/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
73- “yeah so check this out this bathroom is not looking great I mean it's lighting up like a Christmas tree over here all up and down the is molding back here” 78:16
- “and the one thing I really notice about these bathroom vanity lights is first of all they they have dust building up like they haven't been dusted in like at least a year or so and another thing is one of them is not working so you have two working ones and then you have one it looks like it's barely working but you might as well just not be working at all” 710:56
Food
85- “Yeah, absolutely. It's got ton of memorabilia from your favorite artist and it has great restaurants right on the boardwalk including one of our favorites in all of Atlantic City, Council Oak Fish.” 21:08
- “And they recently redid the rooms as well as the restaurant area. They included a new Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse where we used our diamond celebration dinner and it was super delicious.” 21:56
Location
69Noise
88Room
68Service
76Bed & Sleep
73- “me go ahead and close this curtain because I feel like somebody might be peeking me this thing does not close all the way” 71:18
Value
71- “Bally's does not try to pretend to be something it is not. It is routinely the most cost conscious of the three Total Rewards properties in Atlantic City so you won't have to break the bank for a weekend night stay.” 9
- “While common complaints include fees for parking, Wi-Fi, and use of the fitness center, this hotel is kept clean and there are plentiful restaurant and nightlife options.” 3
Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-08-26
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
Falls short of what $ usually buys
Scores 19 points below the modest median of 87, across 197 hotels in the same bracket. In Atlantic City it sits 1 point below the local median of 69.
- This hotel
- 68
- Bracket median
- 87
- Index median
- 90
Based on 197 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
- 4 mentions
No location within the hotel draws repeated complaints yet.
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
View the 68 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “The room was clean and well stocked and the bed, comfortable.” 10
- “Plus, i think their beds are really comfy. We stayed at the HoJo in November 2023. Staff were amazing, rooms were super clean, the distance was doable for our 3- and 6-year-olds and we could see the fireworks from our balcony.” 12
- “The room seemed like it was recently remodeled.” 10
- “The room was clean, comfortable, and well-maintained.” 10
- “The room was wonderful...and that oceanfront view was spectacular.” 10
- “Staff were amazing, rooms were super clean, the distance was doable for our 3- and 6-year-olds and we could see the fireworks from our balcony.” 12
- “The rooms themselves received very little love before re-opening, and while the bathrooms are nice and up to Hyatt standards, the rest of the room needs some more updating.” 9
- “The hotel features spacious rooms with modern furnishings, refrigerators, in-room safes, and entertainment options for a relaxing stay.” On camera135:09
- “I'm a big HoJo's fan. Love the location, the mid-mod vibe, and definitely worth the splurge for a theme park view room to me.” 12
- “very small room you're not going to get much in here this is probably one of the tiniest rooms I've been in as far as any of the other Hotel tours I've done” On camera712:08
- “Love the location, the mid-mod vibe, and definitely worth the splurge for a theme park view room to me.” 12
- “The hotel itself also has a ton of open space and is very disjointed with some restaurants and the pool being on the hotel lobby floor, but the casino and other restaurants being on a completely separate floor.” 9
- “The quality of restaurants has been declining as well as of late.” 9
- “yeah and I got to tell you this coffee is not good at all it tastes like water dirty water honestly so I think I'm going to go ahead and dump it out” On camera717:14
- “what was I thinking to just really believe they would offer up a halfway decent breakfast was clearly asking for too much a lot of empty rooms coners and an abandoned Cafe but at least they have some OJ and coffee” On camera715:37
- “However, it was just me and my husband and we tend to walk fast, so if you have a stroller or small kids then it might take you a couple more minutes. There is no on-site food, but there is a little mini mart downstairs that's open until 10 or 11pm.” 12
- “Certain aspects of the Taj Mahal are dated, but the restaurants are more contemporary.” 3
- “Yeah, absolutely. It's got ton of memorabilia from your favorite artist and it has great restaurants right on the boardwalk including one of our favorites in all of Atlantic City, Council Oak Fish.” On camera21:08
- “Comfortable rooms, free Wi-Fi, and a complimentary light breakfast help make every stay simple and convenient.” On camera134:19
- “And they recently redid the rooms as well as the restaurant area. They included a new Gordon Ramsay Steakhouse where we used our diamond celebration dinner and it was super delicious.” On camera21:56
- “and the one thing I really notice about these bathroom vanity lights is first of all they they have dust building up like they haven't been dusted in like at least a year or so and another thing is one of them is not working so you have two working ones and then you have one it looks like it's barely working but you might as well just not be working at all” On camera710:56
- “yeah so check this out this bathroom is not looking great I mean it's lighting up like a Christmas tree over here all up and down the is molding back here” On camera78:16
- “me go ahead and close this curtain because I feel like somebody might be peeking me this thing does not close all the way” On camera71:18
- “Ocean also has a ton of other activities to do for the entire family, including the largest Topgolf suite in the entire northeast. And it's got a great location at the end of the boardwalk on the beach. And we really love it during the summer months.” On camera22:53
- “The hotel's location was perfect, with easy access to the beach and nearb...” 10
- “Love the location, the mid-mod vibe, and definitely worth the splurge for a theme park view room to me.” 12
- “I'm a big HoJo's fan. Love the location, the mid-mod vibe, and definitely worth the splurge for a theme park view room to me.” 12
- “In the Chelsea area steps from the boardwalk and Atlantic City beach. It is close to Tropicana Casino and Boardwalk Hall, making it a convenient base for exploring the city.” On camera139:04
- “Caesars also has a convenient location on the boardwalk and includes beach access and connected to Bally's Atlantic City.” 9
- “Great group rate and the location on the boardwalk can't be beat.” 10
- “so this area is actually I mean this is walkable and you have the iride trolley that picks you up right off this street right here I I really want to get on that one day the area is pretty nice if this was a nicer Hotel I would love to be staying in this area” On camera721:16
- “I like the HoJo best in the warmer months to take advantage of their splash area and waterslides but it's still a good location and a decent spot!” 12
- “I found that walk to be further than I wanted at the end of the day, especially after dark. As a woman on my own, I was not comfortable because the crowds really died down that far along Harbor.” 12
- “Hard Rock has a great location on the boardwalk, right next to the Pier providing non-gambling entertainment during the spring, summer and fall.” 9
- “The massive Trump Taj Mahal is located in a prime position on the Atlantic City boardwalk.” 3
- “As for the Howard Johnson it's actually my favorite of the Hotels just across the street. For me it has always been clean and the staff are nice.” 12
- “What a beautiful room! Excellent service, wonderful staff...What else could you ask for?” 10
- “The newer tower at the Borgata is the Water Club, which provides a more VIP feeling with its own separate entrance and check-in area. The rooms are top notch too, though not necessarily more spacious.” 9
- “Additionally, the customer service representatives on the phone and some in the casino just are not as polished as the Borgata.” 9
- “Everyone was so nice, friendly and helpful. Our room was very nice. Spacious and clean.” 10
- “Hats off to their staff. Awesome service!” 10
- “The staff was friendly and always ready to help with a smile.” 10
- “KittenMyttens • 2y ago We just stayed at the HoJo during our trip last month and we loved it! We didn't use the splash pad, but the staff was insanely nice, we enjoyed the little convenience store downstairs, the rooms were clean and comfortable, and the distance from the park was awesome.” 12
- “Everyone was so nice, friendly and helpful.” 10
- “Madonna and the rest of the team were efficient at check in (our group probably had 30+ rooms booked and all arrived together). More importantly, they were all friendly and seemed legitimately happy to see us!” 10
- “The Borgata just celebrated its fifteenth year anniversary, but their rooms remain fresh and clean and we can certainly say they have the best customer service in all of Atlantic City.” 9
- “Online check-in is a joke and absolutely useless.” 9
- “The customer service has just been downright terrible these past couple of years, having been treated with hostility even by members of hotel management and it is almost shocking to see.” 9
- “Plus, i think their beds are really comfy. We stayed at the HoJo in November 2023. Staff were amazing, rooms were super clean, the distance was doable for our 3- and 6-year-olds and we could see the fireworks from our balcony.” 12
- “The staff is maybe the nicest and most helpful off Disney property.” 12
- “The entire staff here was very professional and polite.” 10
- “The ceilings you can see how it's bubbling up there let me pan up you see how it's kind of bubbling up there looking pretty rough” On camera72:10
- “And honestly, the customer service there is just really gone downhill as of late.” On camera22:10
- “Another major problems with Caesars in Atlantic City is the rooms come with a Caesars Las Vegas like premium, but the property is just not that special. The rooms are nice, but not nice enough to command significant premiums over higher ranked hotels on this list.” 9
- “Staff were amazing, rooms were super clean, the distance was doable for our 3- and 6-year-olds and we could see the fireworks from our balcony.” 12
- “For me it has always been clean and the staff are nice. It also is usually very reasonable price wise and, while it doesn't matter for me and my friends, they do tend to have a number of different activities/ handouts/ etc. for families which is nice for families lol.” 12
- “The only slight miss is that during the non-summer months, there is a limited/no service at the indoor pool, but there is a bar next door to the pool, avoiding the same long walk I had to make for a drink at Hard Rock.” 9
- “Madonna and the rest of the team were efficient at check in (our group probably had 30+ rooms booked and all arrived together).” 10
- “Thank you to the HoJo staff for taking care of us year after year.” 10
- “and then you got your Samsung TV this is a it looks like it's a 2012 model TV yeah it's fine I mean no big deal” On camera73:34
- “We stayed at Americas best value for a couple years and decided to upgrade last time and went for a big room at Excalibur and didnt feel like it was worth it at all. We ended up paying over twice what we had been at abv and for what? We were never there except to sleep and get ready to go back out.” 14
- “Recently, Harrah's has begun revamping their Bayfront and Marina tower rooms, and generally they have fairly priced rooms, though occasionally they can be a bit expensive.” 9
- “Total Rewards charges the highest resort fees in all of Atlantic City, topping $30 per night when including tax, but at Caesars that pretty much gets you nothing, WiFi and a $5 discount on $15 parking, which is also more than other hotels charge (unless you have status).” 9
- “I think it's overpriced for the size of rooms and location. You can find larger rooms closer to the entrance.” 12
- “While common complaints include fees for parking, Wi-Fi, and use of the fitness center, this hotel is kept clean and there are plentiful restaurant and nightlife options.” 3
- “Bally's does not try to pretend to be something it is not. It is routinely the most cost conscious of the three Total Rewards properties in Atlantic City so you won't have to break the bank for a weekend night stay.” 9
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- No reviewer has named an individual room number here yet.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about floor level.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 2 sources — too thin to rely on.
- 16 sources carry no publication date, so we cannot tell how current they are.
Ask about Howard Johnson by Wyndham Atlantic City
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How much we read
Deep coverage · 58/100We read 16 sources for this property, and pulled 116 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-08-28.
Watch this hotel
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Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
3 of 5 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 16 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 1Howard Johnson By Wyndham Atlantic Cityhotelsinatlanticcity.netReview siteDate not statedRead originalhotelsinatlanticcity.net
- 2ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL REVIEW - 5 BEST ATLANTIC CITY ...youtube.comVideoDate not statedListened for quotes only5 quotes used
“Ocean also has a ton of other activities to do for the entire family, including the largest Topgolf suite in the entire northeast. And it's got a great location at the end of the boardwalk on the beach. And we really lov…”
Read originalyoutube.com - 3Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City Reviewoyster.comReview siteDate not stated7 quotes used
“Contemporary rooms in the Chairman Tower -- with bursts of color and floor-to-ceiling windows -- are some of the most desirable.”
Read originaloyster.com - 4HOWARD JOHNSON BY WYNDHAM ATLANTIC CITY ...howard-johnson-by-wyndham-atlantic-city.wheree.comReview siteDate not statedRead originalhoward-johnson-by-wyndham-atlantic-city.wheree.com
- 5Howard Johnson by Wyndham Atlantic Citywyndhamhotels.comReview siteDate not statedRead originalwyndhamhotels.com
- 6Howard Johnson By Wyndham Atlantic Cityatlanticcityhotels.infoReview siteDate not statedRead originalatlanticcityhotels.info
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