Conferences, theatre-style sessions for 350, banquets for up to 250, weddings and rooftop receptions can be organized at the Claridge in Atlantic City, a 24-story hotel opened in 1930 next to Brighton Park and a short walk from the Boardwalk. The building gathers two ballrooms, a conference center, a theatre and several smaller rooms under one roof, with guest rooms for delegates and wedding parties.
Seminars and company events
The Conference Center offers flexible meeting rooms with audiovisual equipment, high-speed internet and technical support on site, for formats from a small meeting to a full conference. For a general session or an awards show, the Celebrity Theatre seats up to 350 in theatre style, with banquettes. The Ocean View room then takes the group for a banquet of up to 250 facing the ocean. Room blocks for attendees are handled through a separate group accommodation request, and the sales team prepares event proposals. The hotel has a long record with large gatherings: in 1943 it hosted a world conference of UNRRA, the United Nations relief administration.
Weddings and receptions
The Grand Ballroom, with antique crystal chandeliers and a direct view over Brighton Park, the Boardwalk and the ocean, and the Main Ballroom, a larger room of simpler design, are the two main wedding rooms. The Art Gallery, with high ceilings and original chandeliers from the hotel's early years, sits next to Malcolm's Lounge and works for the cocktail hour. VÜE, the rooftop bar and lounge, hosts private events with views of the skyline and the ocean.
Rooms and capacities
The Ocean View room takes up to 250 guests for a banquet, with views of the Atlantic and the Boardwalk. The Celebrity Theatre seats 350. Southampton, with dark wood, art deco sconces and chandeliers, suits smaller dinners and meetings. The hotel does not publish capacities for the two ballrooms, the Art Gallery or the Conference Center; they come with the proposal. An arcade is available for children's parties, which helps for family events and company family days.
Accommodation
Guest rooms range from standard rooms and specialty rooms to vintage-themed suites and specialty suites, so attendees and wedding guests can stay in the building. The hotel does not state its total room count on the pages read.
Catering
Catering packages run from gourmet dinners to casual buffets, and menus can be adapted to dietary needs and special requests.
History and setting
The Claridge opened in 1930, during the Great Depression. Built by the Philadelphia contractor John McShain, it rises 24 stories and 370 feet, and its Manhattan-inspired tower earned it the name Skyscraper by the Sea. Guests over the decades included Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, Bob Hope, Martin Luther King Jr. and Princess Grace of Monaco.
Getting there
The hotel stands in central Atlantic City, within walking distance of the Boardwalk and next to Brighton Park. Atlantic City International Airport is the closest airport, and the Atlantic City Rail Terminal connects the city by train with Philadelphia.
