I want to take my girlfriend somewhere nice in March for her birthday.  A friend of hers went to the Pocono Palace Resort and has been raving about the place.  I admit the idea of an all inclusive resort is appealing.  However, I went online and based on the reviews at yelp.com and pictures of the place it looks like I am paying $1,000 for a weekend to stay at a 1970's resort with crappy food and crappy activities.  I do not want to pay $1,000 to have a horrible time with bad food and bad housing.  Has anyone been here before?  Anyone with any other recommendations or words of wisdom?  We are in our 30's and want to have some fun!

I am open to suggestions as to where I can go for the weekend with a $1,000 budget.  Looking for something nice and different to celebrate time away together.  Has to be no further than 2 hours from Philadelphia by car.  I just think for $1,000 I can do a lot better than the Pocono Palace.  Thought of going to Atlantic City, but we have been there many times and would like to try something different.  Been to Baltimore many times before too.  Thought of going to a romantic bed and breakfast, but we do not want to be locked inside of a room all weekend - would like some fun activities to do during the day and night.  

Thanks,
Ken

The " 2 hours from Philly" is very limiting.  The wife and I hit Lake Placid  NY and Killington VT every year.  We are very festive people and it never gets lame.
We spent a weekend in Jim Thorpe last year to try something new

I've been to the pocono palace for a night once... The reviews you read are accurate. I think they play that mount airy lodge commercial music on a loop in the lobby when you check in. We saw a bad comedian, and had a terrible dinner. We high tailed it out of there first thing in the AM, before someone tried to sell us a time share for a champagne glass hot tub.

Unfortunately it's winter and 2 hours from Philly limits your activities a great deal. I don't know if you do winter sports, or if the hills in the Poconos have any snow, but have you considered a ski weekend?

Neither my GF nor I ski, and are not really into winter sports.  It would make things easier if we were since we could ski all weekend.  But since we do not participate in winter sports, my GF thought Pocono Palace would be nice.  Since my original post, some people at work have indicated they have gone to Pocono Palace and had a good time. But they did mention they went with other couples and were able to keep themselves amused (and they had lots of alcohol).