Atlanta Travel Guide
Where to Stay in Atlanta
Atlanta is too spread out to choose a hotel at random. Here is how the four main bases compare — and the hotel we would book in each.
In a compact city, the hotel is just a place to sleep. In Atlanta, it decides how your trip works. The city spreads over more than a hundred square miles of hills and trees, its attractions sit in separate clusters, traffic can turn a five-mile ride into an hour, and the public transit network covers some areas well and others not at all. Choose the right neighborhood and you can walk or take the train to almost everything; choose the wrong one and you will spend your trip in rideshares. Here are the four bases that work for visitors, who they suit and the hotel we would book in each.
Downtown: for first-timers, families and event-goers. Downtown is where the big attractions are: the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights and the College Football Hall of Fame all cluster around Centennial Olympic Park, with State Farm Arena, the Georgia World Congress Center and Mercedes-Benz Stadium on the western edge. The MLK National Historical Park is a short streetcar ride east. MARTA's Five Points, Peachtree Center and Civic Center stations connect to the airport and Midtown. The downside is that downtown is quieter at night than other neighborhoods, with fewer independent restaurants, and some blocks feel empty after office hours. For character, book the Candler Hotel, a 1906 marble landmark built by the Coca-Cola magnate Asa Candler on Peachtree Street, with a celebrated staircase and aquarium packages. For games, concerts and conventions, the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Park connects directly to the arena and the convention center and is the closest hotel to the stadium, with views over the park. Book early for big event weekends, when prices jump.
Midtown: the best all-round base. Midtown is Atlanta's most walkable neighborhood and its cultural center. The High Museum, the Woodruff Arts Center and the Atlanta Symphony are on Peachtree Street; the Fox Theatre is a few blocks south; Piedmont Park, the Botanical Garden and the start of the BeltLine are an easy walk east; and the neighborhood has the city's densest collection of restaurants and bars. Three MARTA stations — North Avenue, Midtown and Arts Center — run straight to downtown and the airport. For history and the best location for a show, book the Georgian Terrace, the 1911 Beaux-Arts hotel across Peachtree from the Fox, where the stars of Gone With the Wind partied before the 1939 premiere, with a rooftop pool on its tower. On a budget, the Moxy Atlanta Midtown on 13th Street has compact, well-designed rooms, a rooftop bar and Piedmont Park at the end of the street. Midtown suits almost everyone: first-timers, couples, culture lovers and travelers without a car.
The BeltLine eastside: for neighborhood Atlanta. Poncey-Highland, the Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park and Virginia-Highland are the neighborhoods along the BeltLine Eastside Trail, and they are where Atlanta goes out to eat and drink. Staying here means walking to Ponce City Market, Krog Street Market and dozens of patios, and spending your evenings on the trail. Transit is weaker — MARTA does not run along the BeltLine — so expect to use rideshares for downtown and Buckhead, though distances are short. Hotel Clermont, the restored 1924 landmark on Ponce de Leon with a rooftop bar, a Michelin-recommended restaurant and the legendary Clermont Lounge in the basement, is the fun pick. The Wylie Hotel, a 1929 hotel a few blocks west with balcony rooms facing Ponce City Market, is the calmer, more grown-up choice. Both suit couples and repeat visitors more than families with young children.
Buckhead: for luxury and shopping. Buckhead, north of Midtown, is Atlanta's wealthiest district, with grand estates along West Paces Ferry Road, the city's upscale shopping malls and a concentration of fine dining. The Atlanta History Center is here. Buckhead is on the MARTA red and gold lines, but the hotels are spread out and much of the area is designed for cars. The St. Regis Atlanta is the address — limestone grandeur, butlers on call around the clock, afternoon tea in Astor Court, the Michelin-starred Atlas and a Forbes Four-Star spa. Stay here for a special occasion or a shopping-focused trip, and accept that downtown is a drive away.
Practical advice. Parking at central hotels is expensive, often more than fifty dollars a night for valet, so think hard before renting a car if you are staying in Midtown or downtown. The MARTA train from the airport is cheap and fast. Rates swing dramatically with the event calendar: college football weekends, SEC and bowl games, concerts and major conventions such as Dragon Con on Labor Day weekend can double prices downtown and in Midtown. Many visitors split a longer trip, spending a couple of nights downtown or in Midtown for the big attractions and a couple on the eastside for the neighborhoods. And wherever you stay, ask for a high floor: Atlanta's skyline, rising out of the tree canopy, is one of the best views in the South.