Old Fourth Ward / Ponce

Wylie Hotel Atlanta, Tapestry Collection by Hilton

★★★★★

The Wylie Hotel is the quieter, more refined neighbor to the Clermont, a few blocks west on Ponce de Leon Avenue, and it is one of the best-value stays for anyone who wants to be near the BeltLine and Ponce City Market. The building opened in 1929 as the Garner-Wallace Hotel at 551 Ponce de Leon Avenue, went through several lives over the decades, and reopened as the Wylie after a careful renovation; it is now part of Hilton's Tapestry Collection of independent-minded hotels, so Hilton Honors members can earn and redeem points. The style is residential and warm rather than flashy: bespoke rooms with soft colors, patterned fabrics, good beds and vintage touches, with room types that include king rooms with balconies, king suites and classic double queens. Many rooms look toward Ponce City Market, whose great brick bulk is one of the best views on the street. The ground floor has an on-site restaurant serving comfort food and there is a small fitness center. Pets are welcome. The hotel sits in the Old Fourth Ward, just east of Midtown, with Ponce City Market a short walk away and the BeltLine Eastside Trail just beyond it. Midtown's restaurants and the Fox Theatre are a quick ride west, and downtown is about ten minutes by car. There is no self-parking; valet is available overnight. With around a hundred rooms, it feels intimate, and it attracts couples and travelers who want the BeltLine without the rooftop party scene. The main drawbacks are the parking cost and the traffic on Ponce de Leon.

The Old Fourth Ward is one of Atlanta's most historic neighborhoods — Dr. King's birthplace on Auburn Avenue is at its southern edge — and in the last fifteen years it has been transformed by the BeltLine, Historic Fourth Ward Park and Ponce City Market. The Wylie's revival was part of that change, taking a tired old hotel and giving it back its dignity. Its interiors were designed to feel like a well-loved home rather than a chain hotel.

To enjoy a stay, book a balcony room if you can; on a mild evening, sitting out with the lights of Ponce City Market in view is the hotel's signature pleasure. Use the hotel as a launchpad for walking: Ponce City Market for breakfast or lunch, the BeltLine for a stroll, and Historic Fourth Ward Park for a quiet morning. The on-site restaurant is good for a relaxed dinner, and the neighborhood has many more choices within a short walk. Hilton Honors members should book through Hilton to collect points.

As a base, the Wylie suits couples, solo travelers and anyone whose priorities are the BeltLine, food halls and neighborhood restaurants. It works well for a trip that mixes Midtown and the eastside, and the MLK National Historical Park is a short ride south. Families with young children may prefer a downtown hotel near the aquarium, and drivers should budget for valet parking.