Atlanta
Georgia


The Experience

How do you add patina and pedigree to a hotel built a mere 30 years ago? Start with crystal chandeliers, marble fireplaces, paneled walls and an impressive 18th- and 19th- century European and American art collection. Consequently, many a resident -- and visitor -- maintains that this is really the only hotel in Atlanta that counts. Located in the city's most prosperous suburb, with the best shops and restaurants nearby, this is the place locals reserve months in advance for weddings, galas and fancy dinners. Hotel guests are more interested in 500-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens and super service.

The Rooms

You won't find any surprises in these rooms, which sport a traditional Ritz-Carlton look with its palette of rose, yellow and pale green, but there are modern touches, including a technology butler when those things break down. Basic rooms run 360 square feet, so if you need your space, upgrade to a suite for double the space. Out here in suburbia, the views aren't much, but rooms do offer bay windows -- ask for one overlooking the wooded areas. Even more than most Ritz-Carltons, rooms on the Club Level book up first, thanks to the usual private lounge, concierge and complimentary food presentations.

The Service

The staff prides itself on being the best show in town -- and these bragging rights are probably justified in the Club Lounge service, with private check-in and -out, along with fresh coffee delivered with every wake-up call. Not that all guests aren't well taken care of -- even after they've checked out. The hotel once tracked down a first edition of Gone With the Wind for a former guest who just had to have a copy.

The Highlights

All Atlanta gathers in the Lobby Lounge, where impeccably coiffed mothers planning debutante parties rub shoulders with members of some famous rock group relaxing after a performance. Sunday Brunch and Afternoon Tea are popular institutions for which locals dressed in their finest outdo the slightly shabbier guests, while The Dining Room tries to shake things up a bit, thanks to the modern Med-rim cuisine of chef Arnaud Berthelier and an ace sommelier who's a mere 24 years old. Work it off in the fitness center's dramatic indoor pool, and make use of the sundeck for soaking up that Georgia sunshine.

-- Kathleen Beckett

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