I just completed my second stay at the W Atlanta – Buckhead in about a month. I wouldn’t normally review a hotel so soon after the last post, but I thought this was worth at least a short discussion. The room was slightly larger (and better), and I was there for 5 nights, arriving Sunday and departing Friday. That’s a long time in one hotel for me, so I thought the experience was worth sharing. There were some differences from my last stay, not better or worse, just different.

Getting There

I’m normally a public transportation guy in cities that have a decent rail system, and Atlanta has an OK one when it comes to getting to and from the airport. However, unlike most trips, which find me arriving on a weekday, heading to the office, and then to the hotel, I was arriving on a Sunday afternoon. It’s a bit of a Marta ride from the airport all the way to Buckhead, and the system was on a spotty Sunday schedule, I just couldn’t stomach the thought. I hightailed it for the cab line. In Atlanta, they have a booth for pre-authorization of credit cards for those customers that desire to pay for their cab with a card. I actually like the idea as it assures that you can use a card if you choose. Within a minute, I was in a cab heading for Buckhead. Traffic wasn’t bad on a Sunday, and soon enough, we were at the hotel. That said, the flat fare of $40 dollars gets a couple of surcharges tacked on, and with the tip, the total cost was $46.50. Doubtful that I’ll choose the cab option all the way to Buckhead again, but at least I was there!

Checking In

I arrived to find a very quiet hotel lobby on Sunday afternoon around 5:30pm, so I was able to check in very quickly. Two gentlemen were working the front desk, one of which checked me in last time. He was working with another guest, so I was ably assisted by the other. Within a few minutes I was checked into room 731. No Platinum suite upgrade, but a “Spectacular” room. Off I went.

The Room

My Spectacular 7th floor room was standard W, complete with King bed, work desk, large LCD TV, as well as a table and chairs that can be used for dining, working, or reading. As I mentioned last time, if you’re used to a little “darker” decor at W Hotels, the Buckhead location is different. Much brighter. Truth told, I prefer the “darker” version, but the hotel’s location near a major mall, several restaurants, and plenty of other things to do, coupled with its excellent staff will keep me coming back. I was pleased with the room from the start. It appeared to have a larger closet than last time (can’t prove it) and certainly had a larger and slightly more typical bathroom. Overall, the room wasn’t that much larger than the last one I had at the hotel, but it sure seemed like it. I snapped a few pictures for you to peruse.

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Entryway to Room 731

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Looking Forward from the Entry

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View of the Closet

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Work Area

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View Towards the Door

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Shower

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Vanity

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Table and Chairs

Around the Hotel

I was able to try out the fitness center, WET, during my stay. It’s small, but well-equipped. At 6pm, I was one of only 3 people in there so no waiting for equipment. There were 3 treadmills, 2 ellipticals, and 1 stationary bike by my count, in addition to a full weight workout area. Otherwise, my week was pretty much taken up with work. I was in a pretty intense training class, which prevented me from working during the day. And you know what that means….working at night. That said, here are some links to some spots worth checking out around the hotel.

Morton’s

Dantanna’s

Prime Steakhouse

Tavern at Phipps

And don’t ever forget Whiskey Blue right in the hotel. Whiskey Blue even hosted a fashion show during my stay. No, I didn’t model. đŸ™‚

Nits & Noids

Hardly any. For whatever reason, I did not even turn on the TV on Sunday night. When I got up Monday morning, I turned it on and found that it was pixelating badly and varying between that and a “No Signal” message. I told the front desk on my way out around 7:40am. When I returned that evening, the TV was working just fine, and I had a voicemail time stamped at 8:04am stating they’d had engineering look at the TV. Pretty fast! No complaints at all.

The Bottom Line

Another great stay. Straight up, this hotel is quickly becoming a favorite of mine. I like the vibe, and the surrounding area a lot. It’s a tiny bit further from downtown than I’d like when I’m working, but the area, the hotel, and most of all the great staff make it worth the slightly longer commute. Give the W Atlanta – Buckhead a try during your next visit to Atlanta. You won’t be disappointed.