W Atlanta - Buckhead: Atlanta's Trendy but Luxurious Hotspot

The W Atlanta - Buckhead is located in Atlanta's stylish, upscale Buckhead neighborhood on Atlanta's most famous thoroughfare, Peachtree Road. Buckhead is the city's premier shopping and dining district, and the W is within walking distance of the exclusive malls Lenox Square and Phipps Plaza. It is adjacent to Georgia Highway 400 and is also accessible from Interstate 85. MARTA, Atlanta's public transit system, has a station across Peachtree from the hotel. Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is eight miles away.

The W, which opened in January 2009, is one of Atlanta's trendiest new spots. It comes with a plethora of concepts from celebrity names, including Market, a restaurant concept by chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten; Whiskey Blue, a bar overseen by Rande Gerber (better known as Cindy Crawford's husband); and visual design by Thom Filicia from the television show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy.'' The hotel aims to combine Buckhead old-money comfort with the trendy youth appeal of the W brand.

The W's 291 rooms come with four levels of amenities - Wonderful, Fabulous, WOW and Extreme WOW - all of which feature W's signature plush bed and bath linens, free high-speed Internet access and a "Munchie Box.'' The WOW and Extreme WOW rooms are suites which include a fax/copier/scanner, a business accessories box and a wet bar. The W Buckhead - Atlanta also has condominiums, a common feature of new hotels, including six penthouse condos overlooking Buckhead and downtown Atlanta.

The hotel comes with all the amenities of a new, luxury destination: a state-of-the-art gym with cardio and weight machines, free weights and small exercise apparatus; an infinity-edged pool complete with deckchairs and private cabanas; and a lobby called the Living Room that features a live DJ, a business center and signature cocktails. The Living Room, which offers light fare, is also one of the hotel's three eateries. Whiskey Blue, with its two rooftop terraces, also offers elegant bar fare. The W's signature restaurant, Market, is overseen by internationally acclaimed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. The menu features a fusion of international flavors and a short but well-chosen wine list.

The W Atlanta - Buckhead has a relatively small meeting space, at 8,000 square feet, but what they offer is unique. W's meetings are enhanced by the latest in audio/visual technology, as well as dramatic lighting, sound effects and even scents. Single event spaces at the hotel range from 4,005 square feet to under 400 square feet. The hotel staff offers assistance in planning every type of corporate and social event, including weddings and pre-wedding festivities, through their Whatever/Whenever program.

Reviews of the W Atlanta - Buckhead have been mostly positive, with more than half of guests on a well-known travel website giving the hotel an "Excellent'' rating and thirteen percent more giving it a "Very Good.'' The W obviously trends toward younger guests, but with that demographic, the hotel is very popular, garnering comments like, "The bartenders ... are very cool,'' and, "The atmosphere at the W ... is a mesmerizing experience.'' Complaints tend to be about atmosphere as well, with guests disliking the noise and "attitude'' prevalent in the hotel. One guest sums up the general opinion of the W Atlanta - Buckhead: "I was here for a business trip, but ... I felt like I was on vacation. Go upstairs, sit by the pool (which is very cool) in a cabana with your laptop, and I promise, it feels a lot less like work.''