Why book?
You may walk in on any manner of party in the hotel's lobby—a vast, long rectangle with multiple areas to drink, eat, listen to live music and DJs, or mingle with eclectic, stylish guests.
Set the scene
If you’re looking for a safe, walkable spot to stay in this car-centric city, The Starling is your best bet for price point and panache.
The backstory
Atlanta has long lacked a vibrant, quirky hotel scene. This 2022 reinvention of a W Hotel has changed that. The new name pays tribute to nearby Piedmont Park’s most highly social of bird species—and homage to the winged creatures can be found throughout (elevators are fashioned to look like wooded glens).
The rooms
Considered a high rise when built as a Sheraton in the 70s, with 27 floors, your best option is as high up as possible with park views—Skyline King and Double Queen rooms especially. Interiors are uniformly unfussy, with pale gray forest shadow wallpaper and little else to distract from floor-to-ceiling windows as a fourth wall. Beds and bedding, especially pillows, are top-notch. Climate control is a breeze with Atlanta’s ever-changing daily temperatures (we went from 60- to 72-degree adjustments in the course of only 12 hours). Bathrooms have pleasant rosemary and mint Aveda products. Rates start at $250 per night.
Food and drink
Take breakfast in The Commons, dinner at Lantana, and a postprandial in the Hidden Bar & Lounge—all are adjacent to the lobby. Lantana’s menu is short, sweet, and fresh with an emphasis on food that pairs well with good drinks, so don’t expect a full sit-down dinner (instead, explore the many, many ways an excellent chicken wing can be savored). The bartenders here are multiple and beyond gregarious.
The spa
A bargain; add a Hydrating Foot Mask supplement to a pedicure if you’ve been out walking all day.
The neighborhood/area
Colony Square, the first “mixed-use community” in the South, is undergoing an ongoing renaissance and now includes Politan Row Food Hall, multiple upscale restaurants like Rumi’s Kitchen and Saints + Council, and outdoor movie nights in The Plaza. Olmsted-designed Piedmont Park, including the Botanical Garden, is less than two easy blocks away. Head five minutes north on foot to the High Museum, Symphony Hall, and MODA.
The service
Staff are young and genuinely friendly, with an emphasis on encouraging guests to explore the “city in the forest.” The hotel’s porte-cochère is always busy, but folks here keep the traffic flowing with grace and smiles.
For families
The vibe is young and hip, although with a premier IPIC movie theater next door (and Chick-fil-A) kids will be happy. Note that The Starling gets fully booked during the city’s Jazz Festival in late May, Midtown Music Festival every September, Atlanta Gay Pride in mid-October, and other big events in Piedmont Park.
Accessibility
A wide variety of rooms are Mobility Accessible.
Anything left to mention?
The small, outdoor seasonal pool area, where you can rent one of four cabanas by the day, remains a bit of a secret with lovely morning sunshine. Drivers, be warned: It’s $62 to valet your car overnight (self-parking options are convoluted). If coming from out of town, there’s really no need for a car; taxis and Atlanta’s MARTA system can get you downtown to the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, or Mercedes-Benz Stadium quickly and efficiently.
188 14th Street NE, Atlanta, GA 30361
USA
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