STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

e_doli · Dooney & Bourke

atlanta hotels

halleybird · Hermes

I stayed at the Westin Peachtree Plaza when I went. It was really nice and had great views. We didn't have a car, but I remember being able to get everywhere we wanted to go pretty easily.

jah · Dooney & Bourke

Atlantic Station is the new area near midtown Atlanta. It is basically mall shopping. There are not really any hotels in VaHi or in L5P and no bed and breakfast inns that I would recommend.

If you are looking for mall shopping, I would stay in Buckhead at the Westin. However, I don't recommend Buckhead for nightlife and would definitely not recommend it for "off-the-beaten path" type of shopping or dining. You definitely want the Highlands, Midtown or L5P for that, but I would also not recommend L5P for nightlife. I would recommend the Highlands for that.

If you want to stay in Midtown, you can stay at the Westin as Halleybird suggested or there is also a Sheraton in northern midtown. There is a Wyndham there, but I would not recommend it (old, kinda smelly, terrible parking).

There are two lovely old hotels in midtown across from the Fox Hotel. You can walk to some shops and restaurants from these hotels if you go north. They are the Georgian Terrace and the Indigo (my favorite - guest rooms are lovely). Links below.

http://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/in/1/en/hpt/ATLFX/2/pt?ptLink=hd

http://www.thegeorgianterrace.com/accommodations/index.cfm

In terms of places to see, things to do. I recommend Hand in Hand bar in the Highlands if you want to get a drink and chill. I also recommend the Noodle on Peachtree Street if you want a quick bite to eat. The food is YUMMY and it is so cheap! One boutique that is also on Peachtree in Midtown that you should check out is Fabrik. They have neat things and good price points.

Finally, for breakfast hit the Flying Biscuit and get the organic pancakes with peach compote. They are seriously the most delicious breakfast evah! If you go to the one at 10th and Piedmont you might also get the lovely benefit of seeing the Atlanta "marcher". There is an "alternative lifestyle" gentlemen or shall we say "woman" that spends all day in super short, sparky skirts with full makeup, music and a baton marching throughout midtown and doing street corner performances. He is pretty famous in ATL.

*ETA - Twelve is really nice in terms of amenities, but it is across I-85 from Midtwon, Va-Hi, etc. and the nearby shopping, etc. IMO is similar to shopping in Buckhead.

-- Edited by jah at 23:52, 2006-04-09

e_doli · Dooney & Bourke

i found 3 b&bs in the highlands (on www.virginiahighland.com) -- the gaslight inn, the highland inn, and the virginia highland b&b. so you wouldn't recommend any of these?

i had a feeling atlantic station was more of a glorified mall (not that there's anything wrong with that...)

i love the flying biscuit!!! everytime i visit my friend in atl we drag ourselves out of bed on sunday morning and wait in line for the flying biscuit.

Mandy · Kate Spade

i live in the highlands on the same block as the gaslight inn. i have never stayed there so i don't know how nice it is, but the location is great. i walk everywhere from my apartment. its within 1 to 2 blocks of hand in hand (jah recommended), shopping, and restaurants. the highland inn is bigger and i stayed there maybe 6 years ago. it wasn't so nice on the inside but i think its been redone since then. the location of that one is good too, its just another block away. i don't know where the virginia highland b&b is.

*cameleon cosmetics is where i get all my makeup. the store owner is super nice and knowledgable and she custom blends foundation and powder to match your face

*bill hallman is my favorite boutique. they have a great new denim room in the back.

*belly general store has the best bagels and fresh organic oj.

jah · Dooney & Bourke

I really wouldn't recommend any of those B&B's. It isn't that they are bad, it is just that from my experience with B&B's, they are just not quite on the same level...BUT, I am taking into account that you were thinking of staying at Twelve which is supposed to be very nice. Definitely spend your time in the Highlands though, because as you probably know since you visit ATL often, it is a great neighborhood.

Have fun and please eat some of those organic pancakes with peach compote at the Biscuit on my behalf. Oh, the cravings...

-- Edited by jah at 01:54, 2006-04-11

Chic · Marc Jacobs

I agree that you shouldn't stay at any of the B&B's in Atlanta. Hotel Indigo is really cute, my friend just stayed there on her wedding night. The Westin at Peachtree is where I got engaged!!!! I highly recommend it just for that! The only other hotel I have stayed at is the W in Dunwoody, but you are just across from Perimeter Mall so that isn't too exciting. Oh and Atlantic Station is a glorified mall, so sad I was really excited about it.

-- Edited by Chic at 21:55, 2006-04-18

Prissy · Dooney & Bourke

I stayed at the Crowne Plaza about a month ago and it was only 5 - 10 minutes from Lenox Mall. I thought the location was good and the hotel was really nice.