The Georgian Terrace Hotel, Atlanta.....A Glimmer of the Past on Peachtree Street
Written: Jul 09 '04 (Updated Nov 26 '05)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Spacious suites in Midtown at a reasonable price, very friendly and willing staff
Cons: A few dents and marks here and there...this is not the Four Seasons......
The Bottom Line: One of Atlanta's best hotel values, the Georgian Terrace does a lot of things well. You do get a lot for your money here.
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| tombarnes's Full Review: The Georgian Terrace Hotel |
The Georgian Terrace has survived the indignities of urban renewal with aplomb. A great history and very fair rates make his hotel a solid choice for those wishing to stay in Midtown Atlanta.
A Brief History
The Georgian Terrace flung open its wide doors in 1911. This Midtown landmark has hosted everyone from Enrico Caruso to Fidel Castro, including several presidents. As the Fox Theatre is just across Peachtree Street, the hotel was the natural choice for the gala premiere party for Gone With the Wind. By the end of the 1980's, the hotel housed transients instead of Rhett and Scarlett. The once magnificent beige brick pile on Peachtree Street closed its doors in 1989. Many thought it would simply be demolished.
Fortunately, new owners with deep pockets came along and restored the hotel, reopening it in 1997. A condominium tower was added, though the apartments there were later converted into hotel suites. Interestingly, about 100 of these rooms will be sold as condominiums at the end of August, reducing the number of available rooms to about 250.
Lobby
The original lobby now houses the restaurant. The "new" lobby sprawls around the main floor without much purpose or direction, though there are some handsome corners here and there. The furnishings are mostly indifferent, though the 18 storied circular atrium makes a good counterpoint to the Beaux Arts details of the older building. Here and there you will find graceful details, like the tiled ceilings above the entrance porticoes, or the sinuous winding stairways with delicate ironwork (unfortunately painted white).
Registration took no time at all, and I was surprised that they had a room for me at 9:30 AM. The staffers were pleasant and competent throughout my stay, but I did encounter confusion when calling the hotel before my arrival.
Suites
Most of the rooms here are suites, though a few standard rooms are available. I had one of the one bedroom suites, but mine was on a corner of the new tower. One first entered a long, narrow hallway and proceeded into the living room. There was nothing remarkable about the Georgian reproduction furniture, or about the room itself (the sliding glass doors do open, so you can stand on the narrow ledge if you are not afraid of heights). A small kitchen came stocked with a few plates and dishes, but not much else. I wasn't going to use it anyway, so I didn't look too carefully--I don't even use my kitchen at home!
The round bedroom was the best part of this suite. The furniture was not unusual, but the bed deserves special mention. They have replaced all of their old mattresses with new TempurPedic mattresses. If you are unfamiliar with this, it is a foamy sort of mattress which conforms to your body. I have a pillow made of this stuff, and have rarely seen it used in hotels.
If you are going to be there for any length of time, the washer and dryer in the closet should prove useful. Soap is available for one dollar per box.
While neat and clean, the living room had a small hole in one wall and there were a few obvious signs of wear in places. Just remind yourself that this isn't the Four Seasons. Upon departure, you will be reminded again that you aren't paying Four Seasons prices here either. It seems a fair trade.
Bath
Though neat and well stocked with towels, the bath was quite small. Granite counter tops added a bit of finish to an otherwise plain room. The bath amenities were from Gilchrist and Soames...acceptable, but nothing too special.
Dining
The original lobby on Peachtree Street has been converted into a dining room, the Savoy Grill. The room is fairly pleasant, and there's an outdoor terrace as well. The breakfast buffet was not a bad deal at $13.95. The scrambled eggs in the chafing dish tasted like they were crafted from vinyl, so be sure to have the chef make an omelet for you.
Bar
I went upstairs to the bar on the mezzanine level of the restaurant. Norm, the bartender, was pleasant and engaging enough, but there was one drunk at the other end of the bar who took evident pleasure in hurling insults at everyone in the room. It wasn't long before he was cut off and slunk away to his room.
Pool and Fitness
The rooftop health club and pool are one of the better features of the hotel. The large pool is filled with saline water which has been chlorinated. It's a novel idea, and seems to work well. The pool is one of those metal ones which makes rumbling noises if you jump....
The exercise machines were in good order and seemed to be of good quality. The view from this room makes your regime even easier to accomplish. There was supposed to be an attendant, but I never spied one all day.
Business Center
Another good feature is the computer in the business center (actually part of the conference center), available for use at no charge. A good act to follow, I might add.
Getting There,
The Georgian Terrace is about a block and a half from the North Avenue (Midtown) Marta station. A taxi ride to downtown Atlanta will be about six dollars.
Cost
The rack rates hover around $250.00 and up for the suites, but I was able to book a one bedroom suite on Travelocity for only $149.00. Considering that the city was nearly full with conventions, this was a real find. Have a look around the various web sites before you book your room or suite.
Service
There were a few uneven spots, but the staff were genuinely friendly and responded to requests in a spirit of helpfulness. The hotel does have a fair amount of meeting space, so do not be surprised to see a meeting or two being held. This is not what I would call a convention hotel. Brent, the concierge, was especially helpful.
The Georgian Terrace Hotel
659 Peachtree Street, N.E. at Ponce de Leon
Atlanta, GA 30108
Tel. 404-897-1991
FAX 404-724-0642
www.georgianterrace.com
This is part of the Great Hotel Write-Off 2004, sponsored by Jdhauer and Quasar. To see the list of participants, go to the web page at
http://www.angelfire.com/trek/greathotel2004/
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
tombarnes
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 - Top 200 |
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Member: Thomas Barnes
Location: Fort Lauderdale & Washington, DC
Reviews written: 688
Trusted by: 443 members
About Me:
With Barbara in Miami, 2004
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