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The St. Regis Atlanta is located in one of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods, Buckhead. This area is the place to go for some of the city’s finest dining, shopping and nightlife. It’s also where you can see the Atlanta elite’s not-so-humble abodes — a splendid array of mansions on tree-lined streets. Needless to say, expectations for the finest in luxury accommodations are extremely high, and this Four-Star Atlanta hotel exceeds on all accounts. You’ll find the hotel right in the heart of Buckhead at 88 West Paces Ferry Road. Should you want to get away to experience the other luxuries of the area, not one but two shopping malls are each just a mile away.

The St. Regis Atlanta is a luxury hotel located in the city's upscale Buckhead neighborhood and the guest rooms are priced accordingly. On the lower end of the spectrum, the 440-square-foot Superior Room, which blends traditional crown moldings and a leather-wrapped writing desk with high-tech amenities such as an iPod sound system and a flat-screen TV embedded in the bathroom mirror, starts at $270 a night. Deluxe and Grand Deluxe rooms are the same size with the same amenities, plus a balcony (and in the case of the Grand Deluxe, signature butler service), and they generally go for around $500 a night. The palatial 2,800-square-foot Empire Suite is the hotel's most expensive and most exclusive option. It features a piano, a walk-in closet, full kitchen, fireplace and a private exercise room — rates start at $3,500 a night.

If you have to cancel your stay at The St. Regis Atlanta, you must notify the hotel by 6 p.m. one day prior to your arrival to avoid being penalized and paying for a night’s stay. But cancelling would mean you’ll be missing out on the Remède Spa at the Four-Star Atlanta hotel, which offer massages, body treatments, skin care and salon services, plus two different kinds of manicure and pedicure options, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. You also wouldn’t be able to relax at the Italian-style Pool Piazza, a grand relaxation area that offers a billiards room, fireplace, Jacuzzi, poolside bar, and of course, cozy chairs to lounge on. And if you book the Grand Deluxe room or one of the suites, butlers will be available to serve you beverages in your room, pack and unpack luggage, and press your garments.

You’ll find a few restaurants at The St. Regis Atlanta, whether you’re looking for an elegant meal or a quick bite by the pool. Inside the Four-Star Atlanta hotel, you’ll find Paces 88 American Bistro, which serves sophisticated Southern cuisine for breakfast, lunch and Sunday brunch. Morning meals here include mini buckwheat and cottage cheese flapjacks and shrimp and grits with smoked bacon, while lunch offerings include a burger with pickled green tomatoes. Dinner shakes off the Southern influence with its French-American fine dining fare like rib eye, rack of lamb and poached halibut; and for dessert, it dishes out macaroons, a pineapple upside-down cake with coconut gelato and Malibu rum caramel, and cheesecake lollipops.

Head to the Poolside Café and Bar for a laid-back, outdoor setting. There, you can chow down on a pulled pork sandwich or a barbecue chicken quesadilla. And for some light bites, the Long Gallery serves afternoon tea daily from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., along with petite sandwiches, scones and petit fours.

Inside The St. Regis Atlanta, you’ll find The St. Regis Bar. This elegant space at the Four-Star Atlanta hotel is decked out with wood walls and handsome décor, as well as a nicely landscaped, fireplace-warmed exterior. It specializes in Bloody Marys, which has been a specialty at The St. Regis New York since 1934, but the Atlanta version adds a unique twist to the classic drink with a different collection of spices and a green tomato garnish. The Poolside Café, in addition to serving food in a casual outdoor setting, is a good bet for a beer or cocktail. And Paces 88 hosts its own wine room, serving up to 500 wines by the bottle and up 60 by the glass. Wine flights, personal tastings and pairings can be arranged through the concierge.

Although it feels more like a place for a glamorous getaway than an urban hotel, The St. Regis Atlanta does not charge any resort fees. In fact, no extra or hidden fees are incurred when you stay at the Four-Star hotel. You will, however, pay a Wi-Fi fee — for $12.95 a day you will be able to access high-speed Internet throughout the hotel, from your guest room to the pool piazza. Parking is also $34 for an overnight stay — street parking in the luxury neighborhood of Buckhead, where the hotel is located, is non-existent and there is no self-parking at the hotel. Instead, you’ll have to hand off your keys to The St. Regis Atlanta’s valet team and let them take care of your wheels for you.

The design style of The St. Regis Atlanta is a result of both its location within the upscale Atlanta community of Buckhead and the St. Regis' rich heritage. Here are five ways to describe the style of this unique Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel:
 
1. It’s Southern. Designed to feel like a grand mansion in the South, the hotel has features like rich dark wood floors, dramatic curved staircases in the lobby, large stone fireplaces and plenty of seating areas to talk or even take afternoon tea.
 
2. It’s original. Every single piece of artwork at The St. Regis Atlanta is original. Each piece — from the paintings in the bar to those in the hallways — was commissioned by Matthew Whitaker. He scoured estate sales, antique markets and local galleries to find unique art for each space.
 
3. It’s residential. While The St. Regis Atlanta looks like a gorgeous estate, it feels as relaxed as it does elegant. Seating areas throughout the hotel are meant for you to casual gather, and the original artwork is more like a personal collection you’d find at a home than at an urban hotel.
 
4. It’s got local flair. The two curved staircases that serve as a focal point in the lobby were inspired by a 1920s Neoclassical home just blocks from the hotel. The exterior façade reflects the Georgian and Tudor homes that line the streets of Buckhead. Additionally, much of the artwork was created by local artists.
 
5. It’s traditional. Although The St. Regis Atlanta has more than just a touch of local influence, it still reflects the design sensibilities of the venerable St. Regis brand. As in every St. Regis hotel, you’ll find a mahogany lined library filled with antique books, as well as secret, hidden alcoves — all of which harken back to the original St. Regis built in New York in 1904.

The St. Regis Atlanta is an urban hotel but it feels utterly residential tucked away in the city’s Buckhead community — we suggest bringing the same items you would to visit a friend’s grand southern estate on the edge of town. Here’s a must-pack list for a visit to the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel:
 
1. Swimsuit. The 40,000-square-foot, resort-like Mediterranean-style Pool Piazza is where you’ll want to lounge about if the temperature hits 70 degrees or higher — which happens often in Atlanta.
 
2. Cool clothing. During the spring, summer and even fall months temperatures can reach well in to the 80s and beyond — bring lightweight, airy clothes to be comfortable while you’re in this southern city.
 
3. Sunglasses. Even if you don’t make it to the pool, you can grab a cocktail outdoors on the Grand Terrace (it overlooks the pool). The hotel was designed so that the late evening sun hits the Grand Terrace just right, so you’ll need some shades to thoroughly enjoy an alfresco drink or two in the evening.
 
4. Cocktail attire. The St. Regis Bar is a sophisticated, clubby space popular with both hotel guests and the local community — head here dressed to impress to fit in with the well-heeled guests.
 
5. Seasonal apparel. The St. Regis Atlanta celebrates various holidays and calendar events throughout the year. Pack a few seasonally inspired items to engage in the festivities.

Golf has a rich history in the state of Georgia and you better believe there are several great public courses to choose from near The St. Regis Atlanta. Less than three miles from the hotel is the par 71, 18-hole Bobby Jones Golf Course. This historic course opened in 1932 and has seen its fair share of play over the years, but it’s still a good option for those who want to get in a quick game nearby.
 
For a more upscale experience, head 12 miles northeast to Heritage Golf Links. Heritage has 27 holes among rolling greens, old trees, streams and a large center lake. And if you really want a day of true luxury golf head to Bear’s Best, about a 45-minute drive from The St. Regis Atlanta (without traffic). The course was designed by the Bear himself, Jack Nicklaus — it incorporates holes featured in his most celebrated courses, from Cornwall, England to Castle Rock, Colorado.

The St. Regis Atlanta has what many urban luxury hotels don’t — a genuine residential feel with a healthy dose of refined Southern charm. The exterior of the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel echoes the Georgian and Tudor mansions in its surrounding neighborhood, the affluent enclave of Buckhead. Inside, two dramatic curved staircases flank each side of the hotel’s lobby, a nod to regional architecture. In fact, it feels every inch the grand Southern estate, with original art pieces, oversized stone fireplaces, a handsome cozy library and personal butler service. Sure, there are rural inns and far-lfung resorts that have similar features, but these charming amenities are scarce in major metropolitan cities. 
 
Here, you can stay close to the action of Atlanta and still retreat to an oasis of calm. For example, the Mediterranean-styled pool is a palatial piazza with nary a skyscraper in sight — it feels so secluded, so resort-like it’s easy to forget a world-class city is just beyond the property perimeter.

The St. Regis Atlanta has a luxury house car — a sleek, black Mercedes S550 — that transports guests anywhere within a two-mile radius of the Four-Star hotel. Located in the upscale enclave of Buckhead, The St. Regis Atlanta is in a prime spot with a slew of shopping, restaurants and cultural sites nearby. While these attractions are close, they aren’t all near enough for you to walk. (Buckhead, like much of Atlanta, is spread out and more of a driver-friendly city.) If you’d like to use the complimentary house car service, ask the concierge to call the driver who will meet you just outside the entrance of the hotel. If the car is in use by another guest, you can wait or ask the doorman to arrange a taxi for you. Looking for a private transfer to the airport? Simply ask the concierge to arrange for a luxury car to take you there for an additional fee.

The St. Regis Atlanta is designed to feel like a grand Southern manor — it mirrors the Georgian and Tudor mansions that line the streets of the luxury community of Buckhead where the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel is located. In fact, the two curved staircases that flank either side of the open and airy lobby were inspired by a 1920s Neoclassical house (the Swan House) that is now part the Atlanta History Center just blocks away.
 
All St. Regis hotels fall into one of five design categories, and The St. Regis Atlanta was designated a “metropolitan manor” from the beginning. Inspiration was taken from mansions and manors in the South — the effect is a residential, relaxed feel with elegant, estate charm (think soft palettes of mineral greens and ivories, large stone lobby fireplaces, rich dark wood floors, cascading crystal chandeliers and various seating options from tufted armless chairs to deep, rounded couches). The guest rooms complement the public spaces well with earthy hues, designer ebony furniture and elaborate crown molding. We particularly like the formal entry room in each guest room, which add to the residential vibe going on here.
 
Although the ­­St. Regis design team was involved with the overall look of the hotel, the local firm Hirsch Bedner Associates (known for designing upscale properties like Waldorf Astoria Shanghai and Four Seasons Resort Seychelles) took the lead on making the hotel feel both quintessentially Southern and like a signature St. Regis. Only original artwork is found throughout the hotel (many by local artists) giving The St. Regis Atlanta a final, unique touch you can’t find anywhere else.

Open, airy and opulent, the Pool Piazza at The St. Regis Atlanta is nothing short of stunning — the 40,000-square-foot area is designed to evoke a Mediterranean escape and it succeeds in every way. Decorative stone architectural details, large red awnings, red-and-white-striped lounge chairs, fireplace and a majestic fountain feature give the space a grand getaway feel you just don’t find at most urban hotels.
 
Two curved stone staircases lead to the Grand Terrace, which overlooks the pool piazza. Up here you’ll be able to lounge in a cabana and order poolside eats and drinks (occasionally the lawn is set up to play bocce ball, badminton or table tennis).
 
Some of the luxe amenities include complimentary fruit-infused water, beach towels, Wi-Fi and magazines (Vanity Fair, Men’s Fitness, Wine Spectator). But our favorite poolside perks are the freebies handed out about every hour, including fresh fruit smoothie samplers, Evian misters, chilled towels, iced cappuccino samplers, frozen fruit skewers and iced coconut water.
 
The Poolside Bar & Café menu is top notch, too. You can have an alfresco but sophisticated dining experience (think chilled soups, fresh salads and gourmet sandwiches) by the bar or in the lounge area in front of the fireplace. Want a killer cocktail to sip? Try the Electric Lemonade, the St. Regis Punch or the Cucumber-Basil Cooler, made with club soda, simple syrup, sour mix and fresh cucumber, basil and lime.

Participating in one of the many planned activities at The St. Regis Atlanta will have you socializing with both hotel guests and members of the local community. The Four-Star hotel is a bit of a social center where people mingle and partake in everything from adult wine tastings to kid-friendly events like having tea with Santa.
 
Wednesday evenings in the Wine Room, wine director and sommelier Harry Constantinescu hosts “Tasting Notes,” pairing five wine flights with music. And every day at 6 p.m. you can see Constantinescu saber a bottle or two of champagne — you’ll learn about the age-old St. Regis tradition and get a glass of complimentary bubbly. To commemorate the hotel’s three-year anniversary Constantinescu sabered 100 bottles of champagne, and to kick-off the Masters golf tournament (which is held just a couple hours away at Augusta National), he sabered a bottle with a golf club.
 
The hotel also holds special activities throughout the year to coincide with holidays and events. For instance, every year the hotel hosts a month-long themed afternoon tea in Astor Court (the St. Regis Atlanta’s mezzanine level area) to celebrate Mother’s Day. During the winter, the hotel transforms its pool piazza into an ice skating rink with seasonal hot drinks and s’mores. And how has Constantinescu commemorated the opening of the ice rink? By slicing open a champagne bottle with an ice skate, of course.

Holidays are celebrated at The St. Regis Atlanta with gusto, and not just during the festive winter season — all year long the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel holds events to fete a slew of different holidays. Come December, the Pool Piazza is transformed into an ice skating rink with warm seasonal drinks offered in front of the alfresco fireplace. (Try the cider spiked with the limited edition St. Regis Woodford Reserve bourbon blend.) Tea with Santa replaces the signature Afternoon Tea in Astor Court where kids can meet Santa and Mrs. Claus. There’s also a choo-choo train exhibit and a walk-in gingerbread house in the lobby.
 
Afternoon tea at The St. Regis Atlanta changes themes every month based on holiday and special events. Themes have included “Mad Hatter” to celebrate Mother’s Day and the Kentucky Derby (guests were encouraged to wear fabulous hats) in May, an August “Indian Summer Tea” with hot and cold chai teas, and “In the Pink Tea” to mark October as Breast Cancer Awareness month. 
 
Brunches are big for holidays too, including Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Easter. Wine director and sommelier Harry Constantinescu will tailor the daily saber ceremony (in which a bottle of champagne is sliced open using a large saber sword) to celebrate a specific event. For instance, to mark the beginning of the Masters golf tournament, Constantinescu used a golf club to saber a bottle of bubbly.

Turndown service at The St. Regis Atlanta is every bit as thoughtful and elegant as the luxury hotel’s signature services. When you return to your room in the evening, expect the drapes to be drawn and the lights to be turned to a dim glow. Soft music resonates throughout your room on the custom built-in sound system.  
 
The bed itself is turned down and on the bottom corner is a black lacquered tray. It holds a St. Regis bookmark (explaining the rich history of the luxury hotel brand), plastic-wrapped slippers and two cloth bags — one for items you’d like to be laundered and one for shoes you’d like to be shined. A breakfast menu is placed on a pillow and on the bedside table you’ll find a bottle of water and a square of chocolate.

Though the St. Regis Atlanta feels more like a grand southern manor than an ultra-new urban hotel, the rooms are appointed with thoroughly modern technology. In the bathroom, you’ll find a 17-inch LCD television recessed behind the mirror (images are projected onto the mirror’s surface). Rooms each feature a bedside telephone control console that allows you to take care of a slew of tasks, from dimming the lights, and ordering room service to booking a spa appointment and controlling the room’s temperature. There’s also a built-in sound system and an iPod docking station. The ultimate sign that the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel embraces technology? Each of the highly trained butlers is reachable immediately via Blackberry.

The guest rooms at The St. Regis Atlanta exude the same Southern residential-like charm as the rest of the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel. Decked in creams, taupes, mineral greens and soft blues, each room is a tranquil, impeccably designed space. (In fact, the local firm Hirsch Bedner Associates is behind the design of The St. Regis Atlanta, as well as other upscale properties such as Waldorf Astoria Shanghai and Four Seasons Resort Seychelles). Macassar ebony beds and armoires, crystal chandeliers and leather-wrapped writing desks round out the handsome furnishings. Even the smallest rooms have daybeds that flank floor-to-ceiling windows, and all bathrooms are clad in Italian marble and stocked with Remède spa products. Some of the rooms have Juliette balconies, while others have walk-out furnished terraces (ask for a south- or north-facing room). Unexpected extras really make staying here a treat — each room has a mini marble foyer, elegant crown moldings and a beside control panel that will allow to you dim the lights and designate your room’s status as “do not disturb.”

The guest bathrooms at The St. Regis Atlanta have all the traditional trappings of a luxury bath experience. The rooms are filled with soft shades of ivory punctuated with classic silver fixtures (think Restoration Hardware glammed up with Italian marble, spa robes and Remède spa products). Each bathroom has a deep soaking tub, a double sink marble vanity, a separate shower, separate water closet and a 17-inch LCD television recessed in the bathroom mirror (you won’t have to miss a moment of the morning’s Today Show banter).
 
In standard rooms, mirrored French doors built into the wall open the bathroom up to the guest room to create an airy feel, but you can leave these shut for privacy (housekeeping will shut them during the evening’s turndown service). The bathrooms within the signature St. Regis Suites are truly decadent. Each has all the amenities of standard bathrooms, but at about twice the size it can fit a separate silver vanity table and cushioned bench, additional bath products and a lot more room to luxuriate.

The bath products at The St. Regis Atlanta reflect the hotel’s commitment to offering guests indulgent everyday luxuries. Each guest bathroom is stocked with products by Laboratoire Remède, a French skincare line known for its anti-aging products developed with both science and nature in mind. (We suggest you save a little room in your carry-on for these ultra-luxe products — you’ll want to bring them home.) Expect to find these products on your marble bathroom vanity: reenergizing hair shampoo, shine-enhancing conditioner, revitalizing aloe vera shower gel, firming moisturizing body lotion and a classic bar of facial soap. If this mini batch of products has you yenning for a more serious session of pampering, book at treatment at the Remède spa located on the sixth floor of the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel.

In total, there are seven room types to choose from at The St. Regis Atlanta, which towers above the buzzy community of Buckhead. The Superior, Deluxe and Grand Deluxe rooms all have 440 square feet of chicly appointed space. The major difference are the outdoor options — the Deluxe rooms each have a charming Juliette balcony and the Grand Deluxe rooms have a furnished balcony. (We suggest requesting a room facing south over the Pool Piazza, or north overlooking Buckhead.)
 
Suites include three Caroline Astor Suites, eight Metropolitan Suites, 19 St. Regis Suites, and the oh-so grand Empire Suite. Spring for one of the Caroline Astor Suites, named for the mother of St. Regis founder John Astor. The 1,000-square-foot spaces have large and very lovely furnished patios that overlooks the Pool Piazza and Grand Terrace — they have the best views and outdoor vantage points of the 26-floor Four-Star hotel. The top-of-the-line Empire Suite is no slouch either, with 2,800 square feet, two-and-a-half baths, two private bedrooms, an exercise room, Juliet balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows. Need more incentive to book a suite? You’ll get complimentary 24-hour service from a St. Regis Butler who is trained to attend to your every whim.

The guest room amenities at The St. Regis Atlanta reflect both the Four-Star hotel’s modern sensibilities and its charming history. Up-to-date appointments are found throughout the room — the custom sound system can be heard in every corner thanks to the built-in speakers (you can play your own tunes on the iPod docking station), and the bathroom’s recessed in-mirror LCD television can be turned on with a tiny remote. A beside control panel will allow you to take care of tasks like dimming the lights, ordering room service and calling on your designated St. Regis butler. The leather-wrapped desk has a slew of complimentary supplies, including a stapler, envelopes, stationery, Internet cables (if you need to connect) and postcards. The gracious old-time appeal of The St. Regis brand is evident in the luxe daybeds placed next to floor-to-ceiling windows (made for afternoon lounging) and the marble-clad mini foyer at the entrance in each guest room. Take advantage of the complimentary shoe shine and offer to have one item of clothing pressed upon your arrival.

Great views abound at The St. Regis Atlanta, if you know which rooms to book. Request a south-facing room for top-notch views of the Mediterranean-style Pool Piazza and Grand Terrace. It’s not your run-of-the-mill pool view either — the piazza feels far removed from the buzzy neighborhood of Buckhead and downtown Atlanta. In fact, on warm weather days you can imagine you’re at a grand, storied resort in the south of France or coast of Spain. The rooms that best take advantage of this view are the three Caroline Astor Suites — each has large, furnished 400-square-foot balconies where you can sit back and take it all in. To really do it up, order breakfast from the room service menu and lounge away your morning.
 
North-facing rooms have lovely views of Buckhead and you can see the charm of the upscale community from the floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook it.

The St. Regis Atlanta may be an urban hotel, but it has a residential-like feel that extends to the guest rooms’ outdoor spaces. A full 25 percent of the rooms have some sort of balcony option (a rarity in city hotels). The largest outdoor space is the 400-square-foot terrace attached to the three Caroline Astor Suites. Each of these outdoor living areas overlook the Pool Piazza and Grand Terrace — many hotel guests book these rooms to take advantage of Atlanta’s warm climate while in town. The Grand Deluxe rooms have 200-square-foot balconies, also furnished. The Empire Suite, St. Regis Suites and Deluxe rooms all have charming step-out Juliette balconies and while they aren’t large enough to furnish they do offer a nice dose of fresh air.

The St. Regis Atlanta has a couple different connecting room options, should you be traveling with your family (or your entourage). The 19 St. Regis Suites are the most popular connecting room option for families, as you can simply request a bedroom to be added to the 1,000-square-foot suite. And since The St. Regis Suite already has one-and-a-half baths and two flat-screen televisions, the second bedroom can act as either extra sleeping quarters or a room to steal away for some privacy. Connecting rooms are also available in Superior, Deluxe and Grand Deluxe rooms —in most cases, a guest room with a king bed will open up to a room with two queen beds.

Two stainless steel doors mark the entrance of the Athletic Club at The St. Regis Atlanta. The long narrow room is bright and airy with oversized arched windows overlooking the grand Pool Piazza. You can reach the gym facility by elevator on the 7th floor or take the stairs from the 6th floor (where the pool and spa are located) and access it with your room key.
 
The Athletic Club is filled with various Technogym equipment, from strength training machines and free weights to treadmills and elliptical machines. (Check out the personal entertainment screens on each piece of cardio equipment — you can watch television, dock your iPod or listen to the radio). A small private room is ideal for practicing yoga or Pilates, and is filled with free weights, medicine balls, mats and other equipment.
 
The complimentary amenities here go beyond expectations. You’ll find both chilled and dry towels, chilled bottled water, free earphones and bowls of fruit.

While there are no set fitness classes at the St. Regis Atlanta, the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star hotel has a local personal trainer on call for guests who would like a little extra motivation or instruction when hitting the gym. The trainer can lead you through a strength training circuit routine, a cardio session or a combination of the two. He can also lead you through personal yoga or Pilates instruction. Be sure to take advantage of the separate studio inside the Athletic Club — it offers both privacy and equipment for your personal session.

The gym at The St. Regis Atlanta does not have a traditional locker room, but it does have a wall of 12 lockers and separate men’s and women’s bathrooms. Each locker has a key with an expandable wristband so you can tote your key around the gym without losing it. The bathrooms are something special — they’re roomy, spacious and beautifully tiled with modern appointments. There are plenty of other amenities in the bright and airy space, too. Expect both dry and chilled towels, chilled bottles of water, a bowl of fruit and complimentary earphones. But we think the best part of the gym is its view — through large arched windows you can take in the beautiful Mediterranean-style Pool Piazza.

While The St. Regis Atlanta recommends runners get their workouts in on the treadmills in the Athletic Club, the Four-Star hotel does provide a jogging route map for guests who prefer to exercise alfresco. The three-mile route will take you around Atlanta’s upscale Buckhead community. Keep an eye out for the stately Georgian homes that border the charming tree-lined streets as you run, jog or walk the loop. The St. Regis Atlanta is located on a relatively busy street (West Paces Ferry Road) and if you’re concerned about traffic and safety, consider the treadmills in the gym — they have great views of the grand Pool Piazza through oversized, arched windows.