Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead, Atlanta, Georgia – Hotel Review
Buckhead, Atlanta’s uptown neighborhood, lies just north of Midtown and I-85, but still “Inside the Perimeter”,
as Atlantans call Atlanta proper, which for the most part is defined by the I-285 ring road that runs around it. Buckhead has a skyline of its own and is home to much of Atlanta’s financial district, and for the last 29 years, the Ritz-Carlton has been close to the center of it all.
When I arrived at the Ritz-Carlton in Buckhead, I was in a less than tranquil state of mind. Traffic had been particularly bad that day, and I had an appointment at the Apple Store across the street that evening to replace my brand new iPhone 5 because the screen had popped off. In addition, I had to cut through the parking garage of the neighboring 
Phipps Place mall because road construction had caused gridlock. However, once I made it into the driveway of the Ritz-Carlton, everything changed. I checked in, went to the 17th floor, set my bags down – and all of a sudden, that peaceful state of mind I had previously been lacking appeared. My blood pressure retreated from its previous level, and a state of tranquility set in.
THE ROOM
My club level executive room consisted of two separate rooms: a bedroom and a living room, which has its own half-bath and dry bar. Having been refurbished in 2009, the room was bright and elegantly decorated, with a bay window in each room looking out and over a tree-canopied neighborhood at the skylines of mid and downtown Atlanta.
The king-size bed was firm and comfortable, so much so that it enticed me into indulging in a rare (half) personal day on the Saturday morning between my Friday engagements and early Sunday morning flight. A large HDTV was on the dresser across from the bed, making it unnecessary to move to the couch, which was also quite comfortable, though it was in the vicinity of my laptop, which I had already convinced myself did not exist. The full bathroom was light, and contained a glass shower that emitted a steady stream of hot water from a rain head, a soaking tub, and separate water closet.
The living room looked quite formal, but the furniture was actually comfortable and I enjoyed lounging and working in there. The sofa also pulled out into a full-size bed, making the room versatile and ideal for those traveling with a family.
The living room’s flatscreen TV could be swiveled to face the desk or seating area, and HD programming was available on major networks. A large powder room and dry bar were located near the entry door, and there was an honor bar hidden under the granite-topped cabinets, even though the Ritz-Carlton Club was just a short walk away.
Standard guest rooms were equally luxurious, and the concierges in the lobby were just as knowledgeable about the area as those in the Ritz-Carlton Club, although the likelihood that the concierge would know your drink of choice without asking was slim
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