I spent a brief week and a half in Atlanta in-between coming home from college and leaving again. While home I was excited to catch up with friends and family before I departed for L.A. It was just the perfect timing since I got the opportunity to spend a night at the new Renaissance hotel by the Atlanta airport, where me and my little sister got a chance to really catch up and enjoy the fresh design of the new hotel. Just like all of the Renaissance locations, the hotel’s design is infused with the culture and vibes of it’s setting. This location features a streamlined new look with sleek modern elements and a lifestyle approach to the hotel’s design. “The new Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel design, layered with wit and personality, is indigenous to Atlanta and will serve as an authentic contemporary Southern experience that will surprise, delight and intrigue guests, allowing them to relax and be entertained in style,” explains Lauren Rottet, President of Rottet Studio, the firm in charge of the project. See my favorite shots of our stay after the jump.
[ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half][ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end]
Our room featured a fun gallery wall above the beds, modern leather headboards, and unique touches like the accessories on the industrial-style floating shelving above the desk and the fabulous mural accent wall in the bathroom. The guest rooms are warm and neutral, while the hotel’s lobby and lounge spaces feature pops of bright color to that bring a lot of energy to the design.
[ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half][ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end]
After checking in and setting our bags down, Grace and I embarked to explore the hotel with our cameras, wandering around the lobby, lounges, and colorful hallways like this one. We loved this bright, graphic mural that matched perfectly with Grace’s shirt! I later learned that all of the art in the hotel was sourced from Atlanta galleries, and the murals are all painted by Atlanta artists. Local touches like this made the hotel’s design feel very authentic.
There are some great lighting effects in the hotel, from the natural light filling the entrance to the soft glow from the lights lining the wall. The space quickly warms up as the sun sets with and casts a glow across the cozy seating areas, flanked by the soft folds of curtains and modern chairs in leather upholstery.
Grace and I’s favorite seating in the lobby was definitely the suspended daybeds hung from the ceiling with rope. They rock slightly when you sit down which evokes the classic Southern feeling of relaxing on a porch…
[ezcol_1half][/ezcol_1half][ezcol_1half_end][/ezcol_1half_end]
Right in front of the hotel is the Skytrain, which enables the building to be located far enough from the hotel to feel like a retreat from the bustle of the concourse with only a couple minute train ride back to the airport.
The modern lobby features a black and white mural, and a unique blown-glass light installation spanning the space. To the left is another highlight of the space – the colorful bar, surrounded by comfortable leather stools.
Beyond the bar is the hotel’s restaurant, Hickory & Hazel, which serves delicious southern fare like sweet tea-brined chicken and waffles (which I enjoyed), and grilled bourbon cider pork chops with potato puree and glazed Vidalia onions. Grace and I had a wonderful dinner there before heading up to our room to watch a movie. The Renaissance hotel‘s engaging modern design gave us the perfect space to enjoy our staycation before I left Atlanta!