South - ATL - advice on hotel and rental car

My company just got a new client in ATL, near the Peachtree Marta Station.

2 of us will be visiting the new client 4 or 5 times (3-5 days each) over the next few months and since I have no experience with the city, I was hoping for some advice.

When we travel for work it is on per diem (cheap) and the schedule leaves no time to sightsee. Basically, my question is this: should we stay downtown and use taxis to get everywhere OR should we stay further away and rent a car?

I am not a huge fan of public buses, for many reasons, so I am not really a candidate for actually using Marta.

Any advice would be appreciated.

jc

Do you have a preferred hotel chain?

Not really, but my one rule of thumb is pick the one with interior hallways.

The chains I use the most are IHG, Hilton, and Marriott. However, I am not a points chaser...so any clean hotel will do.

Thanks!

There's a large Hilton and a medium sized Sheraton within two blocks of the Peachtree Center MARTA stop both of which I've stayed at and both of which are nice and quite comfortable.

I'm confused as to why you're not a candidate for using MARTA. The subway from the airport to Peachetree is very convenient and safe as well as cheap.

There's a Trader Vic's at the Hilton! Easy to take Marta from the airport--rail not bus.

http://martaguide.com/2011/04/30/marta-to-the-hilton-atlanta/

The Westin is also a good choice. It's an older staple Westin but has floor to ceiling windows and should have decent rates.

There is also a Hyatt Regency in Peachtree Center itself (IIRC the first Hyatt to feature the iconic John Portman atrium design) and also a very large Marriott Marquis adjacent.

I'd vote for a hotel near Peachtree so that you can just walk to the office in the mornings/evenings. MARTA is convenient for airport transit and if you want to visit any other parts of Atlanta for dinner.

Personally, I'm not a big fan of the Westin. Elevators can sometimes take quite a while during the morning/evening rush. I find the rooms dated and quite warm during the summers even with the shades pulled shut.

Recently, I've been staying either at the Sheraton on Courtland St. or the Hyatt Regency on Peachtree St. NE; both are within two blocks of Peachtree Center.