I wanted to be the first to review the W Atlanta - Midtown!

For those of you who remember the Sheraton Midtown you'll "see" subtle reminders of what the hotels drive, entry, lobby and second & third floors.

The property has a Kelly Wearstler designed feel. Its eclectic, chic and fun.

Right now I would place this above the Westin Buckhead and Peachtree. Once the novelty of this property wears off and the W Atlanta - Downtown opens I might have to reevaluate my rankings.

RANKINGS
Check-in/Check-out [5 out of 5]
This was my last stay as a gold and I got upgraded to a suite!! Sweet! The check in pods are very nice and the staff very accommodating, upbeat and for a new property, knowledgeable about the SPG program.

Common Areas [4]
Clean modern and well lit. Lobby is bright and airy. The living room is a little busy and seems like it might be too much space. The outdoor living should be called the "parking lot". It's location directly in front of valet and the car parking. There is no separation and at the time of my stay, the parking activity and the street noise, are conducive to having a conversation and just enjoying the space. Not sexy! Points deducted for that.

The elevators, elevator banks and hallways are typical W - dark and mood altering.

Guest Rooms [5]
I head up to room and I'm pleasantly surprised.

Overall First Impression: Hot damn!

I walk through the door and I enter a two room suite. To the left is a table the serves as a desk or dining table. Along the wall there is a built in credenza with a ton of storage space. The one thing I don't understand is why the chairs don't have wheels? They are heavy so the floors are going to show signs of scratching or will crack sooner or later. Rooms are wireless and electric sockets are spaced throughout the room.

Walk a few feet forward and to the right is a closet with a safe and then you’re in the living room. A large wall mural and a great view of Piedmont Park, downtown Atlanta, dominate this side of the room. On the wall is the TV console and related equipment. The room has great natural light along with overhead lights above the couch and a floor lamp. One thing that was weird is a door to nowhere.

Turning back toward the dining table, to the left is the entry to the bedroom. . Walking through the entryway, you walk right into a lighted vanity table. On the left of the room is the sleeping area and on the right is the walk in closet and bathroom. It has the same TV console and view as the living room. There is an iPod docking station and vintage alarm clock. The bed is super firm with standard W hotel linens. In the corner is a nice chaise lounge that offers a view of downtown. There is no "work space" in the bedroom.

Walking back toward the entry, you pass the vanity and there is a large walk-in closet. Pass the closet is a full-length mirror and then around the corner to the left you enter the bathroom. Prior to enter the bathroom there is a second vanity table and mirror with drawers for storage. I'm not sure why this is outside the bathroom? To me it would have made sense to enclose this is the bathroom proper and make the sink larger.


Guest Room Bathrooms [4]
The bathroom was a bit strange to me. It’s VERY LARGE bathroom and lots of space to work in, if more than one person is staying in this suite.

The bathroom is surrounded by glass. Once you enter the vanity sink is on the right. The sink is nice although not a double vanity has good counter space. The faucet gave me a lil trouble as it was to “over designed” to be simple. There were both glasses and plastic cups. All the typical W toiletries. Lots of towels and every thing was fresh, new and fluffy!

Turning to the left there is a huge walk in rain shower. It’s HUGE, you could fit a mini cooper in it! There is also a built in seat. The temperature and water pressure were perfect. I found it odd that there is no tub, the room is obviously large enough for one as there is wasted space they filled with a teak bench. Although I liked the bathroom, I don't understand why there are no double vanity Seems to me that they could have enlarged designed the counter differently, added a tub and wired the bathroom for audio input, since you can clearly see the TV while showering.


Housekeeping [5]
Very attentive, all items were refreshed without asking.

Club Level/Lounge N/A
No

Fitness Center [5]
The gym is in the basement. Nice equipment and cardio machines and free weights, but it’s really cramped and the “bliss” blue makes it feel as though the place is going to close in on you. The Bliss Spa is also located down here.

Pool [5]
The pool is exactly the same, it got a minor face lift. In the next few weeks they will be adding cabanas.

Business Center N/A
I didn’t see one or an area with free PCs.

Concierge N/A
There are two fun concierges on staff. I didn’t need them but it was interesting to discuss dining options and experiences.

High Speed Wired/Wireless Internet Access [5]
Free wireless in the lobby. There is a $14 fee in rooms. The signal was very strong crisp and quite fast. No drop issues.

Parking/Valet [5]
Very fast. I called for the car prior to going out and it was there before I got downstairs. This was approximately 5-7 minutes.

Dining [3]
Tried the Spice Market and wasn’t impressed. It wasn’t my typical Jean-Georges experience. The décor is so-so, the staff uniforms are abysmal but the appetizers are scrumptious. I highly recommend the chicken coconut soup!

Miscellaneous
The hotel offers free Acura transportation (at Acura Experience Desk) within a two mile radius. Service runs until approximately 8 PM. This service will soon roll out to more Ws.

There is a w store on site as well.



FINAL IMPRESSION
Overall hotel cleanliness:
Very clean as it’s a new property.

Staff attitude, conduct & support:
Amazing, everyone knew me by name, went out of their way and made me feel like they cared.

Location:
Good location for if you work in midtown. A few blocks from Piedmont park and within walking distance to a few restaurants and a five minute drive to more. Traffic is hell! There isn’t much else to do in the area unless you want to go to the museum.

Would I return?
Yes. Based on price and time of year.

Would I recommend this as family friendly?
NO! NO! NO!

Good for business travelers?
Yes!

Good for a romantic get away?
Yes, nice rooms, views and services.

Would I recommend for someone looking for Dining/Nightlife?
Based on requestor as you need to drive everywhere in Atlanta.

Would I recommend restaurant?
No!

Value for price paid?
Good

Overall property rating on a scale from 1 to 10 = 9