The Hotel: Located in Atlanta’s Midtown, this is the first property in the Intercontinental Hotel Group’s now 32-strong boutique Indigo brand, opened in 2004. On Atlanta’s ‘Main Street’, in one of the few walking areas of town, the hotel is in the heart of the business district and close to dozens of restaurants and bars. It is a convenient 25-minute taxi ride from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International (ATL).
The Check-in: Checking in about 8pm on a Friday evening I arrived at the same time as several couples on a weekend break, but with two front desk staff manning a spacious and airy ‘open plan’ registration area the welcome was warm and the formalities quick and painless. Self-parking in a garage adjacent to the hotel costs $18 a night.
The Room: My first-floor double room was of a good size and bright, with a small but adequate bathroom with a shower supplied with Aveda products. Decorated in a bold and colourful marine-blue theme, the room had a blue-washed desk, a giant picture of blueberries on the wall behind the bed, a blue lamp and a blue hairdryer. Guests are told that the colour blue reduces blood pressure and slows the heartbeat, relaxes sensibilities and creates a ‘depth of feeling’. There was plush bedding with throw pillows, two phones, a TV, an iron and ironing board, coffeemaker, tea-maker, CD Player and complimentary USA Today. There was a hardwood flooring and a rug.
The Business: Free wifi is available in the hotel lobby with free cabled access in the rooms. There’s a small unstaffed business centre and the front desk offers a fax and photocopying service, electrical adapters and foreign currency exchange. There’s also a same-day dry cleaning service. Three meeting rooms are available, each for up to 30 people.
The Facilities: This is not a hotel brimming with onsite amenities but there is a 24-hour ‘Phitness’ Studio.
THE RESTAURANT: The casual Golden Bean café/restaurant has a dinner menu featuring steaks ($17), salmon ($16) and pizza ($12). For breakfast there’s a choice of muffins, scones or a quesadilla for between $4-$6. Starbucks coffee is available in the lobby.
THE VERDICT: Centrally located on Peachtree Avenue, one of Atlanta’s busiest thorough-fares, the nightlife never ceased, but there was little in the way of disturbance. From its locally-inspired murals to the Indigo brand’s ‘renewal programme’, which sees the hotel’s images, music, scent and menu items change throughout the year, Indigo Atlanta offers a refreshing and inviting guest experience where for once the phrase ‘boutique’ really means something. A second Hotel Indigo opens this month in Atlanta in the historic Carnegie building downtown.
THE DETAILS: Hotel Indigo, 684 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, GA, 30308, USA. A room with one King bed starts at $120 a night, midweek, in June 2010, rising to $175 a night in October. Both rates are room only. Tel: +1 877-314-2424; see: www.hotelindigo.com Steve Hartridge
