by Eric Bowman
Last updated: 8:00 PM ET, Thu December 7, 2017
The Centennial Park District is the place to be in Atlanta, Georgia, and you'll be hard-pressed to find a better place to stay than at The American Hotel, a DoubleTree by Hilton, thanks to its great history and luxurious updates.
Legacy Ventures has helped develop Atlanta's downtown district, and they knocked out it of the park here. The American Hotel spent the past year undergoing $16 million renovations with a top-notch finished product.
The décor has a 60's style theme to honor the history of the hotel as it was originally built in 1962. Prior to that, it was believed to be an event space and nightclub.
It's Atlanta's oldest continuously operating hotel and the first integrated hotel in the city. The American Hotel has hosted notable guests such as Martin Luther King Jr., President Richard Nixon, Elvis Pressley, James Brown, Nelson Rockefeller and more.
Throughout the lobby, restaurant and suite floors are old pictures showcasing the high-profile people who were once guests. Before you even enter, you're greeted by a stunning Plymouth Barracuda.
While the hotel has the old-timey feel thanks to its furniture designs, it still delivers with the modern and luxury tastes everyone has come to love these days.
"Legacy Ventures has re-energized an important part of our city's downtown fabric," said Legacy Ventures' COO Kevin Richards. "Our focus has been to create state-of-the-art hotel and restaurant guest experiences while honoring The American's storied history. This project has sparked a high level of enthusiasm with our team, and we are confident our guests will love the revamped look from the moment they walk in the door."
There are 315 guest rooms in the hotel, all featuring LCD TV's with Google Chromecast, coffee stations, vintage mini-fridges, upscale bathrooms and 60's car-themed headboards.
Whether you want a room with two beds, a king size or a high-level suite, The American Hotel has what you're looking for. Plus, it's tough to beat those views of downtown Atlanta.
Guests are just a short walk to some incredibly fun spots in the Centennial Park District, such as Centennial Olympic Park, SkyView Atlanta, Phillips Arena, The Georgia Aquarium, The World of Coca-Cola and the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. (Also, the Georgia World Congress Center is close by, making this hotel an ideal spot for business travelers.)
The American Hotel has its own outdoor pool complete with an Airstream trailer for the pool bar. If you don't want to miss a workout, the fitness facility has you covered. It includes WELLBEATS, a virtual fitness class that gives guests a live class experience without being in a crowded space.
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And for those travelers really on the go, there are a few rooms that come with a workout bike inside. You can roll out of bed and get your workout on right away instead of going to the gym. How cool is that?
Additionally, the renovations to the hotel's meeting and banquet space can accommodate groups of up to 500 people. So, if you're thinking about a wedding in downtown Atlanta, The American Hotel is certainly worth adding to your list.
The staff were all courteous, going out of there way to assist those in need as well as making guests feel comfortable. (Shout out to the amazing security guard Anita who engaged in a healthy debate of football talk with me!)
For the foodies out there, the Cloakroom Kitchen & Bar adjacent to the hotel lobby is where you'll want to be. It pays homage to the Cold War with a fun spy-themed setup. Order a Double Agent Cheeseburger or a James Bond Martini and pretend you're a secret agent for the night.
Don't be surprised if you overhear folks pondering how the hotel was able to get the same style furniture of Grandma's house. (Don't worry though, they took the plastic off so you're free to relax as you please.)
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