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Where to stay in Atlanta

Atlanta's main areas run north along Peachtree Street. Stay Downtown for Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium and the big stadiums; in Midtown for the Fox Theatre, Piedmont Park, museums and the most walkable streets; in Buckhead for luxury hotels and shopping; or around the Old Fourth Ward for the BeltLine, Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market. The airport is about 20 minutes from downtown on the MARTA train, which also links Downtown, Midtown and Buckhead.

Find your area, then your hotel

Tap one of our picks, or any area, to see its hotels on the map, what it costs, where we'd book and how long it takes to get around.

In short: our pick for each kind of trip. Tap one to see why.

Should you stay in

Downtown?

Olympic Park, the aquarium & stadiums

What a night costs

Budget
$135
Mid-range
$185
Luxury
$500

2nd cheapest of 4 areas, about $30 a night less than Midtown.

Where we'd book

The verdict

Atlanta's visitor hub, with Centennial Olympic Park, the Georgia Aquarium, the World of Coca-Cola, State Farm Arena and Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

  • Stay here if
  • First-time visitors
  • Families
  • Convention and game-day visitors
  • Look elsewhere if
  • You want lively streets at night
  • You want a neighbourhood feel
  • You're nervous about quiet city blocks after dark

Minutes to the sights

  • Centennial Olympic Park6 minwalk
  • World of Coca-Cola8 minwalk
  • National Center for Civil and Human Rights12 minwalk
  • Fox Theatre13 min
  • Georgia Aquarium17 minwalk
  • Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park17 min

Stations and airports

5 min to Centennial Olympic Park. MARTA's Five Points and Peachtree Center stations link to the airport, Midtown and Buckhead, and the Atlanta Streetcar loops past Sweet Auburn and the King Center.

  • From Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)MARTA Red or Gold Line from the airport to Five Points or Peachtree Center20 min
Read the full Downtown guide →

Typical rates for a double outside peak events, not live prices. Updated Oct 2026 · How we rate areas · Minutes planned with the Transitous (MOTIS on published GTFS timetables and OpenStreetMap) for a weekday, including walking and waiting · Booking through our links costs you nothing extra and may earn us a commission. Learn more

Atlanta questions

What is the best area to stay in Atlanta for first-timers?

Downtown puts the big sights within easy reach and is 5 minutes from Centennial Olympic Park. Midtown are good alternatives.

Which area of Atlanta has the cheapest hotels?

Old Fourth Ward and Downtown, with budget hotels from around $135 and mid-range around $180–$185 a night.

Where is the best nightlife in Atlanta?

Old Fourth Ward has the most bars, restaurants and late nights. Midtown are good alternatives.

Is it worth staying outside central Atlanta?

It can save around $30 a night on a mid-range room compared with Midtown, but adds travel time. Buckhead is 25 minutes from Centennial Olympic Park.