Author: Artsy Chow Roamer

EPICUREAN

ATLANTA HOTSPOT

This blogger and writer is big on exploring in your own backyard so we decided to make a run down to Atlanta to celebrate our anniversary with a stay at the Epicurean. An architect friend of mine posited that the property was one of the best new places to stay in Atlanta proper.

We took a speedy tour online and liked what we saw. A fresh contemporary design with a young modern vibe on the interiors, amenities and menus. Located in the heart of Midtown, there are lots of cute shops, restaurants and bars to take advantage of as you walk about. This post will give a good idea of what to expect should you want to book your own quick get-away.

CHECK IN

We opted to use our GPS to get there from our mountain home. Warning: it was confused. Between one-way roads and closed roads from construction, it was difficult to get there. The valet and entrance face West Peachtree which is one-way heading away from town. It was closed to traffic right above the property so it was not easy to get to the right roads. After a few work arounds we managed.

The nice valet helped us with our bags and walked us to the check in which was tucked into a cozy little corner of the bar. Almost hidden, there were a couple of tables and chairs for folks to sit and wait or power up a phone or lap top. You could also grab some lovely cucumber water or a cup of coffee.

We were quickly checked in after they asked our preference for a view; to the pool and courtyard or a downtown skyline. We picked downtown but I wished we had picked the pool after I saw how pretty it was. We got our cards after sipping our welcome glass of white wine and headed to the elevators to ride up to the 11th floor.

Security is a good thing. You must tap your room card on the elevator panel to get it to accept your room floor button choice. We also noticed that the sustainable bamboo panels on the elevator were the same as our floors downstairs in our mountain home-great choice!

THE ROOM

The rooms are spacious with a big king size bed with luxurious linens, a leather headboard and wood wall paneling. A table provides a spot to open suitcases with large flat screen TV above and is joined with a gracious work desk. The art is lit with a wonderful small contemporary fixture highlighting a clever collection of epicurean items; a sketch of peach pits, paintings of radishes and a slice of pie, a poster pushing coffee and a cute wire sculpture in the shape of a coffee cup.

A freehand sketch of The Varsity in Atlanta hanging in the entry and a pillow with knife and fork on the bed are all unique design details that are well thought out, fun and support the overall local concept of the property. Floating nightstands with good lighting made it easy to read in bed and the seating in the corner was very comfy for morning coffee and catching up on the news.

Instead of the usual mini bar in fridge, a high-end wall design included glasses of several types, a nice offering of wines and canned cocktails along with a selection of liquors and mixers. Well done with a mini fidge below it for anything needing to be cooled down. The only critique I had was one needed to take the bucket down to the lobby for ice which is not handy.

A sliding barn door opens to your spacious bathroom with a well organized sink, towel and amenity area designed in classic neutrals that will stay looking sleek in the years to come. A large tub/shower combo offered a lot of grab bars for safety but it might have been more forward thinking to simply offer a step in design with glass doors.

THE TOUR

After settling in, we walked back down to the lobby to check out the public spaces and look over the offerings for dinner in the bar and restaurant. The bar has stunning views with lots of options for seating. You can sit at the bar directly, dine at tables or just hang in a living room type setting with comfortable sofas.

Reverence Bar & Bites offers artisanal small plates and snacks with a “fusion of bold flavors and culinary innovation” offered in a sophisticated and stylish interior within the bar proper. Choose between three or six selections of fromage and charcuterie, snacks like citrus olives or crab dip and small plates of bang bang shrimp or lamb meatballs.

Choose the Reverence dining room and your options expand to five different salads like roasted beet or fried artichokes, additional small plates like peri peri chicken kabobs, boneless pork ribs or seared scallops. Large plates include a pasta, steak, seafood and burger option. End with one of the five lovely desserts on offer including a panne cotta, creme brule, gelato or cheesecake.

THE POOL

Head up to the 9th floor where you will find the event spaces which were very busy hosting a large wedding the day we visited. You will also find some outstanding gardens to walk, sit on a bench and read or enjoy some journaling. Order a fancy signature cocktail at the outdoor bar.

We were surprised at the stunning variety of plants and trees there were throughout the property which offered a large pool with in-water recliners, cabanas and a casual outdoor dining option in Aerial Kitchen & Bar. Menu items take on a Mexican feel with smashed avocado, shrimp ceviche, yucca fries, shishito peppers and molotes.

If that doesn’t work for you, try their ensaladas and bowls, tortas with fries or masa plates with exciting taco choices like mushroom adobo, carne asada, roasted chicken or shrimp. Finish off with a banana hazelnut capirotada or fresa con crema. Ole!

THE BREAKFAST

Upon waking the next morning, we had a wonderful Bloody Mary mixed from the bar with some goodies we brought from home. A Nespresso coffee maker provided the best beginning to the day and since check out was at noon, breakfast was more like brunch for us and began with a lovely hot pot of Earl Grey tea.

While the early breakfast rush was over, there were still a good number of late diners enjoying some great offerings on the menu. We looked it over and immediately opted for the tiramisu french toast with coffee mousseline, white chocolate crumble and macerated berries. Served with warm syrup on the side, this dish was simply fabulous.

You do have a choice of omelets, eggs with sausage or bacon, avocado tartine or short rib hash as well as cereals, oatmeal, yogurts, fruits and more. There was also a wonderful buffet available for a set price that had so many things on it I can’t list them all here.

CONCLUSION

Exploring in your own backyard is always a fun adventure. The staff were very considerate of us and patient with all of my photography attempts. You can tell they want you to have the best visit so you will return.

This is a little gem of a property in the Marriot Bonvoy Collection. They are well located and you are able to walk to a very nice Italian restaurant across the street that I will post about in another blog. You’ll also want to walk across the car park to The Office Bar which is a part of the hotel. It’s a great spot for a late night after dinner drink, coffee or light snack. Book your backyard adventure soon and enjoy the video tour below.

If you enjoyed what you read you might also like other posts from Explore the World. Look for my next post on the the lovely Italian restaurant we revisited after many years that’s just across the street. Until then…

Cheers!

ArtsyChowRoamer

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