Hotel Clermont

Not all that long ago, Atlanta’s Clermont Hotel was famous for two things: the landmark sign on its rooftop radio tower, and the Clermont Lounge, a legendary slice of nightlife in the basement. Both of those features still exist, but what’s in between them — a 1920s red-brick edifice that’s seen good times and bad — has been thoroughly renovated, and reinvented as a 94-room boutique hotel, complete with a hip restaurant by a celebrated local chef and a couple of in-demand nightspots (that’s in addition to the basement’s attractions).

The renovation was a thorough one, turning a residential hotel into a sparkling clean modern lodging — albeit one that retains more than a little bit of Twenties character. The look is retro-influenced but not old-fashioned, and it’s an eclectic one as well, mixing Art Deco and mid-century modernist influences with contemporary art and up-to-date electronics.

Its neighborhood, Poncey-Highland, is on the up lately, and features no small amount of nightlife of its own. But the Clermont more than holds its own in that department; Tiny Lou’s, the French-Southern brasserie, serves dinner and a weekend brunch, while the lobby bar features creative cocktails and late-night bites. Café Clermont serves Revelator coffee, and the Roof Top is exactly what it sounds like: a rooftop bar with far-ranging views and a colorful crowd of locals and guests.