Kimpton Sylvan Hotel

Its name is a reference to Atlanta’s unofficial nickname, “a city in a forest,” and the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel’s location, in a leafy corner of Buckhead, makes good on the promise. This upscale neighborhood was once strictly luxury-hotel territory; a boutique hotel like the Kimpton Sylvan is a welcome addition, and a sign that the two branches of the hospitality world are closer together than ever before.

The building is an authentic 1950s modernist residential building, one that seems tailor-made for its new role. Its interiors make much of the mid-century atmosphere established by the structure; the spaces are crisp and modernist-inspired, from the lobby with its rounded corners to the rooms with their Danish-style desks. And while there are more lavish hotels in town, the Sylvan’s rooms are much more than comfortable enough.

Among the hotel’s greatest strengths is its food and beverage program. The Betty is a New American restaurant inspired by the supper clubs of old, the Willow Bar is set in the hotel’s lush gardens, and St. Julep is an indoor-outdoor bar on the 9th-floor roof terrace featuring cocktails, craft beers, and live DJs.