The Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta

Everything is within walking distance from this prime location, and when it was too cold to walk, getting a rideshare was easy, with less than a five minute wait. The room was absolutely gorgeous, and every team member I dealt with was exceptional, from the concierge and bartenders to housekeeping, the restaurant, and the bell and parking attendants.

The property was nice and well maintained, and the staff we met were genuinely good, polite, and professional. We appreciated their hospitality during our babymoon at The Ritz-Carlton Atlanta. Still, the stay was only decent and didn't quite meet what we expected from a typical Ritz-Carlton. The main problem was valet. One request for our car took 40 minutes, making us miss our dinner reservation. For a milestone trip at a hotel of this level, that delay was disappointing and avoidable. I'd consider returning, but only if transportation logistics improve.

The hotel is older, but the staff really elevate the stay, and the service is unmatched. I asked for a lower floor and they accommodated me without hesitation. I hadn't mentioned my birthday, so finding a beautiful cake and fruit display in the room was a lovely surprise. Kory at the front desk went above and beyond, calling after I settled in to check that I was happy with the room and gorgeous view. They'd also laid slippers by the bedside and provided lovely Diptyque products in the bathroom. From the warm, personable bellman onward, every staff member was friendly and welcoming. Absolutely excellent stay, highly recommend.

The hotel and rooms are nice, and the valet and front desk staff were fantastic. The food and drink service, though, needs a lot of work. After a five hour drive, we just wanted a quick bite and a drink at the lobby bar. They sat us at a dirty table, then it took 20 minutes to get a soda and cocktail. We were the closest table to the bar and could see our drinks sitting there while the server chatted with other servers and ran drinks to tables that arrived after us. She went past the service bar several times and only brought our drinks after another server pointed out how long they'd been waiting. The food took a while, which was fine, but the runner wandered around unsure where to take it, then left it on the tray stand to ask the server. While it sat there, two different servers took fries from our plate. They were about 12 feet away, with nothing between us, so we could clearly see them. After that, I can understand why this is the only Marriott that didn't send out a survey.