The writer was hosted.
Going to Atlanta? Georgia may not be the most exotic place. But you can experience Japanese hospitality at the Nobu Hotel Atlanta, in the city’s upscale Buckhead neighborhood. The zen starts at check-in when you are welcomed with a warm towel and cup of tea. I was also offered a bottle of Nobu branded water, in a deluxe reusable aluminum bottle.
My guest room had a super comfortable king-size bed. I wondered if it was quiet because I didn’t have my husband snoring loudly beside me, but, even during the day, the room was a peaceful sanctuary.
There was a plush robe, slippers, and soft fluffy towels. And the bathroom was stocked with Natura Bissé luxury products.
But what impressed me most were the lights. There were lights everywhere, and with the master switch at the door, you could shut all the lights off when you left. The bathroom had low lighting for when you stumble in during the night, and bright lighting for applying makeup or shaving.
Of course, there were also lights for reading by the bed, and a switch so you could turn off the room lights without getting out of bed.
The black-out shades allowed me to eliminate all light when I went to sleep, too. Perfect sensory deprivation experience.
My room had a Nespresso coffee maker along with a tea set. In the morning, there was also freshly brewed coffee in the lobby and delicious chocolate chip cookies.
Super Luxury Hotel
If the guest rooms aren’t deluxe enough, splurge on the Nobu Villa. The rooftop 2,200 square foot suite has a grand piano, a bathroom bigger than my first New York City apartment, and a dining room that seats 10.
Rooftop Access
The Nobu Villa terrace is open to the hotel’s rooftop. Here there is a bar, for hotel guests only, and an outdoor saltwater pool.
Nobu Gym
Oddly, you take the elevator to the gym that’s located on street level. Windows flood the space with natural light. There are two Peloton bicycles, along with treadmills, lots of space to use free weights, and fun extras like bosu balls.
There are also oranges in case you need a post-workout pick-me-up.
The luxury lifestyle hotels, by Chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Robert De Niro, and Meir Teper are also pet friendly.
Nobu Atlanta
Nobu Atlanta, the Japanese restaurant within the Nobu Hotel, is a destination restaurant as well as a house restaurant for Nobu Hotel guests.
Although I didn’t sample the black cod miso, rock shrimp tempura or yellowtail jalapeno, I had a wonderful vegetarian Japanese cuisine. I had seaweed salad, tofu tempura, veggie handrolls, and tofu miso.
I have been to Nobu restaurants in New York and Santa Monica, but I had never tried the delicious lychee and elderflower martini. The house cocktail combines vodka, St. Germain liqueur, and fresh lychee. The waiter insisted I sample the Grapefruit on the Rocks cocktail since I usually prefer gin. This had ginger and elderflower liqueur along with gin and grapefruit. A winning combination.
Valet Your Car
Nobu Hotel and Restaurant offers valet parking. And if you are a guest at the hotel, you can take one of the house cars, a Porsche, to nearby restaurants along Peachtree Road. [To be clear, a Prsrche trained driver will spirit you around Buckhead].
If you want to walk off your yellowtail with jalapeno, just stroll across the street to Phipps Plaza.
Phipps Plaza
The high-end experience extends beyond the Nobu Hotel. Phipps Plaza offers high-end shopping, dining, and fitness.
You could spend a day or two just at Life Time, a five-story facility with a fantastic gym, a spa, two rooftop pools with a beach club, and a co-working space. I took a fun yoga class in the pool and an intense (but still fun, if that’s your jam) Shred Bootcamp.
Life Time also has a child-care facility with fitness and art classes for toddlers through tweens.
Citizen’s Market, the food hall underneath Life Time, has over a dozen places to eat. Life Time also has a healthy cafe and a not-quite-as-healthy bar for socializing after your workout.
Right outside the Citizen’s Market, The Green has Adirondack chairs, plus tables with chairs. You can sit outside to read a book, work (there is good wifi), or listen to live music.
