Well, I’ve finally got the chance to stay at my very first Nobu Hotel and it was at the brand new Nobu Hotel Atlanta! If anyone knows me or this blog, you already know that I’m a die-hard Hyatt fan through and through. But last week, I was out in Atlanta for my 9-5 job and I decided I would forgo my usual Hyatt stay and try out Nobu since it just opened up two weeks ago. It’s so new that the day I was checking out was the day they had their official ribbon cutting for the hotel!

• Related Article: Where to Stay: Park Hyatt Washington D.C. 

 

Nobu Hotel Atlanta Overall Review

Cost

For some reason, it got into my head that Nobu Hotels were super expensive. Maybe it’s the rates I see from the Las Vegas location or the crazy Malibu ryokan version, but I thought Nobu Hotel Atlanta was semi-reasonable for a luxury hotel. Also, maybe because it just opened last week, but as you can see from the prices below, it ranges from $395-$485/night. I’m not saying this is cheap by any means, but more so that I was expecting it to be around the $600-$700/night arena. In full transparency though, I did get to use the corporate rate which is the only reason I could afford to stay here in the first place. 

 

Location

The hotel is located in North Buckhead in Phipps Plaza which is a fairly new commercial development by renowned mall developers, Simon Group. I’m not too familiar with Atlanta, but all I know is that it’s north of Downtown Atlanta and takes about an hour from the airport with traffic. The area seems really nice and newly developed, but I’m not sure I would make the trip to stay all the way out here if I didn’t have a project in that area. 

 

 

Room

The pictures below will do a better job showcasing the space, but essentially you have your typical Japanese decor combined with modern furniture and fixtures. The room was super spacious, especially for one person. There’s a desk below the TV for you to work and a comfortable seating area by the windows, which was probably my favorite part. It was raining that day so it was nice for an L.A. girl to sit, look out, and actually see some weather! 

I will say that since Nobu Hotel Atlanta just opened, there were some minor problems with the room. First, the phone didn’t connect to the front desk or any guest services representative. It must have just been my room since I asked my colleague and he didn’t have a problem with that in his room. Second, the waterfall shower head only sprayed half the nozzles. Also, when I say “spray,” I mean SPRAY. It was not a comfortable streaming waterfall. It was shooting needles down your back type of deal. Lastly, the soap pump didn’t work so there was no way of getting soap unless you opened up the bottle. In the end, I just used the bar soap.

 

Food and Drinks

It wouldn’t be a Nobu Hotel if there wasn’t at least a Nobu Restaurant, right? So yes, there is a Nobu Atlanta Restaurant downstairs conveniently located off the lobby. Unfortunately, my per diem did not cover such a luxurious dinner so I didn’t end up eating there. I did pass by and it was absolutely packed for a Tuesday night. I felt like every socialite in Atlanta was there along with their super fancy sports cars. So, if you are looking for a “happening” scene, this is definitely the restaurant you want to check out.

 

Pool/Gym

I didn’t get the chance to try out the pool during my visit mainly because it’s wintertime, duh. Also, to be honest, I can’t even imagine getting into a swimsuit right now after all the food I ate in Tokyo and Seoul. But for people that are curious, the pool is on the rooftop with your usual umbrellas, loungers, tables, etc. What I did get to try though was the amazing gym. This is probably the largest hotel gym that I’ve ever been to. I don’t mean in terms of equipment but in terms of size. There is so much room and I had it all to myself that morning. 

 

Service

The customer service at the Nobu Hotel Atlanta is what I would typically expect from a luxury hotel. The front desk was informative, courteous, and always had a smile on. I do have to give a shout-out to the two valet attendants (I believe) that helped me try to get an Uber/Lyft. Since the hotel is new, not a lot of rideshare drivers know where to pick you up yet.

The first valet attendant kept me company while I was waiting for my second ride since my first one got lost and canceled on me. The valet attendant eventually had to leave to drive some guests somewhere so the second valet attendant came in to help me. We chatted a bit and I started noticing my ride getting lost again. The second valet attendant literally walked all the way down the mall to flag my ride to make sure they got to the hotel this time. I thought that was so sweet of him and was totally above and beyond. 

 

Things to Note if You’re Staying at Nobu Hotel Atlanta Soon

1. Nobu Hotel Atlanta is brand new so don’t expect everything to be perfect yet. Be kind, and understanding, and let the front desk know of any problems, big or small. It helps them understand what needs to be fixed for the next time.
2. Nobu has dedicated cars that can drive you within a 3-mile radius (I think it’s 3 miles). So, if you don’t have a car or want to eat somewhere besides the hotel, you have the option to be driven somewhere.
3. Rideshare apps won’t know where they are going. It’s better to set a close location like Lifetime Gym or Davio’s Steakhouse otherwise you can be waiting up to 30 minutes like I did.
4. My room (415) was right above the valet. If you don’t want to hear Ferraris revving their engines all night because they are going to and from the restaurant, request a room far far FAR away from here. 

 

Nobu Hotel Atlanta Pictures