Atlanta Hotel for Shopping -- Lenox or Perimeter Area??
 

We are looking for a hotel within walking distance to either Lenox Square or the Perimeter Mall, for the night of November 24 or 25. Perhaps you are wondering why those areas, and only one night. This will be a special trip for my new family -- I have been married about 7 months to a wonderful man with a 17 year old son and a 21 year old daughter. We will meet up with his extended family of siblings and parents in the Atlanta suburbs (Stockbridge, Snellville, and Loganville) the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This will be our first "family trip" together. The four of us want to spend the Thursday or Friday night as a family in a hotel near one of the malls and spend some time shopping and eating out before we join the extended family on Saturday. I am paying for the trip, so I don't want to spend over $125. per room. (We will need 2 rooms.) Suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

Really depends on your preference I think. I don't know about hotel prices in either area, but as far as shopping you got it in either location. Lenox, you have 2 malls across the street from each other. Phipps has more high end stores, but Lenox is pretty high end as well. Other than that, you have a little shopping center that has Target, Filene's Basement, Dick's Sporting Goods. And Borders is very near that. All within walking distance of each other. There is other shopping not far away, but you'd have to drive to it. Perimeter, you have one mall and alot of centers surrounding it. Of course, you have Marta that connect the two areas. There are two stations in Buckhead. One is directly behind Lenox Mall. The other is a short walk. Different lines, but you can get to Perimeter either way. The Marta station at Perimeter is right behind the mall. So, you can stay at either place and have access to both. The BEST restaurants are in the Buckhead area, imo. However, that doesn't mean there aren't good restaurants in the Perimeter area. There are. Atlanta is blessed with good restaurants.

I have gotten really good Priceline.com and Hotwire.com deals at both locations, especially during holidays and weekends.

Read thoroughly biddingfortravel.com

Then you will be informed about priceline bidding. I just checked rates for the 4 star hotels in the Buckhead area and JWMarriott and Hyatt's rates are $169 and InterContinental rates are $179. With these rates, I'm guessing you will be able to secure a priceline bid for around $65.

We stayed at the JW Marriott a few months ago--probably a little more than you want to go, but for Lenox, oh, how nice!! You go down to the lobby, go out the glass doors, take the escalator up and you're in the middle of the mall!! It was great. I've never seen anything like it.
The hotel is absolutly gorgeous.
Like the above post stated, if this is out of your range, you can also take Marta to Lenox from almost anywhere in the city. Congrats on your marriage and your new family.

I'd try to stay in Buckhead and follow icee's advice for pricelining. I usually shop at Perimeter Mall but for a tourist, I think you'd like the choices Phipps Plaza and Lenox mall would afford you and the restaurant options around there make me think Buckhead is a somewhat more desirable location.

If you can't get a room in B'head for what you want, you won't be disappointed if you stay near Perimeter Mall. Good shopping and eating here in the Atlanta metro area :)

I just checked the rates at the AmeriSuites at Buckhead and found some amazing rates for the 25th (under $100). Free breakfast. Rooms are suite set-ups and are just fine. It is a walk of a few blocks to Lenox Mall but very doable.

Closer locations to check out would be the JW Marriott (already mentioned) and the Sheraton across the street. Wouldn't hurt to see what kind of specials the Ritz may be offering. Certainly not $125 range, but I've found some good rates - although sporadically.