My home away from home, with yummy allday snacks
Daily delights include breakfast,
light snacks, hors d’ oeuvres,
beverages (including wine,
champagne, and cocktails)
and sweets.
Best Sleeps
The Ritz-Carlton Buckhead
What’s not to love about sleeping
in a cushy feather bed, covered with
luxurious Frette linens, using Asprey’s
bath products (The British Standard
since 1781) in an oversized soaking
tub or separate rain-shower;
delicately pigging-out at their
famous 100+ item Sunday Brunchcomplete with a Bubble Bar for a
Kir, Bellini or glass of Champagne;
gossiping over afternoon tea by the
elegant fireplace; or ordering lunch
delivered to you at the sundeck
adjacent to the 60-foot indoor pool?
If you’re really whipped after a day
of retail therapy, you have a choice
between an energizing work-out at
the state-of-the-art gym, or you
can retreat to the Spa floor for a
signature treatment such as their
Southern comfort facial followed by
a Sweet magnolia pedicure. For one
of the world’s best sleeps, book a Spa
Level guestroom where thoughtful
amenities include a Tempur-Pedic
bed, Yoga mat, yoga blocks and DVDs,
plush spa robes and a soothing
Brookstone 16-sound machine.
Pssst: Trust me, it is so worth
a little splurge to upgrade to
the Club Level. When they say
they offer “Continuous Culinary
Offerings,” they aren’t kidding.
Buckhead’s Mandarin Orient al
Hotel combines Southern
graciousness with a sophisticated
Zen aura, with subtle touches of
glamour such as dramatic floral
arrangements. The renowned
Mandarin Oriental service begins
when you are greeted at the front
desk with a refreshing scented moist
towel and chilled bottle of water
and it never stops. I brought my
pile of notes to the concierge who
magically organized it into a superb
two-day itinerary. The only thing
better than the soothingly
decorated, contemporary bedroom
(goose down bedding and luxurious
linens by Rivolta) with a trickedout entertainment system was
the humongous white marble
bathroom- with a walk-in shower,
twin vanity units and a deep
soaking tub, and bathroom amenities
by Shanghai Tang.
The incredible spa transcends
tranquility, with facilities
spreading over two full floors
of wonderfulness. There are 13
treatment rooms, fully equipped
fitness center and aerobic rooms,
steam, sauna and vitality pool as
well as Yoga, Pilates, tai chi and
meditation classes. Sunlight streams
56
in though French windows
surrounding a climate-controlled
60-foot indoor lap pool. It’s going to
be tough trying to choose between
a Southern-inspired Peaches and
Cream treatment and the Oriental
Essence massage featuring their
signature Quintessence oil, so
don’t stress, book one each day.
The acclaimed Cafe and Bar features
modern American cuisine with a
twist on traditional dishes, such
as a Cold Georgia Green Pea Soup
with mint, buttermilk & smoked
bacon chip.
Pssst: For a relaxing view, book
a room that overlooks the hotel’s
private English gardens. Another
welcome amenity is the
complimentary private car
service that operates within
a two- mile radius, so no need
to fight over who has to be
the designated driver.
Choose Your Dream Car
The High Museum of Art is always
a popular attraction, particularly
since the Renzo Piano expansion in
2005, but I bet it has broken all male
attendance records with its current
summer show, “Dream Cars:
Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas”
which showcases 17 groundbreaking
concept cars from the 1930s to the
present by BMW, Porsche, Bugatti
and others.