The Atlanta Marriott Marquis

The Atlanta Marriott Marquis is a unique hotel in the heart of Atlanta. See if you should stay at the filming location of two Hunger Games movies.

Studies are out that show that boys inherit their intelligence from their mothers. Now you might be wondering what that has to do with the Atlanta Marriott Marquis.

Well, yours truly gave birth to a smart boy. (According to the study, I get to take credit for that, right?) My son, along with several of his super smart classmates, took part in a scholars’ tournament that lasted a couple of days in Atlanta in May 2016.

The NAQT (National Academic Quiz Tournament) for middle schools actually took place at the Hilton Atlanta, but the hotel was completely booked so we stayed at the Marriott Marquis. Fortunately, the two hotels are connected via a skywalk to the Hilton.

The hotel’s 52-stories allow for an impressive atrium. In fact, the hotel has been featured in a few prominent movies. Ever hear of The Hunger Games: Catching Fire or The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1?

The rooms seemed pretty typical to me – two double beds and a bath. Noticeably absent was the standard fridge and in-room safe. (The fact sheet available from Marriott lists a mini fridge as a general room amenity. Hopefully the rooms have been upgraded since our visit.)

The beds were pretty standard (I would not describe them as heavenly) and the sheets were worn.

The bathroom was stocked with Thann bath and body products.

The hotel’s swimming pool was a nice discovery and was a good outlet for the kids to decompress.

There were several lounge chairs and seating areas around the pool.

The kids enjoyed being able to swim between the indoor and outdoor pools.

What I liked about the hotel is that we could take the skywalk from the hotel to the Mall at Peachtree Center. There is a pretty nice food court at the mall which proved to be a money saver for us. (The full American breakfast at the hotel is $24 per person.)

In addition to the food court at the mall, the hotel is within walking distance to many other restaurants. The Hard Rock Cafe is about 10-15 minutes away by foot.

Crazy Atlanta is another nearby restaurant with menu offerings such as pizza, wraps, and nachos.

Overall, the Marriott Marquis is a visually impressive hotel. However, the scenery and location come with a price. In addition to the hotel room, there is the daily cost of parking, breakfast, the bottle of water in the room (I believe it was $4 for one bottle), etc.

For more information and current rates, visit Marriott.com.