Hotels

Even in Hotlanta, sleep is inevitable.

As a major convention city, metro Atlanta is capable of accommodating hordes of visitors. It has more than 92,000 rooms at 749 properties, including budget digs, bed-and-breakfast lodgings, and bastions of luxury. The choices listed below -- offering good value in several different price brackets -- are in the parts of the city that travelers frequent most often. If you have trouble finding a vacancy at the places listed here, look to the suburbs, where nearly every chain is represented. If you have a car and you're near one of the major interstates, getting into the city from the suburbs should be relatively simple, especially if you avoid rush hours, which last from around 6:30 to 9:30am and 4 to 7:30pm.

Although 100% occupancy is a rarity in Atlanta, this is a major convention city; booking well in advance assures you of a room in the hotel of your choice. Many accommodations, especially those downtown hotels that cater to business travelers, are at full capacity during the standard Monday-through-Friday business week, offering more open beds and reduced rates over the weekend.

Rates

The hotels reviewed below are classified first by area, then by price, using the following categories: Very Expensive: more than $200 per night; Expensive: $150 to $200; Moderate: $100 to $150; Inexpensive: less than $100. All rates are for double occupancy (two people in one room) and are subject to change.

The prices listed in this book are "rack rates" -- the highest that the hotel will charge. If you ask about discounts and packages, or if you book through a travel agent, you can often do better than these posted rates. Reduced-price packages may include extras such as meals, parking, theater tickets, and golf fees, and lower rates are often available for seniors, families, and active-duty military personnel. Preferential rates are also often available when you reserve via toll-free reservation numbers or the Internet. Websites and toll-free telephone information are supplied in all applicable listings below.

Any extras included in the rates (for example, breakfast or other meals) are listed for each property. A 14% tax will be added onto your hotel or motel bill within the city of Atlanta and Fulton County (7% sales tax plus 7% room tax); the rates listed below do not include that tax. If you have a car, be sure to consider the price of parking in the hotel garage at an average of $18 per overnight. Finally, keep in mind that hotel rates often increase during special events.

Bed & Breakfasts

Bed & Breakfast Atlanta, 790 North Ave. (tel. 800/967-3224 or 404/875-0525; www.bedandbreakfastatlanta.com), is a free reservations service that has been carefully screening facilities in the Atlanta area since 1979. Its list comprises more than 100 homes and inns; all accommodations offer private bathrooms. Among the offerings are a turreted Queen Anne-style Victorian home with nine fireplaces, located near the Carter Library; a delightful honeymoon cottage with a Jacuzzi in "Miss Daisy's" Druid Hills; an elegant 1920s Tudor-style home in Buckhead; and a fully furnished garden cottage in Ansley Park. The company even has kosher homes on its roster. All rates include continental breakfast, in many cases extending considerably beyond the usual pastry and coffee. To make sure that you get a room in your top B&B choice, make sure you reserve as early as possible. Call during office hours, which are Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm.

B&B rates run the gamut from $60 to $240 (the latter for a luxurious Buckhead guest cottage, on a 4-acre estate, that accommodates four people). Rates during special events may be higher. Weekly and monthly rates are available (in guesthouses and apartments) for long-term visitors. American Express, Diners Club, MasterCard, and Visa are accepted.