There are three main forms of accommodation for the visitor to Atlanta. Hotel, Corporate Apartment or Private Home (of your friend). Most business travelers tend to stay in hotels where they can utilize their reward points. There are also boutique-style and historic hotel options for a change.
You may find some hotels indicate they service the Atlanta area but are not in a central location. We suggest that every attempt is made to stay as close to the central part of Atlanta (within Interstate 285—a motorway that is a much smaller version of the M25 in London), if possible. This makes moving around more convenient for the visitor. Centrally located areas in Atlanta are Buckhead, Midtown and Downtown Atlanta. Perimeter North (Ashford Dunwoody, Sandy Springs) is also equally convenient to the visitor and can be more affordable. Airport hotels are more convenient if you only plan on moving around close (within 5 miles) to the airport during your stay.
If staying with friends, be sure to clarify how you will be moving around if you are not renting your own vehicle or staying in a centrally located home (where public transportation is accessible). See our Travel 2 Atlanta page for more information.
At The London2Atlanta Network, we provide some choice sites to visit (see links on the right) and our associates are available to help members answer questions on issues such as location, distances and expectations upon arrival. In some cases we can have a local associate check the hotels and/or corporate apartments (within the areas we cover) for you before you make a decision!