Travel
Butter.ATL’s Staycations: The Kimpton Sylvan Hotel in Buckhead
Butter ATLJune 11, 2021
Welcome to Butter.ATL’s Staycations. This series of Atlanta hotel and leisure recommendations highlights some of the coolest places to stay and play in The A, even — especially — if you’re a resident.
Today we’re covering the Kimpton Sylvan Hotel in Buckhead. Opened February 10, 2021, and tucked into the neighborhood between Peachtree Street and The Shops at Buckhead, this boutique hotel is a renovation that retains the building’s 1950s-era design, with an updated treatment of sophistication and an infusion of nature that ties back into Atlanta’s urban forest appeal.
The Kimpton Sylvan has 217 guest rooms, a private courtyard pool, a ton of meetings and events space, cruiser bikes for guests, a well-appointed fitness center, in-room yoga mats and plenty more amenities.
To give you more, from her personal experience staying at the Kimpton Sylvan recently, here’s Butter.ATL’s own India Nabarro.
What’s up! This is India, Butter.ATL’s lead designer and now a reviewer and critic, TYVM ??.
For context, I’m neither a bad bitch nor a boujie bitch. I am a Kroger brand bitch who notices each time WaHo increases the price of the All-Star Special. I am not the most qualified person to write a review on a luxury hotel, but I’m doin it anyway, dammit.
Nestled between four star restaurants and the Buckhead bars I blacked out at from 2015-2018, The Sylvan isn’t immediately fancy. You know how billionaires wear Hanes t-shirts and Kirkland cargo shorts but spend my salary on skincare? It’s like that: comfortable at first, but refined as f*ck upon further inspection.
Staffed by ATLiens and tastefully decorated, The Sylvan is a great spot to have a conversation over drinks in a beautiful place (and walk away with some ? selfies). The days of sweating parking, to pay another $10 to sit on the rooftop of Hotel Clermont, around a bunch of Sandy Springs women out for girl’s night, are over.
TL;DR: The Sylvan is a great getaway from the stress of ATL traffic, elbowing your way to get a drink at the bar, and stuffy staff that side-eyes your sneakers.
Overall Vibes
- Undiscovered gem energy here
- Mid century modern aesthetic with weird-good art
- Relaxed atmosphere provided major vaca vibes
Rooms
- Cozier and cleaner than my apartment
- The bed… now I know how white collar criminals sleep so soundly.
- The “so fresh & so clean” coasters were a nice nod to ATL
- Did you forget your hair ties, razor, or toothbrush like I did? They gotchu.
Amenities
- Chill pool
- Free coffee!
- Again…that bed
- Lobby, courtyard, and rooftop are all great spots to read and pretend you’re on vacation far, far away
Food + Drink
- Willow Bar: secret garden vibes for small plates and drinks
- Hot employees made great conversation (Melissa, you rock)
- Hella summer-y gin drinks looked great on my story and were very drinkable
- Perfect for trendy young professionals looking for a quiet spot to grab a drink and plot their ascent to CEO
- The Betty: classic American food but way classier
- Lots of martinis on the menu (PSA: They’re strong and authentic.)
- Knowledgeable staff didn’t judge me for not knowing half the words on the menu
- Appears to be a great spot to land a Sugar Daddy
- Complimentary coffee in the morning!
- St. Julep: casual rooftop for cool kids
- Rooftop with solid view if you like Buckhead
- Fun drinks, fun food (like you’re at a carnival but less creepy)
- Disco ball and loungey furniture took me back to falling asleep at 2AM in the section at Havana
The Extras:
- Shoutout the employee who dapped me up while I was smoking in the parking lot; I love southern hospitality.
- I can’t emphasize enough how many classy ass selfie opportunities are here.
- It’s super lowkey and won’t stay that way for long, I assume. Be the cool friend. Suggest going there now.
The Kimpton Sylvan Hotel
374 East Paces Ferry Rd NE
Atlanta, GA 30305
thesylvanhotel.com