Have you been to Hotel Clermont in Atlanta, Gentle Readers? It is WILD!
When we checked in, I asked nice guy at the desk about the building. He said, as he handed us glasses of champagne, that it was built in 1924 and originally housed people who worked at the Sears, Roebuck & Co. down the street. (That’s now known as Ponce Market.)
Then he cheerfully added, “Until about 5 years ago, it was a brothel!”
Huh!
He may have meant, “strip club;” the Clermont was — is? — famous for its “lounge.” But perhaps the owners diversified.
Here’s the lobby:
Rather than just call the style “midcentury,” I think we can get more specific: it reads film noir to me. ’40s and early ’50s. Kinda seedy!
I do love that bamboo rattan, though.
The elevator was rather ingenious, with wallpaper behind reeded plastic and edged in brass.
I also love the humor.
Our room really cracked me up. I had forgotten that when John was planning this trip, he had called out from his computer, “Hey, there’s a really cool hotel in Atlanta…but the rooms are…limited.”
Me, distracted: “Yeah? Meaning what?”
John, hopeful: “Well, the only rooms available have bunk beds.”
Me, looking up: “Bunk beds?”
John: “Bunk beds.”
Me: Are there no other hotels available?
John: None as cool…and it’s only one night. We’ll be tired from moving Ruthie into her dorm anyway.”
Me, shrugging: “I mean, okay. As long as it’s cool.”
I’d forgotten that conversation until we walked in:
As promised! But the room WAS cool — and big!
See what I mean about film noir? The moody colors, the Venetian blinds and raking light…I mean, that last is because of the time of day, but it certainly contributed to the noir-y vibe.
Here’s the view from one bunk to the other.
The thing that made this all ok was that it was so CLEAN. Wall-to-wall carpeting can be kind of gross, even in the nicest hotels, but this was obviously newish.
The bathroom was kind of hilarious:
Cute dispensers in the shower:
Anyway! Hotel Clermont in Atlanta. Worth considering, especially when there’s more of a…variety…of room offerings.
Not that bunk beds don’t have their charm.
Annie Elliott Design is based in Washington, D.C. If you ALSO are based in Washington, D.C., come hang out with me at 2 book events! The first is this Thursday, September 21, from 12-2:00 at the Stark showroom in the Washington Design Center, and the second is next Wednesday, September 27, from 6-7:30 at Proper Topper, 3322 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. Hope to see you there!