A First Look Inside the St. Regis Hotel Atlanta
When the St. Regis Hotel opens on April 7th, it’s going to set a new standard for luxury and exclusivity in Buckhead, and Atlanta in general. The St. Regis Atlanta will offer a 151-room hotel (with each room featuring custom-designed furniture and five-fixture marble bathrooms), as well as 50 truly special condominium homes – all contained in a timeless 26-story high rise in the heart of Buckhead.
Who is purchasing at the St. Regis? The list reads like a “who’s who” of prominent Atlantans. Do you want to get in on the action? There are only 5 luxury residences available for purchase. (Contact me and I’ll get you the information.)
The building is impressive inside and out … simply breathtaking. I have Jay Jacob, Director of Development for St. Regis Residences, to thank for the time he spent with me going over the entire project, from top to bottom. I hope you enjoy this “first look” inside the project.
After we entered the building, we took the elevator up to the top floor to take a look at the Halpern’s expansive penthouse – which is over 9,000 square feet, encompassing more than half of the floor. The other half is actually owned by another Halpern, so together they have one of the best pieces of real estate in Buckhead. The space is completely void of any drywall at the moment, but once they are able to close their architects and designers will begin the build-out. You might think there will be multiple bedrooms in the space, but there will only be two or three at most. Why have guest rooms when you have a five-star hotel below you? As you might expect, the views are spectacular. Owen Halpern (co-owner of Owen Lawrence at Howell Mill who was with me on the tour) said it best, “It’s the new, undiscovered view of Buckhead.”
Below: Looking out to the horizon from the Halpern’s private terrace.
Below: The new Buckhead view from the penthouse level.
As we walked down the stairs, we stopped every so often to look at how the build-outs were coming along. Each condo is completely different – some residents are having only drywall put in (white box), some are having their unit completely finished, others are going more contemporary. In this building, the only limitation you have is your budget, something these residents are not too worried about.
The extraordinary building is well designed and is constructed from materials that are going to stand the test of time. For instance, the windows are better than the windows you would find in an ocean front condo in South Beach. The moldings throughout are stately and elegant – taking into account the correct proportions to offset the high ceilings, making each space seem more cozy. It’s all in the details. Want to get warm? There are fireplaces everywhere you look- both inside and out. I was trying to count the actual number in the building, but lost count after we entered the Grand Foyer space.
Below: Elevators to the left, meeting space to the right, wide halls with cove ceilings – quality millwork throughout each area of the building
Below: Inside the Grand Ballroom – notice the ceiling? It’s silver leaf, being applied one sheet at a time. The artisan applying it has been doing so for over three weeks and had roughly half of the space completed. The hotel already has events booked for April – weddings, meetings, conferences. The Grand Ballroom is gorgeous and has a private outdoor terrace to enjoy our beautiful Atlanta weather.
Below: Looking down into the Pool Piazza. To the left is the Grand Terrace with the lawn already in place. Make your grand entrance to the pool by going down a winding staircase. The Grand Terrace is an outdoor event space for up to 350 guests, which overlooks the outdoor pool.
Below: The pool area. To the left at the far end is a huge waterfall/fountain. The space also has a large hot tub, private cabanas, a cozy outdoor fireplace and the Grotto Bar and Café. You are never far from fine food and cocktails anywhere in the building.
Below: The Grotto Bar is to the left, the massive fireplace directly in the center of the photo.
Below: A rendering of the Grand Lobby. Limestone columns hold up the ceiling, which has a beautiful chandelier and soft lighting throughout. Many guests will be photographed on the steps leading to the Mezzanine. You can’t see them in this photo, but there are 4 very large fireplaces in the Grand Lobby. The fireplaces are so large you can stand a 6′ log upright inside. Opulent!
Below: What does $500 per night get you? The rooms are elegant, understated and handsome. The furniture was custom designed for the hotel.
What I didn’t show you was the Spa, Billiards Room, Board Room or the famed St. Regis Bar (which is done in dark wood panelling looking out to West Paces Ferry. We did tour the spaces, but there was too much construction going on to make a good photo. Trust me, they are all very impressive.
One thing is certain. The St. Regis is going to give the Ritz and The Mansion a run for their money. I am excited to see the rest of the building completed and look forward to staying a night once it’s open.