Ritz-Carlton, Buckhead

The grande dame of Atlanta's luxury hotels, the Ritz has pride of place on Buckhead's main drag, where fabulous shops and department stores abound (a trio of shopping centers adjacent to the hotel house Neiman Marcus, Saks, Nordstrom, and Bloomingdale's, among others). The 517 rooms underwent a $38 million renovation in 2008; newly updated units have gleaming mahogany floors in the entranceway, custom millwork cabinetry, new jewel-tone fabrics, flat-screen TV's, and iPod docking stations. Many have updated bathrooms too, with glass step-in showers and rainfall showerheads. The elegant, brocade-bedecked Dining Room restaurant, which serves French-Mediterranean cuisine, is one of the city's top tables (be sure to book your dinner table when you make your room reservation). The hotel's enclosed second-floor junior Olympic-size pool and companion hot tub are just the thing to take the edge off after a long day of spending.