From the dramatic staircase at the entrance to the rose-marble public spaces, this 244-room hotel epitomizes gracious Southern living. You can't go wrong with any one of the hotel's guest rooms—all have handsome mahogany furniture and spacious marble bathrooms—but first-time visitors to Atlanta should try snagging one of the corner suites on the 19th floor for the sweeping city views. The Park 75 restaurant and classic hotel piano bar, on the mezzanine level, attract an eclectic crowd: On any given night, you can see well-to-do residents (part of the building is made up of condos and offices), touring hip-hop stars, or trustafarian hippies kicking back. A 12,000-square-foot spa opened in February 2006 with a menu of Georgia-inspired treatments, such as the Peaches and Cream manicure and pedicure.

You are in the heart of the city's best shopping—Phipps Plaza is a quarter mile north—but this hotel has a sense of remove, starting with the entrance, a half-block off Buckhead's clogged main artery of Peachtree and buffered by the latest outpost of Tom Colicchio's Craft restaurant. At 42 stories, the Mansion is 15 floors higher than any other building in the area, with unparalleled views to the North Georgia Mountains, yet the footprint is slender, prescribing intimate spaces inside. The 127 generous-sized guest rooms, located on the first 15 floors, are plush, with all the high- and low-tech comforts including a fine-art-concealed flat-screen TV and personal butlers. The sconce-lit lobby bar, with its dramatic draperies, mahogany cheater's booths, and library-esque ambience, is a subdued scene that is unmistakably Atlanta: a mixed executive/music mogul/thirtysomething socialite crowd. In the European-inflected NEO restaurant, staff have the white-glove touch, and at Lydia Mondavi's 29 Spa, you'll find every excuse not to leave this in-town retreat.

This perennial favorite subscribes to traditional paradigms of luxury: fresh-cut flowers, fine art, and Oriental rugs. The 517 guest rooms have bay windows overlooking the Buckhead community's stately homes and wooded areas. Other perks include proximity to some of the city's best shopping venues (both the Phipps Plaza and Lenox Square malls are across the street) and a professional staff that can deftly accommodate guests' needs with minimal drama. When booking, be aware that the Ritz-Carlton, Atlanta, the Buckhead property's downtown sister, may be a more attractive option for business travelers and vacationers who wish to be close to the Georgia Dome or the Georgia Aquarium (181 Peachtree St. N.E.; 404-659-0400). Southern scene–seekers will feel right at home at the Buckhead property.

The appeal of Twelve, a high-tech hotel/condo hybrid, is the central location in Midtown's new Atlantic Station retail development and the refreshingly modern look of the accommodations. All 101 suites in this 26-story high-rise have around-the-clock concierge access, plush bedding, and a full kitchen with stainless steel appliances and stylish black tiles. A wall of floor-to-ceiling windows allows sweeping skyline views and lets you take in the action on the streets below. Lobby at Twelve, the restaurant and bar, keeps a buzzy scene in-house.