I love credit cards so much! v6.0 - 2023 (see first page for add'l details)

[hsmamato2]

i wouldn't risk something if you think it was shady can ruin a trip IMO.

Oh of course.... I don't want to play that game

We stayed there about six years ago on a large, extended family trip. It was excellent! The rooms were large and had lots of room, nice full kitchens, clean, etc. I never went down to the pool area but my family thought it was awesome. Super close to the parks (but no free transit option, just a pay shuttle, if things are the same) We drove so I can't really speak to how the transportation was.

I believe that we booked through Vacation Strategy after seeing them recommended here many times. I believe there was one other company that is often recommended here as well.

Go check out the "We love Bonnet Creek" thread here, I do believe it still gets some action. There is good information there.

The timeshare side and the hotel are pretty different things. The one thing I remember during our time was that the timeshare had free parking and the hotel did not. But I believe there are several other differences. Generally, the timeshare side came highly recommended but not so much the hotel side (but things could have obviously changed).

Thanks for this info! I'm hoping it'll be a place where the whole extended fam can get together

 

[havaneselover]

Thanks for the reply. I saw some reviews on some of the hotels right by the park saying they didn’t feel safe at night so it made me worried.

I've only walked by during the day, but I can see that. When we went to the aquarium (when my daughter was visiting GT), we were actually staying at Atlantic Station (which is nice because it has a Publix and lots of restaurants) and Ubered over. That's probably not convenient with a little one though.

 

[Haley R]

I've only walked by during the day, but I can see that. When we went to the aquarium (when my daughter was visiting GT), we were actually staying at Atlantic Station (which is nice because it has a Publix and lots of restaurants) and Ubered over. That's probably not convenient with a little one though.

We will rent a car so don’t mind driving if it means we can be in a nicer area. I’m worried about getting dinner at night near the hotel. How far was that hotel from the aquarium?

ETA: I have a family friend that lives near Atlanta and she recommended staying in Vinings so I think we’re gonna do that

 

[havaneselover]

We will rent a car so don’t mind driving if it means we can be in a nicer area. I’m worried about getting dinner at night near the hotel. How far was that hotel from the aquarium?

ETA: I have a family friend that lives near Atlanta and she recommended staying in Vinings so I think we’re gonna do that

I was going to say that I looked and there are only a few hotels at Atlantic Station and the best rated one isn't so great based on our stay! My other suggestion would have been Buckhead which is right next to Vinings so I think you're on the right track!

 

[StephPlum]

Has anyone stayed at Baker's Cay Key Largo on FNC and had a $20 Room upgrade fee? I don't know what that is and I don't remember anyone mentioning this to me when I checked in. I am pretty sure I didn't get a room upgrade either. Before I call the hotel, I thought I would check here.

 

[calypso726]

Ds and I were supposed to head to London on March 13 to see Arsenal vs Chelsea on the 16th. But Chelsea is now headed to the FA Cup (I think that's what it is called!) and our game has been bumped to a not-yet-set date in April or May. Obviously flying on points I can't make changes at this point. So the trip has to be scratched. We are going to try to get hospitality box seats for a match in November or December when the calendar opens in July, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get flights on points that late. We shall see. I know that AC won't be an option with dynamic pricing, hopefully BA or AA will work.

Even worse is the fact that I used 3 of dh's priority rewards to book seats (half the points cost for seats in biz class), which have now expired. If I don't go on the trip solo then I lose all 3; I do have the option of changing the flights, but travel must be completed by June, 2023. So I am scrambling to decide where I want to go that's not going to cost $$$. I have settled on flying on AC from TO-->JFK (on Singapore Air)-->FRA (on Lufthansa) -->EDI on March 11th, landing in EDI on the March 12th. I'll spend 3 nights in Edinburgh and take the train to London on the 15th. I'll keep my flight home from London on the 19th. This way I just have 1 priority reward to use on something.

Ds and I were staying at the Conrad St. James because he really liked the lounge last year (so he could work from there when necessary), but I didn't love it and find it a bit expensive for the location (not really walking distance to any restaurants). I'm scouring hotels in London looking for a deal in the area that I want to stay (Mayfair) -- not an easy task, but I think that I've settled on Mayfair Townhouses (maybe). I found a great deal on Visa Signature Hotels booking for Great Scotland Yard Hotel, but I really want to be in Mayfair so I can access 3 tube lines from Green Park. In Edinburgh I'm going to book the Market Street Hotel -- I saw it last time we were there -- I love the location (right by Waverly train station) and it is pretty new with an aesthetic that I like at a very affordable price.

There is still the chance that I might scrap the trip, but at least I was able to get the flight from JFK to FRA on Singapore Air in biz class and the short connection time in Frankfurt (for 35k AP points using the priority reward) -- maybe that's a sign? Honestly if I wasn't headed to Paris and Amsterdam on April 2nd I wouldn't be hesitating, but I'm not convinced that I want to go overseas almost back-to-back. First world problems, I am very aware.

Has anyone stayed at the Balmoral in Edinburgh? It's $200.00 more (total) than the Market Street Hotel -- last time I was in Edinburgh every time I walked by I told myself that next time I'd stay there. But I am not sure if it's worth it or not? If anyone has stayed there are the rooms old and stale or new-ish but meant to look like grandma's apartment? The bathrooms look fine. I have my $300.00 Cap1 travel credit that I can use, but wouldn't get any benefits like I would with AmEx FHR, where I have my $200.00 travel credit and would also get breakfast daily and $100.00 F&B credit (afternoon tea maybe).

We stayed at the Balmoral with ABD in 2012. It was lovely and we would absolutely stay there again. We were told this is where Presidents and dignitaries stay when visiting Edinburgh. If memory serves correctly a former US president was there days before we arrived.

 

[Haley R]

I was going to say that I looked and there are only a few hotels at Atlantic Station and the best rated one isn't so great based on our stay! My other suggestion would have been Buckhead which is right next to Vinings so I think you're on the right track!

She told me to avoid buckhead. She didn’t say why though

 

[disneybirds]

We’re looking to do a quick weekend trip to Atlanta to visit the aquarium. Does anyone have any hotel recommendations for that area or next to the Atlanta airport?

We have stayed in lots of hotels in Atlanta. My favorite in Midtown is the Georgia Tech hotel. The parking garage is right beside the hotel (around $25), quiet, safe, and usually not too expensive. It is about a mile to the aquarium, but you will definitely need to drive. The food options are limited within walking distance, but I still like the hotel. I usually pay for the rooms in the Chase portal.

We just stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead last weekend. It is a really nice hotel, with a great breakfast. Valet runs $55 a night. We used our Delta vacation $$ for our visit, but I think it was 24K a night. Lots of dining options right around the hotel. In fact, there is a Chickfila in the next building if you just want a chicken biscuit for breakfast.

Within walking distance to the aquarium, is an Embassy Suites. It has probably been 5 years since we stayed there, but it was nice then. We stayed there for a concert. We have friends that like the Glenn Hotel, but we have never stayed there. I would definitely check recent reviews!

You need to be careful staying around the Atlanta airport. I booked a room for my DH probably a year or so ago, and some of the reviews were not great in that area. There is a Westin and Marriott near Best Road that seemed to have the better reviews. I can't remember which one I picked for him, but it was one of those two.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

 

[Haley R]

We have stayed in lots of hotels in Atlanta. My favorite in Midtown is the Georgia Tech hotel. The parking garage is right beside the hotel (around $25), quiet, safe, and usually not too expensive. It is about a mile to the aquarium, but you will definitely need to drive. The food options are limited within walking distance, but I still like the hotel. I usually pay for the rooms in the Chase portal.

We just stayed at the Grand Hyatt in Buckhead last weekend. It is a really nice hotel, with a great breakfast. Valet runs $55 a night. We used our Delta vacation $$ for our visit, but I think it was 24K a night. Lots of dining options right around the hotel. In fact, there is a Chickfila in the next building if you just want a chicken biscuit for breakfast.

Within walking distance to the aquarium, is an Embassy Suites. It has probably been 5 years since we stayed there, but it was nice then. We stayed there for a concert. We have friends that like the Glenn Hotel, but we have never stayed there. I would definitely check recent reviews!

You need to be careful staying around the Atlanta airport. I booked a room for my DH probably a year or so ago, and some of the reviews were not great in that area. There is a Westin and Marriott near Best Road that seemed to have the better reviews. I can't remember which one I picked for him, but it was one of those two.

Let me know if you have any other questions!

Thanks for the response! I have a family friend that recommended a hotel in Vinings so we are staying there. We booked our flights and hotel today. The plan is for sure the aquarium but possibly the zoo too. We will really only have Saturday so I’m trying to figure out if we could squeeze both in, doing the zoo first and the aquarium after

 

[disneybirds]

We will rent a car so don’t mind driving if it means we can be in a nicer area. I’m worried about getting dinner at night near the hotel. How far was that hotel from the aquarium?

ETA: I have a family friend that lives near Atlanta and she recommended staying in Vinings so I think we’re gonna do that

I should have caught up reading before answering your question!! If you are willing to drive, I would stay in Alpharetta near the Avalon area. Hotel Avalon is wonderful, but pricey. There is a Courtyard by Marriott and Even Hotel across the street which would involve more walking, but Avalon is a really nice area. It is probably 40 minutes to the Aquarium.

Best of Luck!

 

[Haley R]

I should have caught up reading before answering your question!! If you are willing to drive, I would stay in Alpharetta near the Avalon area. Hotel Avalon is wonderful, but pricey. There is a Courtyard by Marriott and Even Hotel across the street which would involve more walking, but Avalon is a really nice area. It is probably 40 minutes to the Aquarium.

Best of Luck!

She suggested Hotel Indigo in Vinings. She said they’ve stayed there and loved it. It’s 4 minutes from the mall. Should we avoid the mall? We mainly just want safe places to go out for dinner and possibly a playground nearby

 

[EACarlson]

Thanks for the response! I have a family friend that recommended a hotel in Vinings so we are staying there. We booked our flights and hotel today. The plan is for sure the aquarium but possibly the zoo too. We will really only have Saturday so I’m trying to figure out if we could squeeze both in, doing the zoo first and the aquarium after

I wouldn't try to do the zoo and then the aquarium in one day. I would go to the aquarium, spend all the time you want there and then see if you have time for anything else. I would seriously consider the Coca Cola museum that's right there too.

 

[disneybirds]

She suggested Hotel Indigo in Vinings. She said they’ve stayed there and loved it. It’s 4 minutes from the mall. Should we avoid the mall? We mainly just want safe places to go out for dinner and possibly a playground nearby

If she has stayed there and loved it, then you should be fine! I am not really familiar with Vinings, but it is a nice residential area. The hotel is on Paces Ferry Road and has several good food options across the street. We have been to a few restaurants in Vinings before and that section is a really nice, upscale area.

ETA: You could go one night to the Battery which is close to the hotel. Plenty of place for your son to run around and lots of places to eat. The Battery is right beside Truist Park where the Braves play.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

We’re looking to do a quick weekend trip to Atlanta to visit the aquarium. Does anyone have any hotel recommendations for that area or next to the Atlanta airport?

Yeah definitely don't stay in Centennial Park area or downtown/midtown. We stay there several times a year for concerts, within walking distance of Mercedes Benz stadium. The area is sketchy at night, but we're used to that having lived in NYC for 15 years. Parking is also expensive in the area, and if there's an event it's double! But I wouldn't recommend being in the area after dark if you can help it or stay elsewhere.

Thanks for the response! I have a family friend that recommended a hotel in Vinings so we are staying there. We booked our flights and hotel today. The plan is for sure the aquarium but possibly the zoo too. We will really only have Saturday so I’m trying to figure out if we could squeeze both in, doing the zoo first and the aquarium after

We have done the zoo and aquarium both in the same day before, but it really depends on how much time you guys want to spend seeing things. We've done the aquarium in 2 hours before, or we've done it in 5 hours when we added on a behind the scenes tour, and saw the dolphin show. The zoo is fairly small and should take max 2 hours. The giant pandas are the best thing about their zoo.

 

[ahself]

ETA: You could go one night to the Battery which is close to the hotel. Plenty of place for your son to run around and lots of places to eat. The Battery is right beside Truist Park where the Braves play.

I agree that if you're staying at the Hotel Indigo, you should go to the Battery one day/night, more so than Cumberland Mall.

However, I also want to mention that I've stayed at the Embassy Suites Centennial Park many times with my wife and daughters and never had an issue feeling safe, especially over a weekend when the area will probably be packed with tourists. You can't beat the convenience to the Aquarium, World of Coke or Centennial Park (that has a kid's playground), plus a short walk to the CNN center food court and several other good restaurants, including Yard Milkshake Bar (which kids seem to love). In addition, there's a Ruth's Chris in the Embassy Suites that does room service. The hotel's complimentary breakfast in the morning is in the Ruth's Chris dining room, and it's a really good breakfast buffet, including an omelet station. There's also a Starbucks in the hotel.

As I was about to post this reply, I saw Crazed's response come in, which conflicts with mine. Yes, there might be sketchy looking people out at night, but we've never had an issue, especially with so many other people walking around too. I suppose being out late, like after a concert, might tell a different story.

 

[havaneselover]

She told me to avoid buckhead. She didn’t say why though

I think Buckhead has had more crime problems of late.

I agree that if you're staying at the Hotel Indigo, you should go to the Battery one day/night, more so than Cumberland Mall.

However, I also want to mention that I've stayed at the Embassy Suites Centennial Park many times with my wife and daughters and never had an issue feeling safe, especially over a weekend when the area will probably be packed with tourists. You can't beat the convenience to the Aquarium, World of Coke or Centennial Park (that has a kid's playground), plus a short walk to the CNN center food court and several other good restaurants, including Yard Milkshake Bar (which kids seem to love). In addition, there's a Ruth's Chris in the Embassy Suites that does room service. The hotel's complimentary breakfast in the morning is in the Ruth's Chris dining room, and it's a really good breakfast buffet, including an omelet station. There's also a Starbucks in the hotel.

As I was about to post this reply, I saw Crazed's response come in, which conflicts with mine. Yes, there might be sketchy looking people out at night, but we've never had an issue, especially with so many other people walking around too. I suppose being out late, like after a concert, might tell a different story.

Yard Milkshake Bar is fun!

 

[Haley R]

Yeah definitely don't stay in Centennial Park area or downtown/midtown. We stay there several times a year for concerts, within walking distance of Mercedes Benz stadium. The area is sketchy at night, but we're used to that having lived in NYC for 15 years. Parking is also expensive in the area, and if there's an event it's double! But I wouldn't recommend being in the area after dark if you can help it or stay elsewhere.

We have done the zoo and aquarium both in the same day before, but it really depends on how much time you guys want to spend seeing things. We've done the aquarium in 2 hours before, or we've done it in 5 hours when we added on a behind the scenes tour, and saw the dolphin show. The zoo is fairly small and should take max 2 hours. The giant pandas are the best thing about their zoo.

I’m honestly not sure how long we’ll spend at each place. The zoo would be for me. Ds could care less but he really wants to see the whale sharks at the aquarium. I grew up just north of Atlanta so I’ve been to both before and dh has as well. It will all be new for ds. I feel like we could do both in the same day because the aquarium is open until 9 pm. I was thinking the zoo in the morning and then the aquarium after with possibly a break mid day at the hotel.

Otherwise we could do the aquarium first, world of Coke, and then let him run around in the park and on the playground.

 

[Crazed4DisneyinSC]

As I was about to post this reply, I saw Crazed's response come in, which conflicts with mine. Yes, there might be sketchy looking people out at night, but we've never had an issue, especially with so many other people walking around too. I suppose being out late, like after a concert, might tell a different story.

Yeah, we are often in ATL late night, coming out at 11pm or later from a show. There is weed dispensary trucks, people trying to sell you stuff walking on the street or handing you strip joint cards. It is not the vibe at night, lol. During the day it's perfectly fine. We often rent the bird scooters to jet around the area, we love the Ponce City Market. The area just speaks to two different crowds at night. Yes, there's some tourists out late at night, but there's also a crowd trying to get into trouble.

 

[ljhayes]

We’re looking to do a quick weekend trip to Atlanta to visit the aquarium. Does anyone have any hotel recommendations for that area or next to the Atlanta airport?

We just did this on our way home from Costa Rica a week and a half ago. We stayed at the Candler because I was able to book it with Amex and get the $200 credit and $100 to spend at the hotel. It was easily walkable to the aquarium, but the hotel was meh. I think we got just about the worst room in the place. It was on the third floor right over a bar and my 9 year old has been saying "ladies, ladies ladies, where you at?!" ever since We didn't check in with the app and choose a room because I was hoping for an upgrade but if I did it again I would just choose our room. The aquarium was AMAZING!!!

 

[Arcades]

Did you feel safe staying there?

I've been to Atlanta many times and never felt unsafe in the Centennial Park/Downtown area. That said, there's a reason for the increased police presence, so take whatever precautions you feel are warranted. Interestingly, most restaurants and businesses are shut down by 11 pm, even on weekends (perhaps to try and avoid problems that might occur in the wee hours).

My favorite area to stay is around Atlantic Station. It's only about a 10 min drive/Uber to the Aquarium from there and is probably safer than Downtown. Twelve Midtown (Marriott) was my favorite hotel and there's some nice Airbnbs carved out of the upscale Loft Condominiums too. Both options would be more pricey than the ones Downtown, though.