ATL Hotels Thru the Ages (OK, just the last century)

Here are three examples of hotels from around metro Atlanta. The first is The Highland Inn on Highland Avenue in the Poncey-Highlands neighborhood. This inn was probably built some time in the 1910s-1920s to accommodate overnight guests visiting the city. The high-quality of the stone front façade and the elaborate cornice indicate that this structure was designed for upper class guests. The small, double-hung windows are a good indication of the building’s age, as more contemporary hotels would most likely have larger, single-pane windows. Also, the lack of easily accessible parking speaks to the age of the building. The awning, if an original component of the building, also suggests that the hotel was designed to accommodate wealthy guests with a served meal.

This second structure is the Gwinnett Inn outside Stone Mountain, Georgia. The sign for the inn advertises a “Jacuzzi” and “weekly rates”. Though this modest post-war hotel may have once served as a regular hotel for overnight guests, today it’s dated look and obvious advertising of ‘weekly rates” indicates that today it serves as an SRO. Unlike the Highland, it provides parking for its occupants.

This contemporary Best Western is also located in Stone Mountain. Unlike both the Highland Inn and the Gwinnett Inn, this Best Western caters fully to the automobile by providing an awning to pull under in your car when checking in. Parking encircles the entire structure, making access to the 2-story motel convenient to those in vehicles. Unlike the Gwinnett, this Best Western property is landscaped for the pleasure of its visitors and attempts an actual style, which I guess I would deem "Southwestern".