Atlanta Marriott Marquis
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis is a 554-foot (169-meter) skyscraper in Atlanta operated as a hotel by the Marriott hotel chain. The brutalist tower was designed by architect John Calvin Portman Jr. - an American architect who has won numerous awards and designed numerous skyscrapers (especially hotels) in the United States, Asia, and Europe.
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis is part of several buildings designed by Portman, which form a distinct district within Downtown Atlanta known as the Peachtree Center.
During the 1980s, it was one of the tallest buildings in Atlanta, but now it has dropped to number 15. Due to its bulges, the building is nicknamed "the pregnant building" or sometimes the "Coca-Cola building" because its side silhouette resembles the iconic bottle.
Fun fact: the World of Coca-Cola museum is just a short walk from the hotel.
The brutalist building's facade is made of a concrete grid that widens at the base. In 2004, it was painted white to make it less intimidating.
When it opened in 1985, it had the highest atrium in the world at 470 feet (143 meters). It only lost this record when the Burj Al Arab was inaugurated in Dubai in 1999.
Two decades later, in 2019, the Zaha Hadid Architects-designed Leeza SOHO in Beijing took the title with an impressive 636-foot (194-meter) high atrium.
The hotel's atrium runs 52 stories from lounge to ceiling and is crossed by several bridges and two elevator shafts.
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis is one of the most unique multi-story atrium hotels. However, this innovative construction method was not used for the first time in history.
The Westin Bonaventure Hotel (1976) in Los Angeles and the Renaissance Center (1977) in Detroit are two early buildings where Portman applied the atrium construction method, bringing him widespread recognition.
The spectacular atrium has two panoramic elevators running up and down, giving a full tour of the building's skeletal interior structure before stopping on the floor where your room is located.
The hotel's distinctive facade and atrium made it a sought-after filming location. The Hunger Games is the most well-known film shot there.
With 29 screens and 24 beers on tap, including 10 local craft brews, the High Velocity bar is the ideal spot to watch sports with a cold drink in hand.
The Atlanta Marriott Marquis has 1,663 rooms, including 94 suites, making it the largest in the southeastern United States.
The concierge lounge on the 42nd floor is exclusively for guests staying on the 42nd to 46th floors.
So, if you book one of the concierge rooms, you'll get access to this panoramic lounge overlooking Atlanta.
