Mike Jordan

If you’re headed to Atlanta but need to spend a night or two without racking up a large bill, you’re actually in luck. Contrary to what you might think, Atlanta is famous for affordability, at least when compared to other major U.S. cities. That means the hotel you think will cost you upwards of $300 or more for a spot near sought-after locations like Midtown, Downtown and Buckhead could actually cost you less than $130, and yes, it’s totally safe. So if you’re willing to sacrifice some of the ritz and glamor of higher-end lodging, there are plenty of options for spending less money while getting the full ATL experience. Use this guide to the best cheap hotels in Atlanta the next time you need to remain within a small budget but want to do it big in the capital city of the South. Updated for November 2024: More choice? It's always a good thing. That's why we've added four new additions to our list, including two with unforgettable rooftops. RECOMMENDED:⚾️ Check out the best things to do in ATL 🏨 Looking for the best hotels in ATL? Here you go. Who makes the cut? While we might not stay in and review every hotel featured, we've based our list on our expert knowledge of the destination covered, editorial reviews, user reviews, hotel amenities and in-depth research to find you the best stays. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

The capital city of the South has a little bit of something for everyone: a bustling culinary scene with highlights to suit every unique taste, historic tours and museums to educate the masses about Atlanta’s outsized impact on the U.S. and beyond, eclectic neighborhoods serving immaculate vibes and a popular BeltLine trail to get you from one hood to the next. If you’re preparing your to do list for your next trip to Atlanta, make sure you take into consideration the ideal place to lay your head. There are plenty of hotels to choose from, whether you’re looking for a budget conscious option or the most luxurious digs possible. We’ve rounded up the best hotels in Atlanta to give you plenty of opportunities to experience Atlanta’s charm and opulence. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Atlanta is known for its hip-hop music scene, green spaces and legendary soul food, but if you’re visiting for the first time, you have to dig deep into its history. Atlanta is a brilliant hub of culture and Southern charm, and it gives you the opportunity to learn tons about U.S. history—especially the civil rights movement. There’s so much to learn about Atlanta, it’s tricky to know where to begin. We’ve created a foolproof guide to its museums, and ranked them so you know where to start. Some of them are on our list for their significance as a cultural landmark, and others simply for how beautiful the buildings are. Learn about the history of football, Delta jets and Martin Luther King at these awesome exhibits. Here are the best museums in Atlanta. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The best things to do in Atlanta 🍴 The best restaurants in Atlanta👪 The best things to do with kids in Atlanta🏛️ The best attractions in Atlanta

It’s no secret that Atlanta has an incredible music scene. They don’t call this place the capital of hip-hop for nothing, and its helped by the many celebrity faces that were born there or reside there now. Naturally, this lends itself to a pretty poppin’ nightlife scene too; whatever your music taste, Atlanta has a party for you.  Of course, there’s Buckhead, the centre of Atlanta’s nightlife. But over the years, great nightclubs have popped up all over the city. Now, you can dance the night away to reggaeton and Latin pop rock, find the best LGBTQ+ night in town or sing your heart out to karaoke. There’s a reason your favourite artists have all performed here at some point or another. Here are the best clubs in Atlanta right now.  RECOMMENDED:🪩 Full guide to Atlanta’s nightlife scene🍳 The best brunch in Atlanta🍴 The best restaurants in Atlanta

When looking for a hookah lounge in Atlanta, we know you want more than just shisha. The best hookah bars offer delicious food and engaging music for a full sensory experience, the kind that you can easily build a fun night around. Atlantans frequently seek out vices in liquid form, piling into neighborhood dives, rooftop bars and cocktail lounges once the weekend rolls around. But hanging at a hookah lounge won’t leave you with a raging hangover. They’re built for crowds, meant to be shared among groups of friends and encourage a deeply relaxed state. Atlanta is home to a large Arab population, so it’s no surprise that these welcoming hookah spots have taken root amidst the city’s Southern BBQ joints and down-home restaurants. You can find hookah spots all over the city, from fancy lounges to low-key spots where you can collapse into a comfy seat and puff, puff, pass the night away. RECOMMENDED: Full guide to the best bars in Atlanta

Buckhead is a fancy part of town, so stay at this Microtel and save that extra money to spend on shopping, dining and club-hopping -- you’ll need it. Not only do you get a clean room with earthtones-meet-pastels color schemes on simple designs, but you’ll also get a free continental breakfast that includes waffles, Danishes, cereals and more. It’s pet-friendly and has free Wi-Fi, and is in walking distance of a lot of great restaurants on Buford Highway, an international strip of road that leads to Duluth and takes you through a variety of cultures along the way (Mexican, Korean, Indian -- pretty much the whole planet). It’s also very close to Pink Pony in case you want to investigate Atlanta’s infamously exotic dance club scene, which as long as you’re old enough is completely PC in this town.

The term “airport” wasn’t always a term an Atlanta hotel wanted in its name. Yet this Marriott-affiliated hotel, rated as “Exceptional” on Booking.com, is exactly that, having opened in May with a party deejayed by hip-hop impresario (and College Park native) Jermaine Dupri, and a performance from R&B/pop singer (and Vanessa L. Williams’ daughter) Lion Babe. The up-to-date interior design of the lobby has the modernized feel of an Midtown ATL lodging establishment but nods to its aviation surroundings, including meeting rooms named after radiotelephonic alphabet terms like “Alpha”, “Bravo” and “Foxtrot” and Echo. Eat and drink at Hickory & Hazel Southern Table and Bar, which serves New-Orleans-meets-Atlanta cuisine including fried green tomato eggs Benedict, shrimp and grits, and BBQ brisket sandwiches, and has a “Bar Ritual” event four nights a week where you can enjoy complimentary punch. There are 204 rooms, including eight suites, each of which has its own custom mural from Atlanta artist Ryan Coman.

Having breakfast thrown in with your stay, along with free parking and high-speed Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool, quick access to major highways and interstates (Cobb Parkway / Hwy 41, I-75, I-285), and lots of shopping nearby whether you’re buying clothes at Cumberland Mall or picking up groceries at Publix. Local calls are also free in case you wanna brag to your friends who’d normally stay further east on Paces Ferry that you paid about half what they did for a perfectly good king suite or double bed.

With 209 rooms behind a curved façade that towers over an outdoor pool, this North Druid Hills hotel recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation for an updated appeal and modern look. It has small and large meeting spaces (including a 972-square-foot room for conferences), mini-fridges and microwaves in all rooms, king rooms with sofa beds and a restaurant that serves breakfast and dinner, although you’re close enough to Buford Highway that you can catch a ride to some of Atlanta’s best and most authentic multicultural cuisine.

Sporting simple recent redecorations that put wood-like laminate floors against an aquatic paintjob in king bed rooms, along with a microwave and mini fridge, this Motel 6 puts you less than half a mile from two MARTA stations (Peachtree Center and Civic Center), the Peachtree Center mall (the food court’s decent enough), and the south-end beginning of Peachtree Street. Sure, there are much better neighborhoods for eating and drinking, but the free Wi-Fi and free parking are clutch for you to do a little research and personal investigation of places near the Courtland location. It’s definitely hard to be if you’ll be doing tourist stuff like World of Coca-Cola, Centennial Olympic Park, the College Football Hall of Fame and The Center for Civil and Human Rights.