The Hotel Palomar Atlanta

The Hotel Palomar Atlanta
The Hotel Palomar is a relatively new hotel in Midtown Atlanta, located on West Peachtree, just south of Seventh Street. It is an intimate boutique hotel with an excellent staff. This review concentrates mainly on the banquet/meeting operation of the hotel.
On Tuesday September first I attended a networking dinner at the Hotel Palomar, in July, I attended a luncheon at the same hotel. On both occasions attendance exceeded one hundred guests and the hotel, on both dates, experienced great difficulty with valet parking. They just do not seem equipped to handle large groups arriving by car. On September first after waiting around the block for fifteen minutes, I left the valet line and found on-street parking a half block from the hotel (for free).
After entering the hotel I was greeted by friendly staff and asked if I needed any assistance and was directed across the lobby to the pre-function area of the hotel. This is a very long relatively narrow hall outside the ballroom. The area was crowded but, for a networking event, ideal. It was very easy to mingle down the way meeting and greeting within easy eye and handshaking distance. I must say, with one hundred sixty guests the room did become a bit warm and close. This is the second event I have attended in a new hotel (the Mansion Buckhead, being the other one) where the AC was not up to par…not good for a hotel in the South.
When the several pairs of Ballroom doors were opened it was very easy to access the ballroom, which is just as long as the hall outside. The room was set with rounds of ten and there was ample room between tables to move about. I believe I was told that the full ballroom is three thousand seven hundred square feet. Due to the length of the room there is a feeling of “hall” to this room as well. Both functions I have attended had presentations requiring screens and sightlines on the far ends of the room are not great.
The wait/service staff is excellent. They were all cordial and pleasant. And handled the room quite well, no problem with crowds here. I was also told that the hotel only does one event at a time insuring great service.
The food on both occasions has been quite good, lite fare but good. There are certain details that make a meal stand out for me. One, the bread at the table, this was a nice nutty crusty bread with good texture, not just a second thought roll. The salad and dressing was original and very flavorful and the beef I was served was tender and warm, Go Kitchen!
After the event a group of us adjourned to the roof bar for socializing and evening cocktails. The roof bar, on the third floor does not offer up great views but has a great courtyard feel to it. Marble tiles are spaced between turf giving a nice Mediterranean feel to the space, the cabanas echo this feeling. A long Aunt Sally’s Southern screen porch gives the impression of an afterthought not completely thought through for design. I understand bugs in the South but this is rather jarring to the entire décor and architecture and once again has that long hall feeling. The evening ended somewhat as it started, with long lines and not enough staff (one cocktail waitress and one bartender for thirty to forty people). It was a Tuesday evening but the hotel was aware of the group being on the property and there simply should have been additional help.
The Palomar Hotel is great if you are doing a group from out of town, not relying on transportation. Book in to one of the 300 plus rooms and enjoy the elevator ride to and from your meetings. Enjoy the roof bar and hope for adequate staffing.
J Patrick is the owner of J Patrick Designs, an event design and planning company based out of Atlanta Georgia www.jpatrickdesigns.com