Happy Birthday to me! Wow I cannot believe I am entering the final chapter of my thirties. It’s very surreal to say the least. My thirties have been a whirlwind of emotions. Probably the heaviest decade of my life so far but also filled with beautiful memorable moments. I’ve always been kinda neutral when it comes to my feelings on getting older though I’d be lying if I said the idea of forty closely approaching doesn’t sound a bit scary. But I’m also looking forward to what lies ahead.
I always make it a priority to celebrate my birthday and do something nice for myself. Since I don’t travel much and I’m a bit of a loner, staycations have been my perfect getaway. I love the idea of not having to leave town but still feeling like I went somewhere.
When choosing a hotel I typically start with the ones that look fun and unique, cute decor and just anything that’s not aesthetically boring. While the look of the hotel is high on my list, the most important feature I look for in every stay are the amenities. I like to make sure I’m getting the best experience for my dollars. I usually only stay 1-2 nights depending on the costs and my main goal is to not have to leave the hotel for anything during my stay. So I always look for places that have a resort feel, dining, entertainment, room service etc.
This year I went with The Starling Hotel formally known as the W in Midtown Atlanta. I decided to get a suite because it had a great view of the city and several areas that were great for photo ops since I wanted to take some birthday pics. The suite was pretty pricey so I only stayed overnight. I hate driving downtown and didn’t want to pay for valet so I uber’d there.
If you’re someone who’s into aesthetics then prepare to be wowed as soon as you enter the hotel lobby. The decor gives modern luxury and of course it wouldn’t be Atlanta if there wasn’t a grass wall with their name on it *wink*. The interior is packed with so many design details it’s like walking through a museum. There’s even a hallway with art pieces curated by different artists. If you’re looking for social media worthy photos then this is definitely the place. The hallways to the stairways even the floors make it hard to resist snapping a few flicks for the ‘gram.
I booked the Midtown Suite on the 24th floor. It was very spacious, I’d describe it as modern chic. Definitely more than enough room for just little old me but hey I was born extra.
The sunset views were gorgeous and something about waking up to a skyline view of the city felt like a romance novel.
After taking in the views of the city and my room I wanted to go downstairs and grab a bite for dinner. They have a restaurant-bar inside the hotels lobby-lounge called Lantana. Which I hear gets really live on busy nights with live performances, DJ’s and dancing. I checked-in on a Thursday and avoided the weekend party goers because I wanted to keep things pretty lowkey and chill.
The menu had a small selection of tasty sounding offerings. I went with the honey buffalo wings and fries, both were good but nothing super spectacular. I’m a cute cocktail girl so of course I had to start my birthday off right with a nice drink. The peach margarita was so damn good I almost ordered another but I wanted to explore the hotel a little bit more first. In true birthday girl fashion I ordered a sweet treat too, a grilled strawberry jam lemon meringue cheesecake (it was just ok).
After dinner I asked my waiter for directions to another bar I’d been wanting to visit. The hotel is connected to Colony Square which has a dining hall with various restaurants, bars and shopping. The bars entrance was located just on the second floor. I loved the convenience of not having to leave the hotel.
JoJo’s Beloved is a vintage retro themed cocktail lounge. They typically take reservations, since it wasn’t busy I was able to make one on my phone just before heading up. I sat solo at the bar and had a cocktail called Tragedy of Man followed by a Fuzzy Navel shot. The bartender was ready to whip me up another but I declined. After 2 drinks and a shot your girl was feeling a little buzzed and I still had birthday pics to take. I explored the hotel a little more to take in the views and art then headed back to my room before I got sleepy.
What I loved most about my suite was the wall art and decor in each room and corner. It was the perfect setting and backdrop for birthday photos.
Look at me looking like I was out party hopping all night. Whole time I never even left my room LOL! 🙂 Also great for snapping photos in those SHEIN heels that were murder on my feet and never saw the light of day.
My overall stay was enjoyable for the night. I’d probably go back but if you’re going solo I think one night is enough unless you plan to explore close by areas in the city during your stay. I don’t have a ton to say about service as I didn’t use much while there. The rooms were clean, the staff was pleasant and the accessibility to food and entertainment was very convenient and accommodated what I wanted. I did order room service for breakfast from the lobby restaurant before checking out. I had pancakes, sausage and orange juice. It wasn’t hot by the time it arrived so that definitely wasn’t ideal and I wouldn’t order again. Honestly if I stayed again I wouldn’t eat there but I would grab drinks from the bar. Next time I’d explore the offerings of Colony Square since it’s literally attached to the hotel.
I enjoyed my night, hello 39!
