Where to live as a young professional? (Atlanta, Decatur: extended stay, hotels)

[mcginlmj]

Hi,

I am a straight (don't know if that matters) 22 year old male. I may be relocated soon into Atlanta. Where is a good place for me to live, where I can hang out with other people my age? I will most likely be staying in an extended stay hotel because I will only be here for a couple of months. I am looking for a fun, safe, cool area of town. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[RocNY]

You may be straight now but once you breathe in that Atlanta air for a few days it will turn you Gayer than Eddie Long. Welcome to Midtown, GAyTL!

[tonygeorgia]

Get an "Im straight" t-shirt before you move here

[ATLTJL]

They don't usually build extended stay motels in fun, safe, cool areas of town.

Just saying!

[testa50]

Ideally, you'd be in Midtown. Buckhead and Decatur are very good as well (depends on what sort of scene you like). Yeah, normally there aren't extended stay hotels in the walkable parts of these places. Unless you're able to stretch your budget to like a Marriott Residence Inn or something--there are a couple of those in Midtown. If you're fine being a drive from everything, I'm sure there are cheap hotels semi-near the areas.

When you stay extended stay, I can't get those places that have nightly and weekly rates posted on the side of the interstate out of my head.

[mcginlmj]

I'm pretty sure I would be in a residence inn. The pays for it. What's the difference between Midtown, Buckhead, Decatur, and Virginia Highland?

[testa50]

Buckhead = ritzy, expensive, glamorous...better drive an expensive car up there
Decatur = granola, hipster, liberal...better not drive an expensive car over there
Virginia Highland =mostly yuppie but within walking distance of more hipster areas...I don't think there are any suitable hotels near the district though. VaHi is by far the most neighborhood-feeling of the three.
Midtown = sort of a mix of everything (plus tens of thousands of office workers, who flood in every morning); the most transit-friendly, dense, and walkable

Midtown would probably be your go-to. Nobody will fault you for living in Midtown--it's a legit place to live no matter who you are. (In contrast, someone who drives a range rover probably wouldn't get along too well in Decatur, and some hipsters wouldn't be caught dead living in Buckhead.) There is a lot more diversity of nightlife options and stuff there (people unfamiliar with Atlanta think it's only gay bars; these days, non-gay bars outnumber gay bars many times over). Also very easy access to the rest of the city.

If you're picking between the two hotels in Midtown, the 11th street one is in a far better area for walking to bars and restaurants, but I believe the one on 17th is a lot newer. Your choice.

[mcginlmj]

Does Atlanta really have that many gays? There has to be single girls somewhere. Where to the single guys and girls hang out. I'm preppy so I wouldn't mid living with yuppies but I'm not against hipsters either.

[testa50]

Originally Posted by mcginlmj

Does Atlanta really have that many gays? There has to be single girls somewhere. Where to the single guys and girls hang out. I'm preppy so I wouldn't mid living with yuppies but I'm not against hipsters either.

There are lots and lots of non-gay bars and clubs in Midtown. There are a number of gay ones also, but trust me, you'll find no shortage of straight people...including girls.

[ATLTJL]

Live in the Residence Inn at Lenox Park.

There will never, ever, ever be a shortage of beautiful women walking their dogs and jogging in the park that you will be on. You will also be a hop, skip, and a jump (in your car or cab) from some local bars. In an emergency, they are walkable, but probably not the norm.

This is where the preppy people live. This is where the money is. This is where the good girls are. This is all you need to know. Go look at it and then tell me I'm wrong.