Hmm, the 13th post in a Final Four thread in mid February strikes me as asking for trouble, like drawing Butler again in the sweet sixteen. So let me just say I hope the following information is useful to all college basketball fans, whatever the team (even Butler fans).
Lodging. Marta is a light rail transit system in Atlanta. There is a NS line and a EW line. The Airport is at the southern end of the NS line and you can take the train instead of a cab to all these place to stay or you may want to take a cab the first time to orient yourself, Marta is much cheaper though, you can get on right at the airport. The Dome is on the EW line, one or two stops West of where the 2 lines cross. You will have to change trains to get to the Dome from all these places but the Marta system is used to transporting lots of people to the Dome for concerts Hawks, Falcons, whatever. Take it and stay at a place within walking distance to a station, there are lots.
There are a 4-5 large convention hotels in Midtown, a marriott, a couple Westin's including the Peachtree Plaza (if you remember an old movie called Sharkey's machine, you will recognize this one), if this is where the teams stay, you can try to get a room at one of these or there are a number of satellite hotels around the big ones, or even a Ritz if you are the upscale type. The problem with this area (lets call it the Convention area) is there is not that many restaurants or bars around, a few more than there used to be, but not a lot.
I am going to recommend Embassy Suites, three different versions all on the marta line to the Dome. They are generally cheaper and they get a lot of use, but they keep them up really well and I have stayed at all of them, plus each room has a outer room (suite) built in if you want to have private get togethers. They serve a free breakfast in the morning and usually offer a free manager's cocktail hour at nite. The breakfast is decent for a free breakfast, its nice not to worry about that.
The closest to the Dome is the Embassy Suites Centennial Park. This is deep downtown, near the Dome. You can walk to any Dome related festivities or the game, but there is not that much to do, eat and drink wise, that far downtown. There may be more action down there during the FF weekend.
Embassy Suites Buckhead is on the main Peachtree Street, you are 7-8 miles away from the Dome, but in the heart of Buckhead, the nitelife capital of Atlanta (except for those of you that prefer a more urban (hip hop) atmosphere, but I will leave that to someone else. A couple blocks north of this hotel there are 2 big malls (Lenox and Phipps) a couple more blocks south is the bar/party area for Atlanta. Good restaurants around, all you could want walk or short taxi. Two marta stations are nearby, one on Peachtree and one at Lenox.
Embassy Suites Perimeter is 10-15 miles up the Marta line. I have stayed there a number of times. It is right next to the Marta station. You can walk to everything from a Chipolte's to some higher end restaurants if that suits your taste. Plenty of variety for a weekend. Perimeter mall and subsidiary strip malls with restaurants, movies, stores are all around.
From any of these Embassy Suites you can take the Marta to the Convention area if you want to visit the team hotels.
Hope this is the kind of information you were looking for.
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