voco the Darwin - Atlanta Midtown by IHG — Hotel in Atlanta

Disappointed Stay at voco The Darwin – Would Not Return

We had high hopes for voco The Darwin given its stylish branding and promising amenities, but unfortunately, our experience fell short in several key areas.

Let’s start with the positives: The ambience was nicely curated, with a modern, urban touch and unique art displays (particularly the Tanglism pieces) that gave the place a cool aesthetic. Mike at reception was a true bright spot—extremely accommodating and genuinely went above and beyond for us during check-in. The location is also convenient, with easy access to Piedmont Park, the Georgia Aquarium, and the World of Coca-Cola. It’s also nice that the hotel offers a full-service bar, food availability, a decent fitness center, an outdoor courtyard, and a mini fridge in the rooms. The air conditioning worked very well and kept the room cool, which is a must in Atlanta.

A couple of thoughtful touches stood out—guests receive complimentary origami birds at check-in, which can be redeemed for a free drink at the bar, and there’s a “spin-the-wheel” promotion that offers random perks; we actually won free parking, which was appreciated.

Now for the not-so-great parts—and unfortunately, there were several: • Parking was a major concern. Despite winning free parking, the lot is not gated, and the surrounding area didn’t feel particularly safe—especially with red and blue flashing surveillance lights out front, which gave the impression of ongoing security issues. • Bar service at night was frustrating—there was only one bartender handling a rush of guests, which led to long delays and made it feel like the hotel was understaffed or poorly managed. • There was a clear breakdown in communication among staff. We had paid extra for reserved seating in the courtyard for our group, but when we arrived, not only was the space not prepared, but the staff seemed completely unaware of the reservation. To their credit, the event manager eventually apologized, but it shouldn’t have happened in the first place. • The rooms had poor ventilation, and after a few hours, they started to smell stale and stuffy. The walls are paper-thin and can hear your neighbors (they supply ear plugs in the room) • Customer service was lacking overall. We constantly had to initiate requests—whether it was for a menu, food orders, or clarification about available seating—which made us feel like an inconvenience rather than welcomed guests. • A particularly awkward moment occurred when a staff member asked our group to lower our voices around 8 PM in the lobby area because he was on a phone call. This felt completely inappropriate—especially in a shared space during normal evening hours. • Majeeda, one of the bartenders, was not welcoming. Our group of 7–8 was trying to find seats, and when we asked to use an empty barstool, her response was, “I’m going to need that back,” which set an uncomfortable tone right away. • Amenities were also lacking. There were no microwaves in the rooms—only one communal one tucked away on the 2nd floor—and ice was only available on that floor as well, which isn’t ideal for a multi-floor hotel. • We also noticed inconsistencies in room sizes despite booking similar accommodations, which left some of our party feeling shortchanged.

Overall, while there are some positives to voco The Darwin, the cons heavily outweighed them for us. The disorganized service, lack of hospitality, and uncomfortable room conditions made it difficult to enjoy the stay. With so many other hotel options in Atlanta, I’d suggest...

Stayed here for an event for the first time and had a suite in room 105. The staff was wonderful, room was clean, bed was comfortable. However, if you are a light sleeper, the traffic noise from the street is very loud, furniture moving and walking noise from rooms above is also noisy and the location, while a close Uber ride to many venues, is a little dicey but you can see that they are gentrified the area and it may change in a few years or less. My kids love the courtyard and the free drink was an extra perk, although not a big enough perk for what I had to endure. First of all, I called the front desk in the morning to complain That there must be a gym on top Of my room or Something unusual going on above us because we heard pacing and walking and footsteps all night and morning until check out. The guy did not offer a remedy. All he kept saying is that he does not have any other rooms. This is two hours before checkout, I don’t expect another room. What I did expect is some kind of customer service recovery. He could’ve offered a free breakfast. He could’ve offered half off the next time we stay Since this is supposed to be a More expensive room. He could’ve offered to remove the parking fee of $30 a night. All I got was And apology which is a little bit too little and too late because I only have 2 1/2 hours left until check out. Wasn’t hanging around the hotel in the daytime so God only knows how noisy it was in the daytime but it definitely is not a good idea to be so noisy at night. I did not hear any noise from the street. My noise was heard from above the room and it was very consistent. Unless there’s a hallway directly above me, it sounded like people were walking all night, long and pacing all night long. The person must’ve been 500 pounds because it sounded like they were gonna come through the darn ceiling . Everything else was very nice about this place and the suites are design very nicely and the toiletries are Quality TV is nice and bed is nice and everything else is great.. The customer service service is not the best, but the staff is very nice. I don’t know who answer the phone in the morning, but he sounded like I woke him up or something And he wasn’t very customer service oriented I’m not one that likes to complain or give bad reviews but I do believe that when you’re in this line of business, you should be dealing with customer service recovery. I was going to stay at the Georgia Terrace hotel where I have been before or one of the other hotels in the area and there are plenty to choose from. I decided to give this hotel a shot, and I have never even heard of this hotel. My partner chose the hotel after looking at all the reviews and thought that this one had the most positive reviews on Expedia. I guess I need to let Expedia users know that Is the perfect place to stay as long as you Are OK with noise, footsteps and pacing all night long. If that doesn’t bother you, then this is definitely the...

I had thee most horrifying experience at this hotel last night and I think any woman traveling alone should be made aware!. I came to the hotel because I was having a rough day and needed to unwind. The hotel also says it is located in one of my favorite places Ponce city market. My intentions were to shower eat and walk the neighborhood. Upon pulling up to the hotel I knew this would not be safe after dark hours or at all being that the property is literally surrounded by abandoned tenements and sketchy stores. I had to change my twice die to insufficient supplies I.e. soap etc. once I was able to settle into a room and take a shower I noticed my door was not locking. Maintenance was sent up and was happy to show me that the slam lock was working. I let him know I needed to be able to turn the actual lock. He immediately removed what he said was the plate from the door where the lock should have slid in. I asked why that would be there if it was preventing the door from locking and he let me know “the weather” may have affected the door and lock compatibility. I found that alarming being that I wasn’t the only person who had checked into the room that night or that week (I asked front desk). Once the maintenance man left my friend told me to check if I could enter my room from the outside without the key, thankfully I could not. However noticed scratches on the(metal) door near the handle. It looked as if someone had previously tried to break into the door. I followed the scratch marks with my fingers and to my surprise my finger poked through a painted over perfectly drilled HOLE in the door. Through the hole you could visibly see access to the actual lock itself, as if you could stick something in the hole and unlock the door without a key. I immediately let the front desk know and they were less than accommodating. I also noticed one of the kitchen staffs children in the lobby for hours. I initially thought he was a guest until I saw his father come out of the kitchen with a black apron on to address him as he was speaking to other guests in the lobby. I let the front desk girl know I would not call the cops because obviously this child should not be here and as a mother I felt compassion for the father. I made a mistake in that matter. If you are a woman DO NOT STAY HERE ALONE. I have pictures and video to prove all of these claims and are currently moving forward with...