As any Atlantan worth their weight in Krispy Kreme knows, Ponce de Leon Avenue is home to some very unique characters and institutions. Among these is the city's only hostel, which is sitting on the market with a $785,000 price tag. Known over the years as the Poinsettia, the Woodruff Inn and The Atlanta International Hostel, this 1928 structure at Ponce and Myrtle has been gathering some killer rumors over the years.
For starters, there's one about Al Capone shacking up here for a night or two back in the day. Then there's the building's run as a house of ill repute during the 1960s when it was said that some of the ladies were really desperate housewives trying to make a buck. Naturally, the architectural whatchamacallit sitting in the front yard is attached to a tall tale, with claims that it was salvaged from the ornate, demolished Terminal Station. Reality is less titillating ... it came from a flea market.
Less mythical are the building's simple 1920s charms, from the dizzying staircase to the ginormous porches. Some of the changes haven't been so endearing — popcorn ceilings, that Jacuzzi — but hey, she's been through a lot. Potential uses include offices and apartments, but its current use seems to fit it just fine. Who better to create the stories of tomorrow than, well, hostel guests?
— By Curbed Atlanta contributor Jonathan Carnright
· Atlanta International Hostel
· 223 Ponce De Leon Avenue [Loopnet]
· Historical background on the hostel property
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