What is the best way to spend an overnight layover at ATL?
Book a nearby airport hotel — Renaissance, Marriott Gateway, or Hyatt Regency offer free shuttles and 24-hour availability.
For an overnight layover at Hartsfield-Jackson (typically 8–14 hours between flights), the best option is almost always to book a nearby airport hotel rather than sleep airside. The cost-benefit math favors a hotel even at $150/night when you factor in the value of real sleep, a shower, and breakfast before your next flight.
Recommended hotels with free 24-hour airport shuttles: Renaissance Atlanta Airport (5-min shuttle, $150–250/night), Marriott Atlanta Airport Gateway (8-min shuttle, $130–220/night), Hyatt Regency Atlanta Airport (5-min shuttle, $140–240/night). All offer late check-out / early check-in flexibility for overnight layover travelers.
If you prefer to stay airside: Minute Suites on Concourse B offers private nap suites with showers ($55 first hour, $40/hour thereafter, or 1-hour Priority Pass credit). The Concourse E Sky Club's spa-style quiet zone with daybeds is the next-best option for Sky Club members willing to commit to lounge sleep.
MARTA shuts down around 12:30 a.m. and reopens around 5:00 a.m., so MARTA is not viable for late-night airport-area transportation. Use the hotel shuttle or rideshare for late-arriving connections.