The All-Movie Hotel opens this weekend, brainchild of The Godfather and Apocalypse Now film genius and wine entrepreneur Francis Ford Coppola, who remodeled and massively upgraded an economy motel in Peachtree City, Georgia, to accommodate lodging and work space for members of his production staff completing his latest self-financed film, Megalopolis, lensed in the Southern state. He has transformed the property into the hybrid 27-room luxury hotel plus post-production facility no one knew they needed; and now that it’s open for booking, it’s like a dream come true. The All-Movie Hotel is pioneering, playful, professional, practical and available to filmmakers and the generally curious. It’s the world’s first filmmaker hotel.
I had the pleasure of being the very first guest (other than the man himself!) in the hotel’s Francis Ford Coppola Suite, where the writer/director developed his recent cinematic creation, and I’m pleased to share ten observations from this delightful experience.
#10 This new facility is an unexpected glimpse into the mind of an artist/auteur.
The “All-Movie” moniker is a spin on the filmmaker’s “All-Story” publishing ventures, and Coppola’s own narrative is on display in the whimsical way he curates props, artwork, books, literary magazines and other inspiring elements throughout the new hotel. A frequenter of Atlanta’s local movie palace Plaza Theatre where he recently screened his latest cut of The Cotton Club and celebrated a birthday, and a guest lecturer at Georgia Film Academy where he found a variety of apprentices and technicians for his latest film project among the talented students, Coppola shares his generous community spirit throughout this innovative complex. You’ll find classic film-editing tools as well as the latest ultra-secure technologies throughout the building, indicative of his decades-long fascination with all the ways you can push the boundaries of cinema.
#9 It’s a truly unique space for readying sophisticated film and content.
Editing bays, ADR sound recording and mixing suites, on-site equipment and IT, screening rooms, a green room and even a recording stage for small productions or pick-up shots are rippled through the new complex with ethernet ports and secure private lines for corresponding with render farms and others in the moviemaking ecosystem. On-the-rise filmmakers and Coppola collaborators Akshay Battia and Jordan Holifield give insightful tours for businesses interested in bringing their productions to the space. One observer called said the complex is “like a film cruise ship.”
#8 The venue’s welcoming hospitality is phenomenal.
From the unconventional lobby environment featuring film props and artwork evocative of Coppola’s wine country to creative lodging configurations such as a Tokyo-inspired suite, the hospitality team at the All-Movie Hotel provided attentive and sensational service at every step of the stay. Expect offers of warm towels, refreshing waters or fruit spritzers and revitalizing espressos in every nook and cranny. The team even arranged films to view in the screening room (I had a hankering for Coppola’s The Outsiders now that it’s also been adapted into a Broadway hit, plus they kindly hooked my friends and me up with big-screen viewing of the #ParisGames opening ceremony.) Those in housekeeping, security and all disciplines were remarkably friendly and shared their love of “Mr. F” as some affectionately call their imaginative leader.
#7 It’s one of the few places a guest can experience the fascinating aura of the buzzed-about Megalopolis.
Few films this year have experienced the kind of buzz Megalopolis has received after debuting at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, with IMAX release planned and national distribution through Lionsgate September 27. The film’s dystopian sci-fi and Roman aesthetic dots all facets of the All-Movie Hotel with stern statues of John Voight and Dustin Hoffman, gladiator standees, set signage, lots of towering columns and an unforgettable gilded hawk seen in the movie’s trailer and currently perched behind the hotel’s pool and patio. Being in the space where cast and crew toiled on this longtime passion project lent a magical quality to the stay. Filmed at nearby Trilith Studios and throughout Georgia with an ensemble including Adam Driver and Aubrey Plaza, Megalopolis shot on location at places such as Woodruff Park, Gas South Arena, Atlanta’s Bank of America Building, Georgia Public Broadcasting and The Tabernacle. The new All-Movie Hotel proved convenient during filming and will be so for future productions. Sources say a next production will be in-house at the hotel in the next few weeks.
#6 There are culinary wonders in this hideaway.
Leave it to a Francis Ford Coppola hotel to serve great wine, in my case delivered with fresh fruit trays worthy of “New Rome” denizens. The in-house culinary team members brought trays of room service with an array of delicacies including a delicious spinach frittata and peach pastries. It was a joy to dine right where the director has often enjoyed his morning coffee, with cooking appliances he personally picked out for the suite and for The Green Room kitchen renowned for communal cooking by the crew during the movie shoot. Talk about next-level “crafty!”
#5 It’s located in a “golf cart town” community in Georgia’s bustling filmmaking community.
Evidently Coppola enjoys golf cart communities at other resorts where he has invested, so it’s not surprising he fell in love with Peachtree City, known for winding trails to renowned restaurants such as Mediterranean eatery The Beirut. The hotel hooked me up with a red golf cart to explore the town, where my buddies and I enjoyed dinner and drinks at new tavern Hobknob as well as scenic detours to Frisbee golf courses and shopping districts via elaborate tunnels, pathways and bridges now mapped on GPS for non-natives to the neighborhood.
#4 Film history and artifacts abound.
We got to be pinball wizards on The Godfather game machines, explore other Megalopolis loot and spend time in “The Dorothy” screening room, named for Coppola’s mentor Dorothy Arzner, a trailblazer as a woman behind the camera making Hollywood films. A vintage box office window festoons this high-tech set of suites where both the director and Battia programmed classic and contemporary films for those gathered at the hotel.
#3 The amenities are lovely and make for an inspiring stay.
Screening, swimming and workouts were all on the weekend agenda with rooms for all these activities and more. Well-appointed suites included high-end cooking appliances and decor as well as comfortable beds, spacious showers and an array of amenities to help relax after a day of creating. The fitness room is still labeled the “Fitting Room,” used for costuming actors for recent shoots. Both usages of the room come with floor to ceiling mirrors, after all.
#2 It’s a hoot for fanboys, fangirls and film enthusiasts.
I brought some of my eclectic collectibles including a European Blu-Ray of Twixt and a Captain EO plush, and the staff was more than willing to discuss their own cult favorites from the Coppola catalogue and beyond. There was lots of love for One from the Heart. The elaborate posters for Apocalypse Now in the Green Room and an original piece of artwork gifted to Coppola by Akira Kurosawa when they collaborated on Kagemusha were wonders to behold for this film fan.
#1 The All-Movie Hotel is also a celebration of family.
Coppola, so celebrated for his gifted family tree of creators who join him in artistic pursuits, has clearly imbued his new complex with something for everyone, including young people who may come along for productions. Bunk beds, hopscotch, classic games an even a bevy of property cats give the property additional enchantment. Coppola is pictured with a grandchild in the suite that bears his name.
Like many of the filmmakers’ great works, his All-Movie Hotel continues to grow and expand – a work in progress, always. New landscaping is expected to further shroud the space from commercial lots that bookend it, and my tour guides shared more monitors and technologies continue to be installed,
Special thanks to general manager Luvia Martinez and the whole team for helping customize and optimize my experience! Clearly I encourage a visit.
Here, Francis Ford Coppola describes his vision of the All-Movie Hotel:
Additionally, here’s a link to the hotel’s site and reservation engine:
https://thefamilycoppolahideaways.com/resort/all-movie-hotel
