Where to Stay in Chattanooga: 12 Unique Boutique Hotels
If you’re trying to figure out where to stay in Chattanooga, the chains are fine. But this city has some of the coolest boutique hotels in the South, and a couple of the chain properties have enough personality to earn their spot on this list anyway.
I grew up making the two-hour drive from Atlanta to Chattanooga, and for most of my life I was completely underwhelmed. I thought of Chattanooga as just a place you passed through or visited on a school field trip to see the aquarium.
Going back as an adult I realized I was completely and totally wrong. This town has become one of our favorite weekend getaways from Atlanta.
The food scene alone is worth the trip. The cocktails, the arts district, the walkable downtown that actually has something going on. None of it matched what I had filed away from childhood.
Chattanooga quietly became a foodie destination while we weren’t paying attention. Well, while I wasn’t paying attention.
But, I would guess that a lot of people still don’t know how cool this Southern town is (and locals would probably prefer to keep it that way).
The Best Boutique Hotels in Chattanooga
What also surprised me was the hotel situation. For a mid-size Southern city, the boutique hotel options here are really broad. I love a hotel with personality and Chattanooga has some of the coolest hotels in the South. I’m talking train cars, treehouses, a 1927 bank vault and a lobby straight out of the 1940s. You can choose your hotel for history and vibe, not just location and price.
After several trips to Chattanooga eating delicious food (and my words) these are the best boutique hotels in Chattanooga.
Hotel Price Range Guide
$ – Budget / Economy (under $120 per night)
$$ – MidRange / Upscale Casual ($120 – $250 per night)
$$$ – Upscale ($250 – $500 per night)
$$$$ – Luxury (Over $500 per night)
1. The Edwin Hotel
The Edwin Hotel Address: 102 Walnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Reserve a Room | $$$ | Pet Friendly
If you’re a lover of all things art and design, The Edwin is going to be your hotel in Chattanooga. This Marriott Autograph Collection property has a fun, funky and colorful artistic vibe.
Located at the base of the Walnut Street Bridge in the Bluff View Arts District, The Edwin was the perfect location when we visited Chattanooga for a quick weekend away. We were able to walk to the Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum of American Art, and the Riverwalk. We didn’t need our car at all.
The lobby is filled with 3D murals, sculptural furniture, and unique art pieces so it feels more like a private collection than a hotel lobby. The art theme carries into the rooms with velvet chaise lounges and some pretty bold art pieces.
Three onsite dining options have you covered from coffee to cocktails. Provisions has grab-and-go items for an early start, while Whitebird serves an Appalachian-inspired menu all day. Everything we tried was great, but do not leave without the Cast Iron Beer Cheese Crab Dip. Order it. Trust me.
Whiskey Thief is one of Chattanooga’s best rooftop bars with a whiskey-forward menu and sunset views over the Tennessee River.
Pro tip: When you book, look at the add-on packages. We did the Old Fashioned package and came back to a bottle of local whiskey waiting in the room.
2. The Hotel Chalet at the Chattanooga Choo Choo
The Hotel Chalet Address: 1400 Market Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Reserve a Room | $$$ | Pet Friendly
If you want a boutique hotel that is distinctly Chattanooga, this is it. The Hotel Chalet at the Chattanooga Choo Choo is my favorite place to stay in the city and the place I recommend to first time visitors.
A $19 million renovation completely transformed this iconic property, and I mean completely. My family stayed in a train car here when I was a kid, and let’s just say it was a very different experience back then.
Today’s version has a vibrant personality. Velvet furnishings, dark woodwork, and a full 1940s glamour moment in the lobby. Pull up a stool at the bar and start with a coffee or a cocktail before heading to your room.
For the complete experience book a room in one of the train cars. We stayed in Car 19 and it delivered on the novelty AND the nostalgia. And it didn’t hurt my feelings that a bottle of wine was delivered to our room shortly after we checked in.
The courtyard gardens and pool are right outside, and The Caboose poolside bar with its firepits is a fun place to relax after a day of exploring.
The location puts you in the heart of the Southside Historic District with easy access to downtown dining and shopping. For dinner, walk next door to the adjacent Chattanooga Choo Choo train station complex and find STIR for fresh oysters, craft cocktails, and one of the best meals we had in Chattanooga.
3. Bluff View Inn
Bluff View Inn Address: 411 East Second Street, Chattanooga, TN 37403
Reserve a Room | $$$
If you want to be away from the downtown buzz without actually leaving the city, Bluff View Inn is your answer. This bed and breakfast sits in the Bluff View Art District, a pocket of Chattanooga that feels completely removed from everything else. Think historic homes, a sculpture garden, and a pace that is noticeably quieter.
The inn is made up of three beautifully restored turn-of-the-century homes, each with its own character. Rooms range from the Bryan Room in the main Maclellan House with its king bed, gas fireplace, and river views, to the Mabelle Thompson Suite with a small kitchen and private parlor. A great option if you’re staying more than a night or two.
Every morning starts with freshly baked goods and local treats. Then spend the day exploring the neighborhood or pop into the Hunter Museum of American Art. Both are an easy walk from Bluff View Inn.
This one is for couples who want something intimate and historic. If your idea of a perfect morning is coffee on a porch rocker with a river view, this is your place.
4. The Dwell Hotel
The Dwell Hotel Address: 120 East 10th Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Reserve a Room | $$$
If you’re looking for an adults-only boutique hotel that feels like one long cocktail party, The Dwell is your place. I think this one is perfect for a girls weekend.
This 16-room property lives in a 1909 building that went from Depression-era flophouse to one of Chattanooga’s most visually distinct stays. Every room is different: bold wallpaper, jewel-toned velvets, mid-century furniture.
Located in the heart of downtown, you’re within walking distance of the Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum of American Art, and some of Chattanooga’s best independent restaurants and shops.
Breakfast is included, valet parking is available, and Matilda Midnight, the tiki-inspired cocktail lounge just off the lobby, is worth a visit even if you’re not a guest.
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5. Hotel Clemons
Hotel Clemons Address: 730 Chestnut Street, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Reserve a Room | $$$ | Pet Friendly
If you’re traveling with family or a group and you’re tired of everyone crammed into a standard hotel room, Hotel Clemons is the answer.
Each of the 54 rooms is a fully equipped apartment with a full kitchen, living room, and dining area. Some even have ping pong tables. The lobby has a craft bar, pool table, and co-working space, so there’s somewhere to land no matter what kind of day you’re having.
The location in Chattanooga’s West Village puts you within walking distance of the Tennessee Aquarium, the Walnut Street Bridge, and some of the city’s best restaurants and shops. Pet-friendly too.
This is the one to book when you want the feel of an Airbnb with the reliability of a hotel.
READ NEXT: Chattanooga Weekend Getaway: The Ultimate Guide for a Couples Trip
6. The Read House Hotel
The Read House Address: 107 West Martin Luther King Boulevard, Chattanooga, TN 37402
Reserve a Room | $$$ | Pet Friendly
If you want history with your hotel stay, The Read House is in a category of its own.
Originally opened in 1872, this downtown landmark survived the Civil War, the Great Depression, and hosted Elvis before a $25 million renovation brought the full Roaring 20s glamour back to life.
If you’ve stayed at the Dewberry in Charleston, you already know what this ownership group does with a historic property.
Grand ceilings, Jazz-era details, and a Bar and Billiards Room that feels like a speakeasy that never closed. For dinner, Bridgeman’s Chophouse is on site and serves USDA Prime beef and fresh seafood flown in daily. The grand seafood tower alone is a reason to make a reservation.
The Tivoli Theatre and the Riverwalk are both an easy walk. Plus you’ll get an indoor heated pool, 24-hour valet, and a Starbucks on site for the morning.
This is the one for anyone who loves the idea of sleeping somewhere that actually has a story.
7. Treetop Hideaways
Reserve a Room | $$$$
If your idea of the perfect getaway involves waking up in the treetops with a valley view and a bottle of complimentary wine waiting for you, Treetop Hideaways was built for you. This one is also an easy sell for a romantic trip or an anniversary stay.
Treetop Hideaways has two locations on Lookout Mountain, both just minutes from downtown Chattanooga. The original sits in an old growth forest just below Rock City.
The newer location is a few miles up the mountain at Ruby Falls. Same treehouse experience, two different settings. So you can pick the view that calls to you.
These handcrafted treehouses include heated floors, soaking tubs, rain showers, fire pits stocked with s’more supplies, and a record player. Every treehouse is different, and every detail was clearly thought through.
You’re close enough to downtown to spend the day exploring, then come back and decompress completely.
This is the one to book when you want a story to tell when you get home.
8. The Mayor’s Mansion Inn Bed & Breakfast
The Mayors Mansion Inn Address: 801 Vine St. Chattanooga, TN 37403
Reserve a Room | $$$
If you’re a history lover who wants a boutique hotel with a genuine backstory, The Mayor’s Mansion Inn delivers. Built in 1889 from stones salvaged from a nearby Civil War fortification, this Victorian mansion was home to Edmond G. Watkins, who went on to become mayor of Chattanooga. Today it’s a bed and breakfast with 11 rooms and it still feels like someone’s very grand home.
Every morning starts with a three-course breakfast in the Tiffany Dining Room. Free parking is included, which is a genuine bonus in this part of town.
The Fort Wood Historic District is a beautiful, walkable neighborhood that feels removed from the downtown buzz while still being close to the Walnut Street Bridge, the Hunter Museum of American Art, and the Tivoli Theatre.
This one is for the traveler who wants their hotel to have a personality and a past.
9. The Westin Chattanooga
The Westin Chattanooga Address: 801 Pine St, Chattanooga TN 37403
Reserve a Room | $$$ | Pet Friendly
If you want the best hotel in Chattanooga by every measurable standard, this is it. The Westin is the only AAA Four Diamond hotel in the city, and it earns that distinction. This is the one to book for a special occasion, a milestone anniversary, or when you simply want everything taken care of at the highest level.
The rooms are spacious with floor-to-ceiling windows and views of either the mountains or the downtown skyline.
The rooftop pool has cabanas for relaxing, and Alchemy, the 10th floor rooftop bar, has views of downtown and Lookout Mountain that are worth the trip up on their own. For dinner, Dorato serves Southern-inspired cuisine on site.
Centrally located downtown, the Tivoli Theatre, the Tennessee Aquarium, and the Riverwalk are all an easy walk.
Pro tip: Request a corner room. Reviewers consistently call them out for the views and the extra space.
10. Hotel Indigo Chattanooga
Hotel Indigo Address: 300 W 6th Street, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402
Reserve a Room | $$ | Pet Friendly
If you want a boutique hotel experience in the heart of downtown without paying boutique hotel prices, Hotel Indigo is your answer. With 117 rooms it has the feel of a smaller property without the smaller amenity list.
The West Village location is one of the best on this list for walkability. The Tennessee Aquarium, the Hunter Museum of American Art, and the Walnut Street Bridge are all an easy walk, and the neighborhood itself has some of Chattanooga’s best independent shops and restaurants right outside the door.
On site, The Wanderer serves elevated Southern classics with a patio and indoor-outdoor bar. There’s an outdoor pool, a 24-hour fitness center, valet parking, free in-room WiFi, and a marketplace stocked with coffee and local snacks. For a hotel at this price point, the amenity list is hard to beat.
11. Chanticleer Inn
Chanticleer Inn Address: 1300 Mockingbird Ln, Lookout Mountain, GA 30750
Reserve a Room | $$$
If your Chattanooga trip is really about Lookout Mountain and you want to wake up already there, Chanticleer Inn is the one to book. This 1927 bed and breakfast sits directly across from Rock City on two acres of gardens, and it has the kind of quiet, unhurried atmosphere that downtown hotels simply can’t replicate.
The 20 cottage-style rooms are individually decorated, and select rooms have fireplaces and two-person whirlpool tubs. My best friend stayed here and her exact words were “the breakfast was phenomenal.” She also raved about the grounds, the spotless rooms, and the sitting room in the main inn where you can grab snacks in the early evening. Her words: it felt homey.
Ruby Falls and the Incline Railway are minutes away, and downtown Chattanooga is a 10-minute drive when you’re ready for it.
This one is for couples who want the mountain, not the city.
12. The Waymark
The Waymark Address: 736 Broad St Chattanooga, TN 37402
Reserve a Room | $$$
If you love the idea of sleeping inside a piece of Chattanooga history, The Waymark just became your hotel. This 1927 bank building sat empty for nearly 20 years before a major restoration turned it into one of the most talked-about new boutique hotels in downtown Chattanooga.
It’s part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton. So yes, you can use your Hilton Honors points here. The original Tennessee white marble, bronze elevator doors, and Art Deco details are all still there. The building just has better bedding now.
The 148 rooms are all different shapes and sizes because of the building’s original layout. No two are exactly alike. Select rooms have a full wet room with an open shower and soaking tub with views of downtown Chattanooga.
For drinks, you have two very different options depending on your mood. Iris, the rooftop bar on the 11th floor, is the highest rooftop in Chattanooga with fire pits, live music, and views that go on forever. The Vault is a speakeasy tucked inside the building’s original bank vault. Subterranean, intimate, and worth finding.
Centrally located on Broad Street, the Tennessee Aquarium and the Riverwalk are an easy walk.
The Waymark is for anyone who loves history, design, and having a great story to tell.
FAQ About Boutique Hotels in Chattanooga
What is the best boutique hotel in Chattanooga?
The Hotel Chalet at the Chattanooga Choo Choo is my pick, and it’s the one I send first-timers to. A $19 million renovation turned it into a full 1940s glamour moment, and you can book an actual restored train car. If you want adults-only and design-forward, The Dwell is the other one I’d point you to.
Where should couples stay in Chattanooga?
For a romantic trip, stay downtown and pick a boutique hotel with a view. The Edwin sits right on the Tennessee River with a rooftop bar and a spa, and Bluff View Inn is the quieter, more intimate option if you’d rather have coffee on a porch rocker than a cocktail crowd. Both put you walking distance from the river and the Hunter Museum.
What area of Chattanooga is best to stay in for your first visit?
Downtown, no contest. It’s walkable, the electric shuttle is free, and you’re steps from the Tennessee Aquarium, the Walnut Street Bridge, and most of the boutique hotels worth booking. Park the car and leave it.
Can you really stay in a train car in Chattanooga?
Yes. The Hotel Chalet at the Chattanooga Choo Choo books restored vintage train cars as rooms. We stayed in Car 19 and it delivered on both the novelty and the nostalgia. Book it directly as a room type when you reserve, since the train cars are limited and go first.
Are Chattanooga’s boutique hotels worth it over the chains?
If you want the trip to feel like Chattanooga and not Anywhere, USA, yes. The chains are fine and usually cheaper, and I say so in the post. But Hotel Indigo gets you a boutique feel downtown without boutique prices, so you don’t have to choose between character and budget.
Start Planning Your Trip to Chattanooga
Chattanooga is one of the most underrated weekend destinations in the South. The food, the arts, the history, and now a hotel lineup that can hold its own against cities twice its size.
Two hours from Atlanta and still flying under most people’s radar. That’s a good thing for those of us who know.
Before you book, save our complete Chattanooga weekend guide for everything you need — where to eat, what to do, and how to make the most of your time there. I
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