Come & Stay Awhile in Greater Chattanooga
Greater Chattanooga is bursting with cool spaces that residents and visitors love — and more are on their way.
With so many fun and exciting things to do around Greater Chattanooga, it’s no wonder so many people are flocking to the city. Visitors can enjoy delicious food, live entertainment, outdoor amenities and relaxing hotels — and even more exciting assets are on the horizon.
In This Article
All Aboard
The Chattanooga Choo Choo is a historic train station turned hotel that offers shopping, dining and entertainment as well as cozy guest rooms. The property was recently acquired by Trestle Studio, a boutique real estate investment and development firm. In partnership with Northpond Partners and Choo Choo Partners, the hotel is embarking on a $10 million restoration project.
“The goal for the complex as a whole is to honor the original intention of the grounds – creating a communal entertainment campus to be enjoyed by travelers and locals alike – while implementing updates for modern use,” Jessica LaRosa, managing director of hotel operations for Trestle Studio, says.
Updates include a new outdoor alpine pool with an open-air lounge, lush landscaping and inviting fire pits, a 150-person capacity ballroom with a dedicated courtyard, a lobby café, and an elevated food and beverage program featuring local Chattanooga restaurateurs. The owners are also converting 14 original train cars into guest rooms.
“Our hope is that after a day of exploring all that Chattanooga and the surrounding area has to offer, our guests will retreat to the hotel and feel as though the entire property is their base camp, complete with the best classic cocktails, thoughtful design and a warm, genuine welcome from our team.”
Jessica LaRosa, Managing Director of Hotel Operations for Trestle Studio
First of Its Kind
Chattanooga’s Southside neighborhood is also getting a new hotel, Caption by Hyatt – the city’s first Hyatt hotel.
The $30 million project will include five levels, 123 rooms and multiple public spaces, including a stylish multipurpose cafe, bar and restaurant along Main Street called the Talk Shop. The interior will incorporate local art and offer the perfect setting for both work and after hours.
The building’s rooftop will also be incorporated into the design, complete with a bar, restaurant pavilion and lounge areas. Construction is slated to begin in 2023 and should take between 12 and 18 months to complete.
Whimsical Luxury
A picturesque hotel just outside of Chattanooga, Bolt Farm Treehouse is making a name for itself on the national stage.
Featured on “Good Morning America” and Netflix’s “The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals,” the Bolt Farm Treehouse in Whitwell, Tennessee, is rooted in the outdoors, intentionality and creativity. Guests are encouraged to live like nature intended.
“These aren’t the treehouses you knew as a kid, but by their very nature, they’re also fun and whimsical,” Tori Bolt, co-owner, says.
Architecture is a huge component to Bolt Farm Treehouse’s vision, which is evident not only by the treehouse designs, but also by the other types of accommodations offered, like the mirror cabins’ all-glass structures designed to blend in with their surroundings.
Incredible amenities on the property make it the perfect setting to relax and spend quality time with other guests. The honeymoon treehouse includes a comfortable bedroom and an elegant bathroom, featuring a huge free-standing soaker tub and a well-stocked kitchenette.
The treehouse has windowed walls that angle outward, bringing the beauty of the outside world to the comfort of your room. There’s also a private terrace with a hot tub, canopy bed and private fire pit.
“When you go to a luxury hotel, it can be satisfying, but nothing about it is truly personal,” Bolt says. “When you stay at Bolt Farm Treehouse, we want to feel like you’re stepping into a work of art, something that’s created just for you.”
When it’s time to play, Greater Chattanooga’s abundant supply of waterfalls, hiking destinations and other recreational activities offer endless fun options. The VIP package also includes a pizza kit, an ultimate s’mores kit and a campfire starter kit – all to ignite your inner child.
“We want Bolt Farm to be as far from ordinary as possible,” Bolt says. “There’s nowhere like it on Earth.”
Projects Promise Long-Lasting Impacts
In addition to hotels, the Greater Chattanooga area has three projects that will transform how residents live, work and enjoy what the Scenic City has to offer.
A new development, designed specifically for pilots and their families, is on the horizon. The Fields, a luxury fly-in resort and residential community in Dunlap, Tennessee, is set to break ground in 2023. The multiphase project will feature a private runway, homes with hangars, a community center and restaurants. Subsequent phases will add more outdoor recreation, single-family homes, a luxury spa and wellness center, a brewery and vineyard, a boutique hotel and villas, and retail spaces.
The Bend is being developed on approximately 120 acres of riverfront redevelopment in downtown Chattanooga. Launched by Urban Story Ventures, The Bend includes a mix of commercial, residential, hotel, dining, entertainment and recreational options.
“The Bend is transforming a key under-utilized and undeveloped riverfront on the Westside, and the revitalization will have a generational impact similar to the developments around the aquarium and on the Southside,” Jimmy White, general partner and president of Urban Story Ventures, says.
Plans include open green space, parks, an enhanced riverwalk and greater access to the river. In addition, developers are working on deals for significant investments involving new housing, office space, hospitality space and corporate headquarters.
“At $250 million invested already and 800 new jobs on site, The Bend is a tremendous driver of new job growth and economic development,” White says. “Once completed, everyone will benefit from a walkable, vehicle-optional neighborhood that features an expansive and activated riverfront with plenty of green space, a bustling new retail hub in the Canal District, Chattanooga’s largest indoor/outdoor entertainment venue, and a diverse mix of spaces to work and live downtown.”
The Bend development is nearly twice the size of downtown Chattanooga’s present-day riverfront that runs from Ross’s Landing by the Tennessee Aquarium to Highway 27.
Reimagining Broad Street is a dynamic project driven by a community vision that emerged from the ONE Riverfront Chattanooga plan, which strategizes ways to improve the street that connects the riverfront to the city center.
More than 130 residents participated in developing the vision, and more than 1,300 others participated in an online survey. The input gathered revealed further need to reduce traffic along Broad Street and add more options for walking, biking and gathering. Residents also supported developing more green space and creating a livelier atmosphere with cafes.
“Our goal is to meet our community’s vision of designing a premier public street that includes multimodal transportation enhancements, integrated technology, green infrastructure, parking and economic development opportunities – all while supporting our existing businesses and urban residents,” says Emily Mack, president and CEO of River City Co., the economic development engine for downtown Chattanooga.
Kim Madlom contributed to this article.
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