#hosted by Read House Hotel; opinions are my own

Every now again, the chess pieces are put into place for Logan and I to score a weekend without our bros. Thanks to my awesome parents, this past weekend we chose to take the easy drive to nearby Chattanooga, Tennessee, a city located just under four hours from Greenville, South Carolina. Of course we chose to partner with a Good Hotel® and Read House Hotel exceeded our expectations.

Built 150 years ago, Read House Hotel recently underwent a massive renovation, providing beautiful, new spaces while maintaining the 1920’s theme. Pictures of flappers, old cash registers and telephone booths and black and white checkered, feather-filled spaces made the trip so much fun. Even 1920’s music played in the lobby, transforming the hotel back in time.

To switch things up, Logan took on the task of planning what we did while in Chattanooga once the hotel was secured. It made it so much fun being surprised to learn what our next steps would be.

Logan’s Guide to Chattanooga

Food

We began the weekend by enjoying Community Pie, a delicious locally-owned pizza shop near the Read House Hotel. We shared the Spicy Bianca, a ricotta and pepper pizza pie. So much of the weekend was highlighted by yummy food! Read House Hotel’s on-site restaurant is the fancy Bridgeman’s Chophouse, a steak and seafood house. We absolutely loved the atmosphere and the delicious lobster and steak dinner – definitely a show-stopping type of dinner place.

Our favorite breakfast was at Syrup + Eggs, an alternative, modern breakfast eatery. I savored a massive Cinnamon Roll Pancake and drank Chocolate and Peanut Butter coffee. It was a unique food stop for sure! If you’re looking for tacos nearby, 423 Tacos is also close-by and offers some delicious Mexican food.

The Hotel

We so enjoyed the gorgeous lobby and found ourselves relaxing in the library, the Bar and Billiards Room and the fitness center. The bar was decked out in the old-school theme as well, offering delicious bourbon cocktails and a warm atmosphere. The white and black checkered floor, gold accents and fun old-fashioned 1920’s pieces threw us back in time. The location was so ideal, smack in the middle of downtown, and we never once needed to use our car to sightsee.

Having accommodation options in the Tower, Manor and Penthouse, Logan and I enjoyed a Historic Tower Premiere King room which offered plenty of space and a nicely renovated space to relax for the weekend. The hotel atmosphere was lively and all of the historic spaces well-maintained, with friendly, hat-brimmed faces there to welcome in the lobby at all times.

To-do

I had secured the Good Hotel® but Logan needed to research ideas of what to do when we arrived. One of our first stops was to try a beer flight at walkable Odd Story Brewing Co., a brewery where we spent time together playing Scrabble (Logan surprisingly won) and trying some of their brews. We also explored the Warehouse Row area, a new and up-and-coming shopping area that features shops like Lululemon and other boutique stores. This unique shopping complex is going to be amazing for Chattanooga once fully developed!

Another really great option that is walkable from Read House Hotel is the Walnut Street Bridge which is a pedestrian bridge great for walking, biking or running. The bridge is located just over one mile from the hotel and the run there is through the main area of downtown. It connects downtown Chattanooga with the NorthShore area, filled with lots of great shopping. It sure was harder to run back to the hotel with my new purchases!

The beautiful and historic Tivoli Theatre is just a few steps away from Read House Hotel and Logan found an interesting film festival which happened to be in town while we were called Lookout Wild Film Festival. With short films featuring adventure, being outdoors and travel experiences around the world, it was such a great matinee to catch! We both highly encourage that you check to see what is being featured at Tivoli Theatre when in Chattanooga.

Around the other side of Read House Hotel lies the West Village area of Chattanooga, an area with lots of restaurants and coffee shops. We also were able to take a picture together at the famed Umbrella Alley area, a cute photo spot for visitors.

Other Options

We were short on time and the weather in Chattanooga in February was cold, but there are several other outdoorsy options in the area worth exploring, too. If it was seasonally-appropriate to do so, we also would have considered a hike at Lookout Mountain (and a ride on Incline Railway). Also Ruby Falls is a great way to adventure, which is America’s deepest commercial cave and largest underground waterfall. Chattanooga would be a great city to visit with kids, too, so I’m looking forward to returning and doing these outdoor activities with the bros through their upcoming class trips.

Chattanooga is not far from the northern Alabama border, too, opening up several other hiking and exploring opportunities.

Why Read House Hotel?

I just love the way that Read House Hotel gives back to their local community proving they are not just a beautiful, historic hotel but also a really good one. In 2017 during its renovation, the hotel provided all of its existing furniture to Chattanooga Furniture Bank. The Chattanooga Furniture Bank provides furniture to families and individuals who are transitioning from homelessness to self-stability. Read House Hotelwas also able to donate 1,875 pounds of food to Chattanooga Area Food Bank, which is equivalent to 1,562 meals. 

If you’re planning a weekend away in Chattanooga, Tennessee, be sure to consider Read House Hotel and these great local businesses steps away from it.