Another Fabulous Stay at the Read House Hotel

The Read House Hotel in Chattagnooga, Tennessee, is a beautiful historic hotel located on the corner of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Broad Streets. We had another fabulous stay this past weekend. This is a post about our experience on this visit, but you can read our full review in our post Chattanooga's Read House Hotel is a Luxurious Stay that we wrote last year.

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There's been a hotel on its property for over 171 years. The Read House is ideally located within walking distance to key sites around downtown. You can walk to the aquarium, children’s museum, restaurants, the Walnut Street Bridge, and the Bluff View Art District. Bluff view has several galleries, inns, river views, and dining establishments. The hotel is decorated in a 1920's modern design that welcomes you into a grand lobby.

The Decor

It's wonderful to visit at Christmas since it's decked out all over the grand lobby and hallways leading to ballrooms and event spaces.

The Staff
The staff dresses in 1920's attire with men in dress shirts, ties, vest, and garters tied around their arms. Not sure if garter is the correct word but they are thin bands that give it that period look. This was our third visit in 2 years and we saw many of the same people which speaks well for a company. They are all efficient and unfailingly polite from the valets to the front desk to anyone you stop with a question. The way we were treated makes us want to come back again and again.

The Cocktails

One of my favorite places in the hotel is the Bar and Billiards Room. We like to snag a seat in the far corner on the leather sofas by the fireplace. It's quieter and you might have it all to yourself. If you sit at a table or any of the seating areas, you get a server which is nice. The servers are also dressed in the time period with flapper dresses. I usually order one of two cocktails and each is delicious. Highly recommend them.

The People Watching

I'm not ashamed to admit that one of my favorite sports is people watching. It's fascinating to see all of the fashion and who interacts with whom. A December stay is ideal because you can see people coming and going from ballrooms that host weddings and holiday parties. And the guests streaming in from the front doors to check-in. You can sip your cocktail and watch the crowd in the bar or from one of their fabulous balcony alcoves. Their alcoves are intimate and you can hold private conversations while overlooking the grand lobby.

The Rooms

Stay in the historic tower if you go. It's in the older but well appointed area of the hotel. The hallways are lit by electric candlelight and the rooms are spacious and quiet. I enjoy strolling the corridors and looking at their period photography.

We enjoyed our Christmas overnight stay. However long you stay over, or even if you come for the cocktails and meals, you'll have a wonderful time. Excellent service in a grand hotel.

You might like our other post about dining in Chattanooga Restaurants on our Recent Road Trip.