kswl

We are taking one last look at two boarding schools in Chattanooga for our son, and plan to stay overnight between visits next Thursday and Friday. Can anyone recommend a wonderful hotel or B & B downtown? Many thanks in advance for your recommendations!

Kal

> Oh sure....how are we supposed to know what to recommend if you don't give us more info!?!?! *























* Hope this helps...you sounded disappointed on the other thread that you didn't even get a snide comment.

Neopolitan

Well, I suppose Chattanooga Choo Choo is still there. It was a Hilton when we stayed there I think and it was fun. That's been ages ago.

aloha

we had a good experience last summer at the Sheraton. The sweet sleeper beds are definitely wonderful! The Sheraton is in walking distance of the aquarium, if you have time for that, and lots of restaurants and bars.

iceeu2

Hi kswl...Baylor and McCallie?

Downtown is the Marriott, Read House (historic and newly renovated, a Sheraton), Hilton Garden Inn, Courtyard and maybe a Residence Inn.

Not sure about a B&B, but will check with my friend and get back to you.

Some nice downtown restauants also.

tcapp

Both the Courtyard and Residence Inn downtown are very nice in a wonderful location. Make sure to get the downtown locations (by the aquarium), not the Shallowford or other locations.

girlonthego

Hilton Garden Inn is very nice. We stayed there and could walk to the aquarium, movie theater, restaurants and a AAA baseball game. It was nice and clean.

bethbsting

Oh, by far I would recommend the Stone Fort Inn (B&B)in downtown. My husband grew up in Chattanooga and we stay there when we go back to visit. Nice rooms with pillow top mattresses, egyptian cotton sheets, nice linens and over sized jetted tubs. The pictures on their webstie look just like the rooms. It has character. I think you would be happy at the Stone Fort Inn. http://www.stonefortinn.com/

kswl

Thank you all for the recommendations---especially yours, Kal! I used the search function to look at previous threads, but I knew the Read House had changed national affiliations a few years ago, and B and B's can change overnight with new management.

Yes, iceeu2, those are the Chattanooga schools we're considering. He is also looking at Darlington in Rome and Indian Springs in Birmingham, which is my favorite and one of the best schools anywhere. There's a great school in Macon, too, but it isn't boarding and he'd be an hour traveling each way. He's leaning toward McCallie, mainly because they have a killer tennis program with many courts--7 of them indoors. It's a very good school according to all the numbers. Have you heard anything to the contrary?

Retired_teacher

The Chattanooga Choo Choo is now managed by Holiday Inn and it has run its course IMO. Unfortunately we made a reservation to stay there last August and will not be back. The immediate area surrounding the hotel is an urban slum. Like you Neopolitan, I stayed there years ago... hold onto those memories and don't return!

iceeu2

kat, good things are always said about McCallie. Have not heard anything negative. DH has a co-worker friend who has a daughter graduating from Baylor this year. She got a killer (Parks) scholarship to NC State. The same co-worker's son graduated from McCallie several years ago and is now at some hospital in Texas doing his intership in internal medicine.

So, based on his children and their eduacation, I would have to rate both schools very highly.

I saw a B&B last night that I thought looked neat. It's the Bluff River Inn or something like that. Chattanooga is a very scenic city and they have done great in the past 15 years to clean it up. Wonderful riverwalk.

Wave to me as you pass the Dalton exits!

iceeu2

Well, I guess he is really doing his internship...not sure what an intership is!!

padams421

McCallie has an excellent reputation. I hear it's a very good fit for boys who love sports.

DO NOT STAY AT THE CHOO CHOO!!! It is a total dump. For a hotel, I'd stay at The Chattanoogan or The Read House (request a renovated room). The Bluff River Inn is nice and there's another inn type hotel up on Lookout Mountain that's nice- can't think of the name of it right now, perhaps someone else will know what I'm talking about....

Good luck with your son's decision.

bethmac

I grew up in Chattanooga, albeit twenty years ago, but a few of my classmates left my school to attend both McCallie and Baylor. They were all satisfied, and some of them went on to do very well for themselves. I dated a guy in college who grad from McC, but is waiting tables or something...so in the end every opportunity is only what we make of it. Both have super reps, though, and I think Chattanooga and Birmingham are similar cities each with a great community feeling and similar landscape. Good luck, and I must second the opinions about the choo choo area, sadly declining. Read house has always been a Chattanooga institution, so if you want local flare instead of a chain, I'd stay there.

Kal

You're welcome kswl.
I'm only here to help.

kswl

Thanks everyone, for your responses! We've just come back from Rome (Darlington) today and are heading to Birmingham tomorrow (Indian Springs).

Glad to hear of kids doing well from both the Chatt. schools, although we have friends from college who also waited tables for years---and may still be doing so. Son in question loves tennis and both TN schools have great programs---perhaps too good, as their teams are huge and that might preclude any opportunity to play for a couple of years. Confess my preference for the Birmingham school, for a variety of reasons, but in the end the Student will make the decision.

Looking at hotels online, Read House looks great and is on priceline, think I will try for it for Wed. and Thurs.

starrsville

Not downtown, but I recommend the Chanticleer Inn on Lookout Mountain.

kswl

Gambled on priceline for Read House and got Mariott Convention Center instead, but for only $80 inclusive, and there's a free shuttle to and from downtown, only about 10 minutes according to hotel website. Well, you win some and you lose some . . .

iceeu2

kat, you won't be disappointed in the Marriott and it's not really out of the way of other places. You can walk to the river and acquarium and other downtown places from there with no problem.

The shuttle is great and always seems to be on time, so no problem there either.

padams421

The Marriott is just fine for your overnight trip. Good luck!