2 Best Hotels in Chattanooga, Tennessee

Climbers, backpackers, and gear geeks of every description, take heart—you now have a clean, efficient, value-packed, amenity-rich base camp in downtown Chattanooga. The basic option is a single bunk with wooden wraparound, privacy curtains, and storage space; from there, you can ratchet up through two more categories to a room with a queen-size bed (with pillow-top mattress), couch, desk, small dresser, and handcrafted sink (some have a single bunk too). Rooms share separate men's and women's restrooms with showers. There's plenty of storage for your gear, and common areas include a laundry, computers, and access to a kitchen to fix your breakfast (groceries supplied and included in the lodging rate).

After the Civil War, Chattanooga's Ft. James was converted to a hotel, which fell into disrepair over the next century, but was later purchased, beautifully renovated, and reopened in 2003 as the Stone Fort Inn. A full-service luxury boutique hotel, it's conveniently located downtown and about a mile from the vibrant Riverfront district. Rooms are individually styled in keeping with the original design by German architect L.A. Hirtzfield, and each is equipped with a white-noise machine, among other amenities. The restaurant, TerraMae Appalachian Bistro, features limestone walls and an open kitchen, and there's a bar in the library, while other gathering spaces help to create a sociable climate.