New Hotel Coming To Chattanooga Choo Choo
The Hotel Chalet in concept art. (Courtesy: The Hotel Chalet)
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF)- The hotel at the Chattanooga Choo-Choo is getting a makeover.
The Choo-Choo Hotel has been a staple of downtown since 1909 it was connected to the former train station.
A current national historic landmark, it has been discussed what the future of the hotel and the adjacent property would look like.
Its new conductor unveiled their new plans today.
The Founder of Developer Trestle Studio, Jake Lamstein, said, “What I found with Chattanooga, was all of the activation of outdoor space… but very little in terms of like travel and accommodations that cater to that.”
The renovation of the historic hotel into the Hotel Chalet represents the next chapter for Track 29.
The Hotel Chalet will be a luxury hotel with 127 rooms.
25 of these will be in the historic carriages that have sat in the Choo Choo Gardens.
Lamstein said, “We have cars that are from the 20s and 30s, or those that are from mid century, the 50s/60s. So we’re creating two styles of aesthetics within the train cars and each car will have two guest rooms.”
In addition to the hotel rooms, there will be an alpine pool, event space, and integration of the hotel’s courtyard with the Choo Choo Gardens.
There will be a restaurant and bar operated by the current owner of the Northshore establishment, The Rosecomb.
Lamstein says that the various proprietors of the Choo Choo, including The Signal and North Pond Partners, believe this is a major step forward for the Choo Choo.
Lamstein said, “We’re working closely to establish a bloc association across all of us, and sort of reinvigorate with a lot of programming and activation across the entire property in a lot of respects as it once was.”
Construction is ongoing in the back of the Chattanooga Choo Choo Gardens.
The existing hotel will remain open as renovations will take place in sections across the hotel.
When it opens, it will mark a new era for the former hub.
Lamstein said, “Our goal is never to be programmatic, is never to be a brand standard, we want to be unique and to the people and the place. We like letting it come to life in that way.”
These renovations will cost 19 million dollars to complete.
Renovations are being taken for events now and guest rooms will begin available later this summer.
The Hotel Chalet expects to be open by the end of the year.
