Decide if you want to be on a mountain or in the city. The bed and breakfasts on Signal and Lookout mountains are quiet and secluded with just a five- to 10-minute drive into downtown. The ones in the heart of the city are walking distance from the city’s most popular restaurants, museums and riverfront activities.
Choose between luxury and country charm. The Mayor’s Mansion Inn, at the base of Lookout Mountain, boasts French provincial décor with floor-to-ceiling windows (The Cloudland Canyon Room) and a honeymoon suite bathed in more than 175 yards of designer black and white fabric. Old Towne Bed and Breakfast on Signal Mountain, on the other hand, has a more relaxed, homey feel.
Ask yourself, “How important is the food?” While most of the bed and breakfasts in the downtown area are within walking distance of locally made barbecue, fresh seafood and other fare from casual to fine dining, the boutique-style StoneFort Inn on East 10th Street serves a made-to-order breakfast and puts on a hilarious dinner theatre to overnight guests at the intimate Café Elite. Bluff View Inn, located in the Bluff View Art District, on the other hand, offers guests fully equipped kitchens and encourages guests to walk to the district’s other amenities for their evening meal.
Look for a theme. Some of the most whimsical and enjoyable inns base their décor and room layout on a specific topic, giving visitors something fun to discover around every corner. Each room at Garden Walk Bed & Breakfast Inn on Lookout Mountain is decorated around a story, movie or song. Outside, innkeepers Ed and Erma Caballero have spruced up the gardens using bicycles and boots for planters.
