The Dwell Hotel
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Hotel Details
Location
The Dwell Hotel · Chattanooga, United States
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Expert Review: The Dwell Hotel
The Dwell Hotel in Chattanooga, United States, a Michelin Key Selected property, is consistently praised for its unique blend of vintage glamour, mid-century modern design, and exceptional service. Housed in a renovated 1909 building, this boutique hotel offers a distinctive and memorable experience for travelers seeking charm and character in downtown Chattanooga.
Overall Rating & Sentiment
The Dwell Hotel generally receives excellent reviews, with an average score of 8.8 on Booking.com. Guests frequently describe their stay as "excellent," "cozy and comfy," and a "beautiful oasis." The sentiment is overwhelmingly positive, with many highlighting its uniqueness and charm.
Key Highlights
Guests consistently love the hotel's distinctive and eclectic design, often described as "funky/cool" and "retro-chic." The personalized and friendly staff is a recurring highlight, with specific mentions of individuals like Harrison and Mark for their excellent service. The convenient downtown location and the vibrant on-site bar, Matilda Midnight, are also frequently cited as major draws. The hotel's ability to create a sense of being "home with your fancy relatives" contributes to its appealing atmosphere.
Room Quality
The Dwell Hotel features 16 individually designed rooms, each with its own name, style, and theme, ensuring no two are alike. Rooms boast bold wallpapers, vintage furnishings, and a mid-century modern aesthetic with touches of old Hollywood glam. Comfort is a priority, with guests praising the very comfortable beds, plush mattresses, and soft linens. Many rooms include luxurious amenities such as spacious, well-outfitted bathrooms with rain showers and separate soaking tubs. Some suites offer additional features like sitting areas, gas fireplaces, and balconies with downtown views. Thoughtful touches like chocolate-dipped Oreos also enhance the guest experience.
Dining Experience
The hotel offers a complimentary continental breakfast daily. While some guests have found the breakfast to be underwhelming or basic, similar to a "motel breakfast" with limited options like one type of scone, yogurt, and granola, others recall a more comprehensive "made-to-order" breakfast including omelets, grits, and biscuits and gravy from the former Terra Mae restaurant. The on-site bar, Matilda Midnight, is highly popular for its glam, moody, and magical ambiance, offering specialty and Tiki-inspired craft cocktails and inventive small plates. The former restaurant, Terra Mae, also received praise for its retro decor and eclectic menu.
Service & Staff
The service at The Dwell Hotel is consistently lauded as "fantastic" and "excellent." Guests frequently highlight the staff's friendliness, helpfulness, and attentiveness. Personalized greetings and a warm, owner-run feel contribute to exceptional hospitality. Valet service is also mentioned positively.
Location & Accessibility
The Dwell Hotel is centrally located in downtown Chattanooga, offering easy access to many good restaurants, shopping, and major attractions. It is within walking distance of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, Tivoli Theatre, Chattanooga Convention Center, Chattanooga Choo Choo Historic District, and Warehouse Row. The Bluff View Art District is also less than a mile away. While central, some guests have noted the presence of homeless people and occasional loud street noise in the downtown area.
Value & Pricing
Room prices at The Dwell Hotel typically range from $204 to $590. While many guests find the unique experience and high level of service to be worth the cost, some have felt that the property and amenities were "overpriced for what was available," particularly referencing the breakfast options. The hotel is considered a 4-star boutique property, and its pricing reflects its luxury and unique offerings.
Common Complaints
Despite the high praise, a few recurring issues have been noted by guests. Noise can be a concern, particularly from hallways due to old wood floors magnifying sound, and also from outside the room, given its downtown location. The hotel provides earplugs and sound machines to help mitigate this. The continental breakfast has been a point of contention, with some finding it underwhelming and lacking in options, especially considering the hotel's price point. Check-in is relatively late at 4:00 PM, which some guests found inconvenient. There was also an isolated complaint about a lumpy and too-soft mattress.
Sources
Google Reviews
428 reviews
Recent Guest Reviews
Rebecca Bennett
We wanted to stay in a hotel with character--we were a bit tired out of the traditional experience (despite being at the highest level of a major chains status). We were able to use points from our major brand here, and we were not disappointed. Because it is older, it has all the charm of creaky wood floors, imperfect moldings, and an old-world ambiance. Each room is decorated uniquely; we staye...
Response from the owner
Rebecca, <br>Thank you so much for your glowing review! We are glad that the charm of the building and our staff added to the enrichment of your experience. We always challenge guests to return and se...
Misty Williams
We had the pleasure of staying at The Dwell Hotel in Chattanooga last night. An adorable, boutique hotel right in the heart of downtown. Each room is individually decorated with a different theme. Hotel manager L'Erin greeted us at check-in and walked us up to our room. Such a welcomed, personal touch. We stayed in The Tiki Room, which included a gas fireplace, a massive tub with room for two, the...
Takisha Gathings
My husband and I chose this hotel for my birthday stay because we really enjoyed our time a couple years ago for our anniversary everyone was so friendly and the hotel was very clean and welcoming. Unfortunately this time was not the same we came late due to a delay back home when we arrived the front desk Harrison was extremely rude and talked to us in a very smart , condescending tone for no rea...
Response from the owner
Takisha, <br>We are very sorry to hear of this, since you have experienced the level of service we expect from ourselves. As the manager that checked you out, we are always appreciative of feedback i...
Stephen Chandler
If you’re looking for a boutique stay with personality in Chattanooga, The Dwell Hotel delivers in every way. The property itself feels more like a stylish escape than a typical hotel. Each room is uniquely decorated with bold mid-century flair, retro touches, and playful colors that make the whole place feel curated yet comfortable. It’s definitely not your standard cookie-cutter lodging; it has ...
Response from the owner
Stephen, <br>Thank you so much for the glowing review. Detailed ones like this are so helpful to other travelers, you really described our vibes so well! <br>So happy to hear you enjoyed your stay an...
Rose G
Funky and unique decor all throughout the hotel. Staff told us that each room is decorated differently. Great shower, comfortable beds, walking distance to food and museums.
Response from the owner
Rose, <br>We are happy to hear you enjoyed your time at The Dwell Hotel!. You are correct those beds are amazingly comfortable. We look forward to your next visit.
Katie Drees
The rooms are spacious and well decorated. However there were toenail clippings from the previous guest left in the bathtub. We casually informed the front desk when we left the following morning expecting for it to be cleaned when we returned, but the clippings remained when we got back late that night. The fitted sheet on the bed also would not stay on the bed two nights in a row after many atte...
Response from the owner
Hi Katie, <br>We are sorry to hear that your stay was not what you expected. <br>We take cleanliness very seriously here. When you communicated the issue to the front desk, we had housekeeping and our...
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