The Hotel Chalet is proud to share the incredible honor of being named a winner of the Condé Nast Traveler 2026 Readers’ Choice Awards. The hotel ranks No. 22 among the top hotels in the South in the publication’s U.S. hotels list and is the only Chattanooga hotel to make the list.
The Readers’ Choice Awards are determined entirely by the votes of Condé Nast Traveler readers, making the honor a direct reflection of the guests and travelers who have experienced the property firsthand. The recognition arrives just two weeks after The Hotel Chalet was named a MICHELIN Key hotel for the second consecutive year, the only hotel in Chattanooga to receive the distinction in 2026.
Set on the storied grounds of the Chattanooga Choo Choo, The Hotel Chalet offers 127 guest rooms, including 25 lovingly restored Pullman train cars, all in service of the property’s signature spirit of après voyage. Guests can gather fireside at the Alpine pool, wander the historic Choo Choo gardens, and settle in for the evening at Elsie’s Daughter, the hotel’s Appalachian bistro — the kind of details that have made The Hotel Chalet a fixture of Chattanooga’s Southside revival.
“There’s no recognition more meaningful than one that comes straight from our guests,” said Alan Rae, General Manager of The Hotel Chalet. “To be chosen by the travelers who’ve stayed with us, alongside some of the most celebrated hotels in the South, is a true honor. It belongs to our team, who bring The Hotel Chalet’s spirit of genuine hospitality to life for every guest, every day.”
Now in their 37th year, the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards are among the longest-running and most recognized honors in the travel industry. The complete 2026 list of the top hotels in the South is available at cntraveler.com.
For more information on The Hotel Chalet, visit www.thehotelchalet.com and follow @thehotelchalet on Instagram.
About The Hotel Chalet
The Hotel Chalet is a 127-room lifestyle hotel set on the historic grounds of the Chattanooga Choo Choo, featuring 25 restored Pullman train car rooms, an Alpine pool, and Elsie’s Daughter, an Appalachian bistro. Part of Trestle Studio’s portfolio, The Hotel Chalet is a two-time MICHELIN Key recipient and Forbes-recognized destination at the heart of Chattanooga’s Southside. For more information, visit www.thehotelchalet.com.
About Trestle Studio
Trestle Studio is a boutique real estate investment and development firm dedicated to creating culturally-resonant hospitality destinations through the synthesis of branding, design, and disciplined execution. With more than two decades of experience, the team behind Trestle originally shaped some of the industry’s most celebrated lifestyle properties — including the NoMad, LINE, Freehand, and Saguaro brands — totaling over 3,400 keys and more than $1.5 billion in combined development budgets. Today, Trestle is currently developing the Pendry Hotel – Nashville in partnership with Somera Road, and recently introduced The Hotel Chalet – Chattanooga, which earned the Michelin Key distinction and a spot on Forbes’ list of the 15 most unique hotels in the world. Trestle will open its 315-room hotel in San Antonio in late 2026, marking the debut of Sítio, the company’s new lifestyle resort brand. For more information, visit www.trestlestudio.com.
