Inside The Waymark Hotel in Chattanooga, Tennessee

I’ve never looked at a bank and thought: this could be a hotel.

But somebody did, and in February 2026, the Waymark Hotel opened in Chattanooga, Tennessee. What was once a vacant bank in a historic building is now part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, housing 148 rooms with a rooftop bar and a speakeasy.

I was in Chattanooga for the Women in Travel Summit (WITS), and I needed a home base for the 5 days I would be in Tennessee. When I came across The Waymark and saw that it was both affordable and chic, I didn’t need to look any further.

With many of the elements of the original bank like the gold elevator doors and letter drop, the hotel beautifully balances historic charm with stylish, modern fittings like the colorful lobby and soft Kelly green headboards.

When I booked this hotel, I didn’t immediately know that it was part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, but it was a pleasant surprise to receive Hilton Honors points for this stay. The great thing about the experience was that when I booked with my email address through a third party website, the system automatically linked my reservation to my Hilton account. As a traveler, you want to know that when you aren’t on your A-game, brands and companies will pick up your slack.

The Lobby + Staff

I’ve been traveling for many years, and at this point, I feel like I can tell whether I’ll fall in love with a hotel just from the lobby. In this case, I was right. The lobby is artsy and sophisticated, but not in a way that feels stuffy. In fact, it feels rather warm and inviting. With vibrant, comfortable furniture, gold accents and scattered coffee table books, it feels like an elevated living room within a home. Additionally, the lobby is fitted with a breakfast bar with full service in the mornings, a large conference room just by the elevators, and something I’ve been missing from hotels for a while—luggage carts.

The front desk, housekeeping, and valet staff were all wonderfully accommodating. Check in was a smooth, 5-minute process, and when I needed an extra blanket, more towels, or to have my car brought around, the wait was never long, plus I got to enjoy the brief company of very personable parking attendants.

The Room

As I’ve gotten older, my priorities for the perfect hotel room have changed. I love to experience lots of natural light flooding during the day in that I can control at night with blackout curtains. I value a soft bed with accessible lighting and electronic outlets, as I’m known to work from the bed, and a television that’s perfectly positioned in relation to the bed is ideal.

This room fit the bill. In addition to everything I mentioned, there’s a wardrobe with a steamer, safe and refrigerator inside, and I enjoyed the fresh smell of the toiletries in what I consider to be a spacious hotel bathroom.

After each day of the summit, I found myself looking forward to returning to The Waymark, my home away from home, where I experienced four good nights of peaceful quiet and rest in a room that had everything I needed.

The Surrounding Area

Chattanooga is surprisingly walkable, and even if you decide to drive, most of what you may find yourself doing is no more than ten or fifteen minutes away from the hotel. In this centralized location, you can spend considerably less time commuting and more time enjoying the city. If you don’t care to walk or drive yourself, I also never paid more than $10 for an Uber, making that a viable option with a hassle-free pickup location.

Just across the street, there’s a lovely floral atelier and cafe called Petal and Pour that I would highly recommend if you like a fresh bouquet of flowers in your space or if you want to grab a hot drink and pastry in the morning for breakfast. You’ll also be within walking distance of Warehouse Row where you can shop and dine, and The Chattanooga Choo Choo is a five-minute drive where you can dine and grab a few fun photos with train installations.

My Biggest Regret

Having been at the summit for most of my stay and exhausted by the time I returned to my room, it completely slipped my mind to visit Iris Rooftop Bar and the basement level speakeasy, which used to be the bank’s vault. These are amenities I would be remiss if I did not mention, and when you choose The Waymark as your stay, I encourage you to keep them top of mind and visit on my behalf.

My Final Thoughts

If you ever find yourself in Chattanooga, I don’t imagine finding a better stay than the Waymark Hotel. If you’re looking for a stylish, centrally located hotel, this is the easy pick. The thoughtfully restored historic bank building gives the property plenty of character, while the modern rooms and amenities provide the comfort travelers expect. During my five-day stay, its downtown location made it easy to explore Chattanooga’s top attractions, enjoy nearby restaurants, and spend time along the riverfront without feeling disconnected from the heart of the city. For travelers who want a hotel that combines history, design, and convenience, The Waymark offers one of the best places to stay in Chattanooga.