Railroads began appearing in Tennessee in the 1830s, following decades of relying on the rivers for the transportation of goods. The Memphis and Charleston Railroad and Nashville and Chattanooga Railroad were two of the most important, with the latter crossing the rugged terrain of the Cumberland Plateau to connect the important cities.
By the early 20th century, nearly every town in Tennessee had access to the rail system. Iconic trains like the Chattanooga Choo Choo, immortalized by Glenn Miller’s 1941 song, symbolized the glamour of passenger travel.
The rise of highways caused a downturn in passenger rail, and many of the stations that had once been used fell into disrepair. But luckily for train lovers, three in particular have been preserved as hotels, including one that remains an Amtrak station.
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Central Station Hotel, Memphis
Located in the heart of the South Main Arts District, the Central Station Hotel is among the best and most conveniently located Memphis hotels. Opened October 4, 1914, as a rail station built by the Illinois Central Railroad, this station handled more than 50 arrivals and departures daily at its height.
In 1995, the local transit authority undertook an investment to revitalize the station building. In 2019, the building reopened as a hotel with 123 guest rooms, including 9 suites, not to mention the still-active train station.
The hotel leans into Memphis’s rich music heritage with live DJs and an abundant record collection in the lobby. Central Station also has a restaurant, Bishop, which offers Southern-influenced French brasserie cuisine.
Hotel Chalet at The Choo Choo, Chattanooga
Built in 1909 for the Southern Railway Company, the grand Beaux-Arts terminal served passengers traveling around the Southeast, more than 50 per day from Atlanta, Birmingham, Cincinnati, and New Orleans.
The Terminal Station closed to passenger service in 1970, but was saved by preservationists. In 1973, it reopened as the Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel, named for the 1941 song by the same name from Glenn Miller and His Orchestra.
The grand terminal building was transformed into the hotel lobby, and 36 vintage Pullman train cars were converted into luxury guest rooms. The hotel changed hands several times, but most recently into the renovated Hotel Chalet, recently awarded a Michelin Key.
The Chattanooga hotel has 127 guest rooms, including 25 in restored vintage train cars. The on-site restaurant, Elsie’s Daughter, already has a buzz around it, and the hotel also has an outdoor pool and fitness center. If that’s not enough, the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum is located nearby.
Read our review and book your stay here.
Union Station Hotel, Nashville
Credits: Warren LeMay, Lauren Mitchell, & Kathleen Conklin
Union Station is one of the South’s most architecturally striking railroad landmarks, built in 1900 in the Romanesque Revival for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad. Constructed using local limestone, its 200-foot clock tower topped with turrets and gargoyles is one of the most recognizable landmarks in town.
During its peak in the 1920s and ’30s, as many as 20 passenger trains arrived or departed daily. The L&N Hotel, a separate but connected facility, accommodated overnight travelers. The last passenger train ended service in 1979.
In 1986, the station was reborn as the Union Station Hotel, one of Nashville’s first major adaptive-reuse projects. Today, the Marriott-affiliated property is one of the top Nashville hotels, with 125 rooms and suites. Stationairy, the hotel’s restaurant, references classic Southern fare and the station’s railroad past.
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