It’s no secret I’m a bit of a connoisseur of hotel lobbies. Fun fact: the trend dates back to my college days, when I would frequent the Read House (pre-renovation - this was years ago) with my best friend & we would sip Starbucks on the red velvet sofa & chat for hours. I just love visiting hotels to marvel at the unique decor & style, check out new eateries, & basically pretend I’m one of those super wealthy celebrities that lives on the top floor. It gives me a bit of a wanderlust feeling, being able to stroll through like a wannabe-guest, coffee in hand, & just take it all in.
So when my friend Sarah wanted to get
together, I suggested breakfast at the new Edwin Hotel downtown, located at the
south end of the Walnut Street Bridge. The Edwin derives it’s namesake from
Edwin Thatcher, the architect of the iconic Walnut Street Bridge & the
interior was designed specifically for Chattanooga. Everything in this hotel is
unique - from the restaurant & Whiskey Thief rooftop bar, to the library
& cozy chill spaces spread throughout the hotel. Crystal chandeliers? Fur ottomans? Blue crushed velvet dome
chairs?! Someone please come decorate my house like this!
After scoping out the lobby, we headed in to
Whitebird, their signature restaurant, for a 10am breakfast. The aesthetic here is beautiful - lots of black & white, subway tile, & a beautiful bar
that stretched almost the length of the room.
We started with little fried balls of
happiness, the French toast bites: Cinnamon Toast Crunch crust, warm maple
syrup (I swear I tasted a hint of bourbon, but maybe that was wishful
thinking), & bumbleberry jam. No idea what bumbleberry jam was, but I like
jam & it sounded like something Winnie the Pooh would approve of, so I
threw caution to the wind & tried it. The verdict: delicious (Google says
it’s a mix of blueberry, strawberry & raspberry.) Edwin, you had me at
Cinnamon Toast Crunch. My forever-5 year old heart was thrilled.
For my entree, I opted for the chicken & waffle slider and Sarah got the Whitebird Benedict. Both were equally filling & delicious. We also got a little side of corn muffins, home fries, & fruit to share, so there was more than enough food. The only thing that would have made this meal complete was a mimosa (or 3), but we had to save room for iced coffee (more on this later). After all, coffee is a part of the four main food groups (wait, that’s not right, is it?).
After breakfast, we strolled around outside.
The weather was perfect & after stuffing my face with doughy cinnamon sugar
bites & fried chicken, I needed a mini-workout to burn off all those
calories - by mini, I mean a quick walk around the block in heels (with a bit
of t-rexing for added flair - no, really, my feet just hurt at that point)
& by burning calories, I mean I probably only burned like, 20 of
approximately 2,000 (clearly eating healthy & exercising on the reg were
not in my New Years plans). Worth it though for this delicious breakfast!
But really, how beautiful is this hotel? I wasn't even a guest here (but 100% felt like one) & loved it. The Edwin really strives to be a place for both locals & visitors, and I can absolutely see this becoming one of my frequent haunts. I can only
imagine if I actually got to experience it fully - the plush rooms, the rooftop
pool, the serene spa (girls' staycation, anyone?). Definitely put this place on your must-see/do list (guest
or no) & check it out!
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