Situated along the iconic World’s Fair Park and on the banks of the Tennessee River, The Tennessean Hotel is an indulgent experience steps from downtown Knoxville’s burgeoning culinary, arts and music scene. Gracious staff welcome guests to eighty-two opulent rooms and suites steeped in southern hospitality with unexpected amenities from butler service and customized concierge offerings to artisan-created works adorning the polished spaces and the only tea service tradition in the region. The refined Drawing Room, along with the modern Tavern at Maker Exchange, deliver seasonally enticing crafted beverages and locally-sourced bites with a twist from acclaimed Chef Robert Hoffman.

The Tennessean Hotel presents a polished design with a clever call to local culture woven throughout. With the Tennessee River just outside its doors, touches of the waterway are spotted from the discreet water pattern in the carpeting and droplet-shaped sconces along the halls to the lobby’s grand bookcase. Each of the guestroom floors are named after branches of the Tennessee River and side tables in the accommodation options are fabricated to look like river reeds. From the interior’s watery touches to the oversized, topographical Knoxville maps hanging over the guestroom beds, East Tennessee’s regional character is infused throughout the hotel. Hard goods in the rooms were created by Sneedville-based furniture maker Hackney Furniture, and most of the furniture and artwork throughout the hotel and Maker Exchange spaces is created by local artisans. 

Sumptuous Accommodations

With floor-to-ceiling vistas of the iconic Sunsphere, World’s Fair Park and downtown Knoxville with the Smoky Mountains majestic in the distance, The Tennessean Hotel guestrooms invite guests to relax in luxury. Each of the spacious guestrooms have plush robes and slippers, coffee stations and mini refrigerators, furnishings designed to maximize comfort, floor length mirrors in well-lit entryways and modern technology conveniences. Oversized, marble-encased bathrooms with remarkably large showers feature Molton Brown amenities and crisp, Frette linens adorn plush beds in all guestroom and suite options. 

Amenities with A Spot of European Charm

From Frette linens and European-influenced guestrooms to polished butler service (available upon request) and a tea service steeped in tradition and served on iconic British Wedgwood China, subtle touches reminiscent of the finest overseas boutique hotels are featured throughout The Tennessean Hotel. In addition to a Concierge staff noted for their innate ability to curate extraordinary experiences, The Tennessean Hotel Butlers are the benchmark for refined service. Guests staying in the Governor’s Suite have the option to book a personal, impeccably-trained butler to attend to their every need, enriching the guest experience past expectation. 

Setting the service standard in Knoxville, seasonal amenities at The Tennessean include elevated football experiences during the University of Tennessee home game weekends with a sparkling wine welcome reception and door-to-stadium luxury motor coach transportation to and from games. During the holiday season, guests enjoy impeccably-decorated fondant cookies presented at check-in, a tempting Hot Cocoa Bar in the lobby, locally-crafted annual Tennessean Hotel ornaments and custom candles for guests to take home the signature hotel scent. Year-round, turndown service features locally-made chocolates for a sweet end to each day.

Stepping off the elevators on the second floor, guests are enveloped in the tantalizing scent of Smoked Old Fashioneds from the refined Drawing Room, an aroma so sought-after The Tennessean Hotel now offers custom candles for guests to take the iconic smell home. With the Sunsphere sparkling from its windows, The Drawing Room is an intimate, warm space serving up locally-sourced provisions and artisanal cocktails.

The Tennessean Hotel is proud to host the only Tea Service events in the area, steeped in the timeless tea culture, served with swanky, southern flair. From Spring Tea and Mother’s Day to the popular cocktail-infused Prohibition Tea and classic Holiday Teas, the hotel welcomes guests to its posh Drawing Room where servers present classic tea service featuring the Signature Peach Tea Noir alongside seasonal selections from Rare Tea Sellers in Chicago with charming tiers of tea sandwiches, house-made scones and pastries, all while a young local harpist creates a lovely ambiance.

The Maker City

Adjacent to The Tennessean Hotel, the Maker Exchange gathering space, artistic showcase and culinary scene is designed to highlight and embrace Knoxville’s creative maker community, lauded as the original “Maker City.” The opening of Maker Exchange marked a major revitalization of the buildings comprising the hotel complex, originally built for the 1982 World’s Fair. Curated in partnership with the Knoxville Dogwood Arts Alliance, Maker Exchange is a unique hub providing a point of connection for Knoxville’s makers, locals who support them and also want to enjoy a great cup of coffee, spirits or meal, and hotel guests who are drawn to the work on display. Guests enjoy a cocktail or coffee while relaxing, socializing or meeting in one of the community spaces – either sitting in plush furnishings in front of the massive hearth, perched on a locally-crafted stool and table or while enjoying the treasure chest of Maker Exchange – The Curio – an ever-changing, shoppable display of Knoxville made sculpture, jewelry, ceramics, paintings and more.