Apartment
Bear House 1890, Johnson Retreat, Mins from Downtown, Perfect Luxurious Getaway!
Photo gallery for Bear House 1890, Johnson Retreat, Mins from Downtown, Perfect Luxurious Getaway!





Reviews
10 out of 10
Exceptional
4 bedrooms 2+ bathrooms Sleeps 8 2200 sq ft
Popular amenities
Explore the area

Chattanooga, TN
- Lookout Mountain Incline Railway6 min walk
- Ruby Falls3 min drive
- Chattanooga Choo Choo5 min drive
- Chattanooga, TN (CHA-Chattanooga Metropolitan)18 min drive
Rooms & beds
4 bedrooms (sleeps 8)
Bedroom 1
1 King Bed
Bedroom 2
1 Queen Bed
Bedroom 3
1 King Bed
Bedroom 4
1 Queen Bed
2 bathrooms, 1 half bathroom
Bathroom 1
Bathtub · Toilet
Bathroom 2
Shower only
Bathroom 3
Bathtub or shower · Toilet
Spaces
Deck or patio
Porch or lanai
Kitchen
Outdoor play area
Garden
Dining area
About this property
Bear House 1890, Johnson Retreat, Mins from Downtown, Perfect Luxurious Getaway!
🐻 Welcome to the Historic Bear House Circa 1890! The best of everything!! Refined luxury, detailed amenities, large beautiful property. Walk to local restaurants, shops, grocery stores, hiking and biking trails, tourist attractions. Less than 4 miles from Aquarium, all downtown, mountain and waterfront activities.
Beautifully restored 120-year-old house and additional Carriage house with beautiful grounds. A rare opportunity to stay in a special historic property that adds to your trip experience; much more than simply a place to spend the night! Centrally located in Chattanooga in the trendy St Elmo Historic District, at the foot of Lookout Mountain.
The spacious and bright Johnson Retreat includes the entire private 2nd story of The Bear House (Wheland Wing and Workman Wing combined into one large space, 2200 square feet):
• Front and back private entrance.
• High quality, fully equipped kitchen for your cooking and dining needs with gas stove/oven, dishwasher, microwave, refrigerator and washer and dryer. Small appliances include toaster, mixer, crock-pot and electric tea kettle. The basics are kept stocked for your convenience: paper towels, garbage bags, cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, foils and plastic wrap, salt and pepper, spices, olive oil, canola oil, sugar.
• Living room with ample seating, game table, games, smart HDTV with Cable, Amazon Prime and Netflix.
• Resource center with writing desk, office supplies and reading corner.
• 2 Hospitality Centers with microwave, small refrigerator, Keurig with well stocked variety of coffee, teas and hot chocolate and related condiments, fresh fruit, chocolates, some breakfast items and snacks.
• 2 Dining areas for 4. Additional seating areas.
• 2 King bedroom, smart HDTV with Cable, Amazon Prime and Netflix, WiFi, ceiling fan with remote, luxury bedding and linens, full length mirror, luggage racks, water bottles, bedside radio/clock with 2 outlets and 2 ports for charging your devices.
• 2 Queen bedrooms, each with smart HDTV with Cable, Amazon Prime and Netflix, high speed WiFi, ceiling fan with remote, luxury bedding and linens, full length mirror, luggage rack, water bottles, bedside radio/clock with 2 outlets and 2 ports for charging your devices.
• 2 Full size bathrooms with large original soaking tubs, custom tile work, luxury towels and amenities, hair dryer.
• 1 Original shower room and dressing room, beautifully renovated with custom tile work, luxury towels and amenities.
Our spacious property offers many opportunities for gathering spaces outdoors. The large old-fashioned front porch, courtyard garden and gazebo are wonderful spots for morning coffee, a special evening meal, or a place to relax in a comfortable chair with a good book. The special garden areas and larger outdoor seating areas provide additional space for your enjoyment. Be sure to explore the carved bears placed around the property and hear their story! In the spring and summer, help yourself to the blackberries and small vegetable garden bounty. And don’t miss the scavenger hunt; over 40 sculptured animals roam the property for you to find.
Our beautiful large property sits on an entire block, front to back, in the charming St Elmo Historic District. There is the majestic main house called Historic Bear House 1890 (6500sqft) that consists of 3 other private apartments. My husband and I reside on the private first floor in the main house. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from the main house, through the luscious courtyard, is the Carriage House (1600sqft) with 2 private apartments. With over 25 years experience in the rental property business, we specialize in a broad spectrum of lodging needs, from quick getaways, to out of town family and friends, to corporate rentals and short term rentals. With pampered on-site attention you’ll feel taken care of from your first inquiry until the end of your stay, whether it is a short trip or a few months.
Be sure to check out our other private apartments located here at the Historic Bear House 1890 property:
Workman Wing, 2 BR, 1BA, #1021491
Wheland Wing, 2 BR, 1BA, #1021450
Johnson Retreat, 4BR, 2BA, #1021232 (Workman & Wheland Wings combined)
Stinson Suite, 2BR, 1BA, #1076824
Lilly’s Loft, 1BR, 1BA, #1324077
Sherfey Suite, 1BR, 1BA, #1172405
Our prices include all fees. No hidden fees.
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Amenities
Kitchen
Washing machine
Dryer
Air conditioning
Outdoor space
Mountain view
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House Rules
Check in after 3:00 PM
Minimum age to rent: 25
Check out before 11:00 AM
Children
Children allowed: ages 0–17
Infants and children are always welcome!
Events
Events allowed: family gatherings, birthday parties, weddings
Pets
No pets allowed
Smoking
Smoking is not permitted
Important information
You need to know
This property is managed by a private host (a party not acting within their trade, business or profession). EU consumer law, including the right of withdrawal, will not apply to your booking. The cancellation policy set by the private host will cover your booking.
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
Parties and events (including family gatherings, birthday parties and weddings) are allowed on site. Maximum attendees: 14
Host has indicated that there is a carbon monoxide detector on the property
Host has indicated that there is a smoke detector on the property
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher, a first aid kit and a deadlock
This property has outdoor spaces, such as balconies, patios and terraces, which may not be suitable for children; if you have any concerns, we recommend contacting the property prior to your arrival to confirm that they can accommodate you in a suitable room
About the area
Chattanooga
Located in Chattanooga, this apartment is in the city centre. Chattanooga Choo Choo is a notable landmark, and the area's natural beauty can be seen at Ruby Falls and Rock City. Travelling with kids? Consider Tennessee Aquarium, or check out an event or a game at Finley Stadium. Discover the area's water adventures with jet skiing and kayaking nearby, or enjoy the great outdoors with hiking/biking trails and cycling.

Chattanooga, TN
What's nearby
- Lookout Mountain Incline Railway - 6 min walk - 0.6 km
- Ruby Falls - 3 min drive - 3.1 km
- Chattanooga Choo Choo - 5 min drive - 5.1 km
- Chattanooga Convention Center - 5 min drive - 5.5 km
- Tennessee Aquarium - 7 min drive - 6.9 km
Getting around
Restaurants
- The Tap House - 10 min walk
- Wendy's - 2 min drive
- KFC - 3 min drive
- Dunkin’ - 2 min drive
- Domino's Pizza - 10 min walk
Frequently asked questions
About the host
Hosted by Sharman Sherfey

The Bear House is a beautifully restored 6,900 square foot house built in 1890. We have lived here for 25 years, raising our four children and enjoying this small community (St Elmo) within the city. Our long-term plan has been to share this special property as a B&B/Short Term Rental when we retired.
We opened as The Bear House in March of 2017. It has been a truly special year and brought great joy sharing The Bear House and meeting so many wonderful guests.
Steve and I live on the 1st floor of the house, which is completely separate from the 2nd story listings as well as the basement/lower level listing. In addition, we have the Carriage House with 2 listings. We are proud of The Bear House and think you will have a wonderful stay!
We opened as The Bear House in March of 2017. It has been a truly special year and brought great joy sharing The Bear House and meeting so many wonderful guests.
Steve and I live on the 1st floor of the house, which is completely separate from the 2nd story listings as well as the basement/lower level listing. In addition, we have the Carriage House with 2 listings. We are proud of The Bear House and think you will have a wonderful stay!
What makes this property unique
Beautifully restored 120 year old house and additional Carriage house with beautiful grounds. A rare opportunity to stay in a special historic property that adds to your trip experience; much more than simply a place to spend the night! One of the best locations for a trip to Chattanooga.
Languages:
English
Premier Host
They consistently provide great experiences for their guests
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