Extended Weekend Getaways By Kristy Christiansen
Freelance Travel Writer
With the sky awash in the red glow of the setting sun, my husband and I rounded the final mountain curve and took in the view of a regal hotel hovering among the clouds. Perched on the edge of Lookout Mountain in northwest Georgia, the Scottish-inspired Cloudland at McLemore Resort stood before us as a beacon, beckoning visitors to escape to a place as magical as the land it resides upon.
Once a refuge for Scottish explorers, the area is named for John McLemore, the son of a Scotsman and his Cherokee princess wife. Their legacy lives on through McLemore Resort, a renowned golf retreat and home to Cloudland, a Curio Collection by Hilton hotel designed to effortlessly blend into its rustic, natural setting.
As the valets held the massive front doors open, we entered a luxurious space wrapped in the timeless beauty of stone and wood. Nearby in the library, a fire crackled in the hearth while guests immersed themselves in the countless stories held there. Another fire warmed the great room downstairs, where couples lingered over evening cocktails. Behind them, the glass windows framed the shimmering infinity pool, smoke rising from its heated waters to mingle with the wispy clouds suspended over the vast valley below.
Nothing is overlooked at Cloudland—from the high-end linens and designer showers to the complimentary smores and sunrise yoga. The fully equipped fitness center includes a separate peloton room, and the Selah Spa with its Himalayan salt block sauna and wide range of treatments is itself a coveted destination.
Cruise the resort’s mountain roads on an e-bike or hike a trail to dramatic vistas. For the golf-lovers, two courses await, including the award-winning, par 71 Highlands Course designed by Bill Bergin and Rees Jones and The Keep, a cliff-edge oasis set among five converging streams.
Where to Eat
Cloudland offers enough culinary options that you never have to leave the property – or even the poolside for that matter. Start with Croft, their go-to “American fare with a twist.” The restaurant, which gets its name from the small agricultural plots in Scotland, offers a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner with a variety of options, such as the juicy croft burger accompanied by severely addictive bourbon barrel fries.
The Pocket Café is the perfect pit stop for an espresso or quick bite. Grab a breakfast biscuit and head outdoors for beautiful mountain views. This place is especially popular during evening happy hour, when overnight guests can pick up a free glass of wine or specialty cocktail such as the Fig Whiskey.
For the ultimate romantic dinner, make a reservation at Auld Alliance, a Scottish/French fine dining experience celebrating a pact made between the two countries in 1295. Their signature dish is a bone-in ribeye dry-aged for 28 days and washed in Single Malt Scotch. Pair it with the Rumbledethumps, a traditional Scottish casserole of mashed potatoes, cabbage and onions. Don’t forget to add a decadent chocolate dessert.
In summer, Skyside offers cocktails and bar bites in a cliffside retreat adjacent to the pool. For those venturing uphill to the McLemore Clubhouse, the Creag awaits with craft cocktails and a seasonal dining menu. At 2,300 feet above sea level, the restaurant offers some of the best views of the surrounding scenery.
Explore the Area
“When you pick a Hilton Curio, you stay somewhere unique,” said Concierge LeAnne Johnson. In Cloudland’s case, her statement exemplifies both the hotel’s architecture and its location on picturesque Lookout Mountain. Sprawling across the intersection of Georgia, Alabama, and Tennessee, the mountain urges you to explore its secrets.
In Tennessee, we stepped inside a glass-front elevator and descended into the mountain’s depths to see world-renowned Ruby Falls. As our comically entertaining tour guide, Vil from Kentucky, led us past the cave’s fantastical mineral formations, we learned the story of Leo Lambert and the falls he named for his wife, Ruby. In 1928, while blasting an elevator shaft down to Lookout Mountain Cave, Lambert accidentally discovered a towering underground waterfall cascading over a sheer cliff wall. A year later, he opened the natural wonder to a steady stream of visitors that continues today.
At Cloudland Canyon State Park, we took in the expansive view at the canyon overlook in one of Georgia’s largest parks. A scenic snapshot of the southern Appalachians, Cloudland offers 64 miles of hiking trails, fishing, cave tours and more. We hiked to Cherokee Falls, where the water glittered like a delicate veil on its path to the shallow pool below. Sitting at the water’s edge, we embraced the idyllic beauty of the area while listening to the soft, bubbling sounds of the stream continuing along its journey.
A very different scene unfolded before us at Little River Canyon National Preserve in Alabama. Here, the Little River spreads wide across the land before plummeting 45 feet in a powerful gush of water, churning into the river below on its way to further carve Little River Canyon. The Scenic Parkway along the west rim offered breathtaking views of the canyon’s steep sandstone cliffs stretching over 600 feet below us.
Ideally located 2.5 hours from Atlanta and only 45 minutes from Chattanooga, Cloudland is the perfect weekend escape for a romantic weekend or anyone simply looking to get away from it all. For more information and to make a reservation, visit www.staycloudland.com.
