Where To Stay In Nashville

Nashville is the capital of Tennessee and is the home of country music. Here you will find famous music venues like Ryman Auditorium and Grand Ole Opry. On Lower Broadway, you will find the Honky Tonk Highway, where the Honky Tonks pump out music from 10 to 3 the following morning. The great thing is that there is no cover charge to enter and enjoy. 

There are museums galore in Nashville, mainly honouring country music stars, such as The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, The Johnny Cash Museum and The Patsy Cline Museum.

When it comes to food, Nashville has a strong regional food scene. Popular dishes include hot chicken, fried chicken, meat and three sides and barbecue. However, you won’t go hungry if you are vegan or vegetarian and you’ll find plenty of vegan and vegetarian places to eat.

The climate in Nashville is temperate, with four distinct seasons. Summer tends to be hot and humid, while the winters are cold, with temperatures often below freezing. If you don’t like the extremes of temperature and want to visit when it is warm and pleasant, late spring and early autumn are the best times to go. However, on average, Nashville gets 120 days of rain each year, and it can rain in any season, so bring an umbrella.

So, you have decided to visit and are wondering where to stay in Nashville. Here are some neighbourhoods to choose as your base when exploring this happening city. 

Where To Stay In Nashville

Downtown Nashville

If you want to experience the heart of the music scene, Downtown Nashville is the place to stay and where you will find the Ryman Auditorium, which used to be home to The Grand Ole Opry and still hosts music events.

Honky Tonk Highway is in this neighbourhood, and music is pumped out from the bars all day and into the night.

Bridgestone Arena, which seats up to 20,000, hosts large-scale musicals.

Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge is very popular with country music fans and was the place that launched the careers of such artists as Willie Nelson.

However, it’s not only music that Downtown Nashville is famous for. There are museums, art galleries, green spaces, shops and restaurants to suit all tastes.

The Country Music Hall of Fame has over 2.5 million artefacts relating to country music stars, including Elvis’s gold piano. You should visit this museum just to see it!

There is also a museum dedicated to Johnny Cash and, on the first floor, a museum about country music star Patsy Cline who tragically died at age 30 and to find out more about Tennessee, head to the Tennessee State Museum.

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of Nashville by strolling around the Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, which covers 11 acres, where you will find an interesting 200-foot map of Tennessee etched in granite.

The park will allow you to recharge your batteries after a busy day’s sightseeing.

If Downtown Nashville sounds like where you want to spend the most time during your trip, you will find excellent hotel choices.

Hotels In Downtown Nashville

Luxury – Hyatt Centric Downtown Nashville

This classic five-star hotel offers an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel, a 24-hour front desk, and private parking.

The hotel has a restaurant, Ella’s on 2nd, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

Breakfast is included in many packages and is a reasonable price if you haven’t opted for breakfast.

Maybe you want to have breakfast here once or twice and try other places.

American and Italian dishes are served at lunch and dinner. If you fancy a cocktail, head to Lala’s Rooftop Bar.

The rooms all have air conditioning, a private bathroom with free toiletries, a TV, and a tea/coffee maker.

You will be very close to the Bridgestone Arena if you stay at this hotel, the Ryman Auditorium, the Johnny Cash Museum and the Patsy Cline Museum.

Nashville International Airport is 8 km (5 miles) away.

Mid-Range – Hampton Inn & Suites Nashville Downtown Capitol View

Hampton Inn & Suites is conveniently in the centre of Downtown Nashville.

It offers excellent facilities for the price, including an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, business centre and 24-hour front desk.

Free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel makes it a good one if you’re on a business trip.

There is also a terrace where an included breakfast is served, but if you fancy a G & T or a cocktail, head to the bar.

The rooms are tastefully decorated, with a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hairdryer.

They also have a desk and a flat-screen TV.

Close by is the Ryman Auditorium and the Bridgestone Arena.

The airport is 11 km (6.8 miles) away.

Budget – Sonder At LC So Bro

The rooms in this budget hotel are well-equipped with everything you need for a comfortable stay, including air conditioning.

A fully equipped kitchen includes an oven, fridge, dishwasher, kettle and coffee machine, and a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hairdryer.

The hotel has a fitness centre, and there is free Wi-Fi throughout.

There isn’t a restaurant, but you are in the hub of the city so there are plenty of restaurants and bars close by.

You are within walking distance from the Ryman Auditorium, the Johnny Cash Museum, the Patsy Cline Museum, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

The airport is 8 km (5 miles) away.

Music Row

Music Row is southwest of Downtown Nashville and home to record label offices and studios.

This is where you will find the famous RCA Studio B, where legends such as Dolly Parton, Chet Atkins, Roy Orbison, the Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley recorded their hits.

Elvis recorded 240 songs here.

In 1977, RCA closed Studio B, and it is now a historic site run by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, with daily school and public tours.

Country music stars have been honoured in this neighbourhood with streets named after them.

Owen Bradley, the famous record producer, has a park named after him, and there is a statue of him seated at a grand piano in the park.

At the heart of Music Row, you can see the spectacular Musica Sculpture created by Alan LeQuire.

It features nine nude figures, 11.5 metres (38 feet) tall, dancing in a circle and is the largest group sculpture in the United States.

Music Row is also home to high-end shops and restaurants.

Hotels In Music Row

Luxury – Conrad Nashville

The Conrad Nashville offers all the amenities you would expect from a luxury hotel, including an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, a garden, terrace and a 24-hour front desk.

There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and a business centre.

The Blue Aster restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while the Thistle & Rye Bar is open from Wednesdays to Sundays.

If you want to relax in your room, there is room service.

The hotel itself is beautiful, with a substantial collection of artworks by local and regional artists adorning the walls.

All the rooms have air conditioning, a private bathroom, and a tea/coffee maker.

Some rooms have a balcony.

Close to the hotel are Bridgestone Arena and the Ryman Auditorium.

The airport is 10 km (6.2 miles) away.

Mid-Range – Residence Inn by Marriott Nashville Vanderbilt

Breakfast is included in your room rate, and you can also have dinner at the hotel at an extra cost.

There is a bar in the lobby where you can relax with a cocktail after a hard day’s sightseeing.

The hotel’s indoor swimming pool is open year-round.

There is also a fitness centre, a business centre, a dry cleaning and laundry service, and free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.

Rooms have air conditioning, private bathrooms, cable TV, a kitchenette, a coffee machine, and a desk with an ergonomic chair.

The airport is 11 km (6.8 miles) away.

Budget – Placemakr Music Row

Placemakr Music Row has an outdoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, a shared lounge, a terrace, a 24-hour desk, and private parking.

It doesn’t have a restaurant, but barbecue facilities are on-site, and restaurants are within walking distance.

It is also right in the middle of a nightlife hub.

The rooms all have air-conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a private bathroom, a TV, a coffee maker, and some have a kitchen with a fridge and dishwasher.

All rooms have a washing machine.

The Bridgestone Arena, Ryman Auditorium, and the Johnny Cash Museum are close to the hotel. And the airport is 10 km (6.2 miles) away.

West End

The highlight of the West End neighbourhood of Nashville is Centennial Park which houses a life-size replica of the Greek Parthenon, the original being in Athens.

Elliston Place is close to Centennial Park, where you can find the best rock clubs and some high-end restaurants.

Further south, you will come across some wealthy homes, including two historic properties where you can take a tour.

One is Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, which covers 55 acres (22 ha) and houses seven botanical gardens and a museum.

The other is Belle Meade Plantation which is operated as a museum, winery, and restaurant.

Hotels In West End

Luxury – Loews Vanderbilt Hotel

This hotel well deserves to be classed as a luxury hotel.

It has spacious and beautifully decorated rooms and a gourmet-style restaurant, Mason’s, where you can have breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Sunday brunch is always popular.

Live music accompanies your meal, and you can enjoy a signature cocktail.

In Ruth’s Chris Steak House, you can get prime steaks.

The hotel offers a fitness centre, a 24-hour front desk, a business centre, and private parking.

There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.

The rooms all have air conditioning, pillow-top mattresses, a private bathroom with a bath, a tea/coffee maker, and a safety deposit box.

Loews Vanderbilt Hotel is a 10-minute drive from the city centre and the Ryman Auditorium.

The Grand Ole Opry is 15 minutes drive away.

Mid-Range – Holiday Inn Nashville Vanderbilt

This hotel is between Centennial Park and Vanderbilt University.

It’s a great place to stay as a free shuttle takes you anywhere within a 6.4 km (4 miles) radius of the hotel.

This will save you from hiring a car or using public transport.

The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum and Bridgestone Arena are just 4 Km (2.5 miles), so you can take the shuttle.

The hotel has an outdoor pool, a furnished sun terrace, a gift shop and free Wi-Fi.

If you like to eat in your hotel, you will be in luck at the Holiday Inn has the Commodore Grille, which offers a full hot breakfast, lunch and dinner.

There is a bar in the lobby and room service.

All rooms have air conditioning, a private bathroom with free toiletries, a TV, and a desk.

Budget – Home 2 Suites By Hilton Nashville West End Avenue

These suites are great value for money, and they all have air conditioning, a seating area, a TV with cable channels, a kitchen, a bathroom, free toiletries, a hairdryer and a desk.

The hotel has a restaurant, and an American breakfast is included in your stay.

There is a bar so you can have a drink before you go out for the evening.

The hotel has a fitness centre, an outdoor swimming pool, a shared lounge, a terrace, a 24-hour front desk, and a business centre.

There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel. You get all the facilities for a fraction of the cost you would normally pay to stay in a Hilton hotel.

The Parthenon in Centennial Park is just 1.7 km (1 mile) and the airport is 15 km (9.3 miles) away.

Recommended tour: Hop-on Hop-off Brewery Trolley Tour – West Loop.

East Nashville

If you’re looking for good food and vibrant nightlife, head to East Nashville. Many of the best restaurants in Nashville are here.

It is the perfect place to find good music across the river from Downtown Nashville.

If you are interested in quirky shops and boutiques, visit Fatherland Street.

The Five Points area is the place for high-end restaurants and antique and vintage shopping.

For a little nature in the middle of the city, head to Shelby Park and stroll along the Greenway, a tree-lined path following the Cumberland River.

Hotels In East Nashville

Luxury – The Gallatin

If you are looking for a luxurious stay and want to have a choice of excellent restaurants nearby, The Gallatin will suit you down to the ground.

The air-conditioned rooms have private bathrooms with free toiletries, TV with a streaming service, a tea/coffee maker and a safety deposit box.

Some rooms also have a seating area.

If you want to visit The Ryman Auditorium or one of the many country music museums, it’s only around 6 km (93.7 miles) from Downtown Nashville.

There is a bus service, or you can get a taxi.

Downtown Nashville is notoriously difficult to park in unless you are a local, so we don’t suggest you drive there unless you do plenty of research.

The hotel has free parking but be prepared to pay if you go to Downtown Nashville.

The hotel is set in a beautiful garden with a terrace and a bar.

There is free Wi-Fi throughout the hotel.

Mid-Range – Waymore’s Guest House And Casual Club

This mid-range hotel is about 3 km (1.86 miles) from Downtown Nashville and the country music venues.

If you enjoy walking and it’s a nice day, why not forgo the bus or taxi and take in the city’s atmosphere on foot?

The hotel has a lovely all-day restaurant where you can get breakfast, lunch, dinner and anything in between.

There is also a bar where you can relax with a cocktail.

There will soon be a rooftop bar, from where you will get fantastic city views.

The building has free Wi-Fi, a 24-hour front desk, a concierge service, and private parking.

The rooms are air-conditioned and have a private bathroom with a shower, a TV, a desk, and a safety deposit box.

Budget – Ironwood Grove, Tiny House Hotel

This quirky hotel is well worth staying at for the novelty, and you certainly get value for money.

The accommodations are all tiny houses with a garden and a terrace for relaxing with a cool drink.

The houses have free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, a kitchen with a stove, microwave, tea/coffee maker, kettle, and fridge, and a private bathroom with a shower, free toiletries, and a hairdryer.

It is a home away from home.

It is around 7 km (4.3 miles) from Downtown Nashville and its attractions.

The airport is 14 km (98.7 miles) away.

Remember to take some photos of your tiny house to show your friends.

Recommended tour: East Nashville Walking Food Tour With Secret Food Tours.

South Nashville

South Nashville is the place for you if you enjoy upmarket shopping and dining.

It is one of the smallest neighbourhoods in Nashville but is packed with restaurants and shops.

!2 South Nashville is a street just half a mile long, but it is the place to go for food.

Ladybird Taco offers both breakfast and lunch tacos.

Locust is the ultimate fine-dining experience but be sure to book as they only have eight tables.

If you want barbecue, a staple of Tennessee cooking, head to Edley’s Bar-B-Que.

Shop ‘til you drop at The Mall at Green Hills, which as over 100 shops and eateries on two floors, including Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Saint Laurent and an Apple Store.

Hotels In South Nashville

Luxury – Sonder The Retreat

The retreat has two elegant suites with three bedrooms, sleeping up to eight people.

They have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a balcony, a private bathroom with free toiletries and a hairdryer, a TV, and a fully equipped kitchen with a dining area.

You probably won’t want to eat in that often with so many excellent restaurants in the vicinity but you may want to have breakfast at leisure or a coffee and keep cool drinks in the fridge for an aperitif before you go out in the evening.

Mid-Range – Placemakr Wedgewood-Houston

If you enjoy golf or like to go fishing, this hotel will suit you down to the ground, as there are opportunities to do both in the vicinity.

The hotel is equipped with a fitness centre, a business centre, a 24-hour front desk, a shared lounge, a terrace, private parking, and a laundry service.

The rooms have air conditioning, free Wi-Fi, a private bathroom, a seating area, a TV, a coffee machine, and a safety deposit box.

Some rooms have a city view while others have a balcony.

It is just 2.9 km (1.8 miles) to the Ryman Auditorium and the Johnny Cash Museum.

It would make for a pleasant walk if the weather were good.

Budget – Cozy Coffee Corner

Cozy Coffee Corner is a lovely apartment suitable for up to four people as it has a double bedroom and a living room with a double sofa bed.

It has free Wi-Fi and private parking. There is a flat-screen TV and a fully equipped kitchen.

The Ryman Auditorium and the Johnny Cash Museum are 7.6 km (4.72 miles) away.

You could stroll to The Lane Motor Museum, which is 2.6 km (1.6 miles) away.

Here you will see unusual European cars, propeller-driven vehicles, microcars, amphibious vehicles, military vehicles, and 23 Tatras. Car lovers will be in their element.