My top hotel recommendations in Nashville include:
Union Station Hotel: This is a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel that has transformed the former Union Station into a stunning historic hotel. It has lovely rooms, a health club, bar and restaurant and lobby under the beautiful ceiling. The station opened in October 1900 and has a gothic design with lofty turrets and towers. The station saw Mae West, Al Capone and Presidents Franklin Roosevelt and Warren Harding during its glory years. It became a hotel in 1986 and re-opened in October 2007 after an $11 million dollar renovation. I stayed there on my first trip to the city and enjoyed the experience.
Aloft Hotel: A short drive from downtown, this is a hip, contemporary hotel at 1719 West End Ave. I like the concept and recommend this property. It has a very colorful lobby and bar.
Hutton Hotel: For those wanting a boutique, design hotel near downtown, this is the place for you. In 2017 it underwent a reservation and now has a 5,000 entertainment venue and coctail bar, the Maine & Rye Dinerant for classic diner fare and coffee bar in the lobby. It is located at 1808 West End Ave.
The 404 Hotel: This is a small contemporary designed restaurant with an attached boutique hotel with five king rooms. 404 12th St. Ave. S. in the Gulch neighborhood. Their restaurant, The 404 Kitchen, has just moved across the street to 507 12th Ave. S. with four times the seats.
For the more traditional, the Hermitage Hotel downtown is the place for you. It is located at 213 Sixth Ave. North and is known for its restaurant, The Capitol Grille. It opened in September, 1910 and was recently renovated. They also have the classic The Oak Bar.
I read about the hip Urban Cowboy B&B located in an historic Victorian mansion in East Nashville, so I had to check it out. Located in this emerging neighborhood, this is a small property with a fun, southwestern theme and eight unique suites. The former stable house in the back, is now their popular Public House Bar & Kitchen, which features craft cocktails and a wood fired, locally sourced food menu. I loved the atmosphere. Light sleepers should ask for rooms in the front of the property. 1603 Woodland St.
21c Museum Hotel: Opened in May 2017, this is the Nashville branch of the hip, art museum hotel. They have sleek, contemporary rooms, a large gallery space featuring contemporary works and a stylish restaurant/bar Called Gray and Dudley. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I stayed there just after it opened and highly recommend it. It is in a good location downtown, so you can walk everywhere. 21c has become one of my favorite hotels to try.
Thompson Nashville: This is a luxury, boutique hotel, located in the Gulch at 401 11th Ave. S. It is a great place to stay in one of the most fun neighborhoods in the city to explore. Make sure to eat at the Marsh House Restaurant,where Chefs John Besh and John Cameron have teamed up to cook great seafood. I stopped in for coffee and dessert and loved the atmosphere. There is also the L.A. Jackson rooftop bar and restaurant, a Killebrew Coffee shop just off the lobby plus a sleek Frye Boot Store.
I really like Graduate Hotels and their great design. They have one with a colorful decor, the Graduate Nashville located at 101 20th Ave. N. near the West End, Vanderbilt and Germantown. I will definitely stay there on my next trip.
Other hotels getting good reviews include the Bobby Hotel liked by the NY Times with it creatively decorated rooms, the newly opened Dream Hotel that has a number of restaurants, bars and a nightclub and the Fairlane Hotel located downtown in a renovated mid-century, modernist building. There is also the boutique Noelle Nashville, a Marriott Tribute Portfolio Hotel, that has a restaurant, bar, rooftop bar and lounge plus a coffee shop. It is located in the heart of downtown.