"Across the Cumberland River from downtown, residential East Nashville got its first taste of hipster cool in 2016 when this Instagram-friendly bed-and-breakfast opened in a renovated Queen Anne mansion. Like its sister property in Brooklyn, Urban Cowboy’s eight suites and freestanding cabin are each uniquely named—Midnight Rider, the Lion’s Den—and decorated with geometric inlaid woodwork, Southwestern-inspired designs, and handcrafted furniture, plus custom wallpaper and copper and claw-foot tubs. The communal music parlor encourages interaction among guests with a collection of gently worn instruments, as does the all-weather fire pit, where blankets and good cheer are plentiful, especially after enjoying craft cocktails and wood-fired meals at Public House, the property’s on-site restaurant and bar."

"Just a few blocks from Music Row and Vanderbilt University, the chic Kimpton Aertson (named for a Dutch ancestor of the Vanderbilts) feels like a little piece of South Beach here in Nashville.The lobby features conceptual wall sculptures and sleek modern furnishings that look like works of art in their own right, and guests kick back on white lounge chairs and covered daybeds in the eighth-floor terrace’s outdoor pool area. The guest rooms are just as stylish, with midcentury leanings, exposed-concrete ceilings, and subway-tiled baths lit with Edison bulbs. The vibe, however, is anything but stuffy: The pet-friendly hotel provides complimentary PUBLIC cruisers for exploring the city’s bike paths, a nightly wine hour, in-room yoga mats, and access to neighboring Woodhouse Spa."

"Opened in 2017, Hayes Street Hotel may occupy a modern building in Midtown, but the boutiquelodging has made every effort to highlight the area’s historic past and the local makers who adhere to its traditions. A nod to the city’s former life as one of the country’s busiest printing centers, the lobby features poster art from famed letterpress studio Hatch Show Print, which has created musical renderings for the likes of Led Zeppelin, Elvis Presley, and Loretta Lynn over its 140-year lifespan, while white porch swings invite you to sip a cup of joe from Bongo Java, Nashville’s oldest coffeehouse. Local bourbons, whiskeys, and microbrews make up the menu atthe Hayes Street Bar, and guest rooms favor minimalism with hardwood floors and mint-green accent walls, their clean lines providing a serene backdrop for the city’s myriad pleasures."

"When Nashville natives Ann and Jack Waddey decided to open a hotel within walking distance of downtown, they went all out to make guests feel at home. In lieu of a traditional reception area, visitors check in using their mobile device at the virtual front desk, and though daily housekeeping services are available,staff goes off duty at night. The property’s 24 residence-style suites feature bedrooms with separate living areas, each decorated with dramatic tropical wallpaper offset by white furniture, as well as full kitchens with stainless-steel appliances and penny-tile backsplashes; naturally, they’re stocked with hyperlocal goods like Bongo Java coffee, or whatever you wish should you opt in to the hotel’s grocery program. Rounding out the list of homey amenities are C.O. Bigelow products and velvety robes in the bathrooms, plus dry cleaning services and free parking."

"Housed in a historic turn-of-the-20th-century building renovated to include nearly 10,500 square feet of exhibition space, 21c Museum Hotel is equal parts art gallery and modern lodging. Guests and the public will find a range of programs, from solo and group shows to rotating installations, curated by Alice Gray Stites. You’ll also find a touch of whimsy in the form of the brand’s signature penguin sculptures, a playful gesture that extends to the guest rooms. Featuring light hardwood floors, white walls, and colorful modern furnishings, they serve as a coordinating backdrop for original works by local artists; flat-screen televisions, Nespresso coffee makers, and Malin + Goetz bath amenities keep things comfortable. Downstairs, the chef at Gray & Dudley transforms ingredients from neighborhood markets and farms into dishes like pan-roasted duck breast with apple purée and black-eyed pea falafel. Another must-try indulgence? The small spa requires 24-hour advance reservations, but the calm respite after a day of sightseeing makes it worth the wait."

"Just blocks from Ryman Auditorium and the Country Music Hall of Fame and adjacent to Music City Center, the 27-story Westin Nashville is a winner for both leisure and business travelers looking to be in the heart of the action. Even the smallest of the 456 rooms are larger—and slightly more expensive—than others you’ll find downtown, and the decór is cool and modern, with crisp white linens on the Heavenly beds and textured headboards embellished with cowboy-chic belt buckles. While there is a spa and full fitness center on site, runners and joggers might prefer to hit the pavement on a three- or five-mile run curated by athletic brand New Balance; the hotel will also deliver new sneakers and gear to your room if you forget your own (for a fee, of course). Once you’ve worked up an appetite, the hotel’s Oak Steakhouse serves prime cuts alongside seasonal specialties (buttermilk fried quail, proscuitto-wrapped trout), with most ingredients sourced from local Tennessee farms."

"If you’re looking for the city’s hippest stay, you’ll find it at Thompson Nashville. The 12-story hotel has brought a whole new level of urban chic to The Gulch—a LEED-certified city-within-a-city between Music Row and downtown—thanks to elegant rooms tricked out with mosaic-tiled bathrooms, claw-foot tubs, barnwood doors, and graphic works by local artists, plus skyline vistas visible through floor-to-ceiling windows. Guests can also appreciate those views from the rooftop bar, where DJsfrom Jack White’s label, Third Man Records, drop by to spin vinyl. Between sightseeing, music aficionados shouldn’t pass up an opportunity to peruse the record collection in the lobby library—just be sure to save time for snacking on blue-crab fingers and barbecue shrimp at Marsh House, a seafood restaurant with a Southern twang."

"Built in a former auto garage in Nashville’s Gulch neighborhood, this five-room boutique hotel replaces industrial vibes with low-key sophistication:The whitewashed rooms—some with loft-style living spaces—feature high ceilings, custom furniture, and high-end amenities like Sferra linens and Turkish cotton robes, and the subway-tiled baths gleam with vintage taps. There is no front desk, but guests receive a passcode for the entry keypad before arrival, and a concierge service is always on call. Have some down time? A comfortablesitting area is set up with board games and a large sideboard stocked with complimentary refreshments and coffee throughout the day, which makes the 404 the perfect spot for urban explorers who like to come and go as they please. But don’t miss dinner at the 404 Kitchen. Housed in a shipping container and accessed through another keycode doorway, it’s one of the city’s top restaurants."

"This Romanesque Revival landmark has become Nashville ’s crown jewel. The city’s main train station from 1900 until the 1970s, when railway service was discontinued, the building sat vacant for decades until it was restored to its former glory and reopened as a boutique hotel in 2016. Now on the National Register of Historic Places, the hotel retains pieces of the past—including its iconic clock tower, an original arrivals and departures board, and the solid wood staircases—while providing all the comforts of the present. The 125 guest rooms skew contemporary, with soothing tones of gray and neutral walnut, as well as cowhide headboards and custom ironwork lights.By contrast, public spaces veer on the nostalgic: The atrium lobby has painted barrel-vaulted ceilings, 100-year-old stained-glass skylights, bas-relief moldings, and ornate crystal chandeliers. It’s an atmospheric backdrop for the hotel’s “Riffs on the Rails,” a weekly series of live music performances."

"The exterior of this Midtown lodging won’t win any design awards—the building previously housed an insurance company—but that’s what makes the art-filled, wood-accented lobby such a pleasant surprise upon arrival. With its plush leather sofas and moody interiors, the Hutton exudes down-home charm with a modern touch: A friendly sit-down check-in coupled with swift service at the lobby’s WestEnd Kitchen & Bar make the hotel a favorite of touring musicians and visiting celebrities. Oversize guest rooms (some of Nashville ’s largest) feature soft blue and gray tones, fabric-covered walls, and vibrant artwork. At the 5,000-square-foot on-site music venue Analog, you can sip creative cocktails while listening to some of the city’s top performers, but if you’d like to see the view from the other side of the microphone, the hotel’s Writers Studios is stocked with state-of-the-art equipment for laying down your own tracks."