The ultimate pilgrimage for country music lovers everywhere, Nashville attracts millions of toe-tapping, cowboy-booted party-loving visitors every year. A Southern city with a big heart and huge amounts of soul, the musical Mecca is easily one of the most fun – and hip – places to visit in the whole of America.
It’s also home to a large number of hip and characterful neighborhoods where quirky galleries rub shoulders with thrift stores and stylish restaurants. In a hip city like this, if you stay in one of their amazing hotels, you’ll be in for a treat.
From retro-chic boutiques to grand and modern celebrity haunts, here are the best cool and unusual hotels in Nashville, Tennessee which will make your stay even more special (in no particular order)…
1. Westin Hotel – one of the hottest and most Instagrammable hotels in town
Located just across the street from the famous Music City Centre, the 4-star exceptionally rated Westin Hotel is a modern-looking high-rise hotel that offers mid-level luxury accommodation.
With cozy bedrooms that feature Wi-Fi and flat-screen TVs, the decor is cool and contemporary, but never dull. If you opt for one of their truly exceptional suites you can enjoy your own private living room, whirlpool, and butler service, whilst some even offer a pool table for a traditional Nashville sporting vibe.
Visitors can dine out at the Decker & Dyer restaurant and bar, gaze at art on the onsite contemporary art gallery, workout at the hotel’s private fitness center, sip on craft cocktails around the cool rooftop swimming pool or shed some stress at the Rhapsody Spa – wonderful!
- To book, check prices or availability for the Westin Hotel Nashville
2. Graduate Nashville – a funky, upbeat and very unique boutique hotel with cool quirky design details located in a buzzy part of town
This hugely popular quirky hotel brand has hotels located in university cities all across the US. The Nashville version is located in a lively neighborhood in the Heart of Midtown surrounded by trendy bars and cafes, is a lot of fun with a funky, vibrant and colorful design.
The cool and unique rooms at the Graduate Nashville feature electric retro decor with upbeat, floral furnishings, sitting areas, Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, and minifridges.
Other fun stand features include an animatronic karaoke room, a ritzy cafe complete with funky velvet seats, a rooftop restaurant offering amazing city views and a swimming pool and bar, a 24-hour gym, and complimentary loaner bikes. A very popular and unforgettable hotel and with good reason!
- To book, check prices or availability for Graduate Nashville
3. Moxy Nashville Downtown – a funky, fun and trendy music-themed hotel with a sociable vibe located Honky Tonk Row
When you want to be right where the music is, the new Moxy Nashville Downtown on Honky Tonk Row/Lower Broadway is the place to stay. You’re near the famed Johnny Cash/Patsy Cline Museum, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Bridgestone Arena and all the fun bars and clubs.
The decor is typical upbeat Moxy with a Nashville twist, so you’ll see plenty of music-related artwork and accent pieces. The urban-chic rooms have exposed brick walls, super-comfy beds and all the tech you could need.
There’s an ironing room and a fitness center to keep you in shape and the Bar Moxy with live music and coffee or cocktails. The Moxy Rooftop restaurant serves upscale American and Southern favorites.
- To book, check prices or availability for Moxy Nashville Downtown
4. The Dive Motel & Swim Club – a hip adult-only retro-chic hotel housed in a restored 1950s motor inn
One of the best and most unique places to stay in Nashville, this laid-back, friendly boutique hotel located on Nashville’s Dickerson Pike is highly affordable compared to many of the more upscale boutique hotels in the city.
The cool Nashville hotel has a classic motel-like vibe, featuring vintage furniture and retro ornamental pieces, including shiny disco balls in many of the bedrooms and communal areas.
But there is much more on offer at The Dive Hotel and Swim Club than just the basic motel amenities. An on-site dive bar is available for food and drink seven days a week. The swimming pool has a sunbathing terrace for lounging in summer. And there’s even a late-night kitchen.
The bar, pool, and kitchen are open to the general public – a great opportunity to have a chat with some of the friendly locals.
- To book, check prices or availability for The Dive Hotel and Swim Club
5. Gaylord Opryland Resort – a unique and upscale resort hotel with a stunning, huge glass atrium
This huge and famous resort hotel is just a 14-minute walk from the Grand Ole Opry and the kind of upscale accommodation that you would expect to see in any upmarket American hotel.
The 4-star exceptionally rated Gaylord Opryland Resort is set under a sprawling and extraordinary glass atrium that has to be seen to be believed and the rooms are stylish and modern.
Part Nashville, part Disneyland, the unique Nashville hotel itself is grand and opulent and offers a ton of facilities to visitors to enjoy. With over 15 different bars and restaurants to sample, you may never actually need to leave the compound – but please do, you are in Nashville after all!
There is also an exercise room, an 18-hole golf course, two outdoors pools an indoor pool, over 9 acres of gardens and even ballrooms. Big and bold, even by Nashville standards, the Gaylord Opryland Resort offers everything you need under one roof!
- To book, check prices or availability for Gaylord Opryland Resort
6. Dream Nashville – a gorgeous trendy boutique and upscale celebrity haunt located in the entertainment district
This swanky boutique hotel is a destination in itself, right next to historic Printer’s Alley and near the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Ryman Auditorium, the Frist Art Museum, Bridgestone Arena, Nissan Stadium, and the Broadway strip.
Live music and pop-up events attract locals as well as guests at the experiential nightclub Dirty Little Secret and the Snitch Speakeasy. Popular restaurants and bars at Dream Nashville include Stateside Kitchen, Natura Nashville, Vatos Tacos and the Parlour Bar are all favorite hangouts.
Dream Nashville is a design landmark too, with two linked historic buildings merging the Art Deco style and high ceilings with perfectly harmonized decor balancing dark and bright jewel tones.
The rooms combine classic and contemporary design, and if you want to go big you can stay in The Guest House or the Terrace Suite which has an outdoor grill and a special BBQ Butler.
- To book, check prices or availability for Dream Nashville
7. Union Station Hotel – a former historic station turned into one of the coolest and most unique places to stay in Nashville
This turn-of-the-century iconic historic building is a part of the fabric of Nashville. The barrel-vaulted, historical train station offers characterful and utterly unique accommodation in Nashville that perfectly blends vintage Americana with modern convenience.
The 4-star highly regarded Union Station Hotel (which is part of the prestigious Autograph collection) sits on Broadway and is within an easy walking distance of the Ryman Auditorium, the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ascend Amphitheatre, while still being somehow tucked away from the noise of all-night parties and late-night revelers.
Every bedroom at this trendsetting Nashville accommodation offers great tech and is different from the next due to the unusual shape of the building.
They all offer sumptuous touches such as funky cowhide pattern headboards and vintage pieces that reflect true Nashville charm and splendor! Wonderful!
- To book, check prices or availability for Union Station Hotel
8. Virgin Hotels Nashville – the new, trendy and already popular modern hotel is the place to be seen…and party!
This new and already popular large Nashville hotel is located on Nashville’s historic Music Row. The outside is very impressive all sleek and modern with plenty of glass and the inside is also very striking with an upbeat vibe.
The design at the Virgin Hotels Nashville is contemporary with trendy stand-out features and amenities including the signature Virgin Commons Club perfect area for either working or relaxing and includes the ‘Funny Library’, the “Kitchen” dining experience, the Club Bar and Lounge, the ‘Shag Room.’
Other highlights include the Pool Club which offers a rooftop bar, an infinity-edge pool and incredible views, an exercise room, and chic guest rooms complete with minibars, flat screens TVs, Wi-Fi, and sitting areas.
- To book, check prices or availability for Virgin Hotels Nashville
9. Thompson Nashville – upscale designer chic and one of the best boutique hotels in Nashville
Set the very same block as the beloved Bluegrass music venue, The Station Inn, the 4-star exceptionally rated Thompson Nashville is an energetic new hotel located in the ultra-hip Gulch neighborhood.
The trendy interiors are resplendent with Southern charm and offer floor-to-ceiling windows for amazing views out across Music City. The sleek contemporary design is softened with hardwood floors, sliding barn doors, and premium linens.
There are many romantic hotels in Nashville but this is one of the best and upgraded rooms and suites feature funky claw-foot tubs, wet bars, and living areas.
The spirit of Nashville is alive and well in the cool rooftop bar, perfect for sipping on cocktails, while funky modern in-house restaurant promises a farm-fresh menu using locally sourced, artisanal produce.
This ultra-stylish Nashville hotel is also perfectly situated for visiting all of the major attractions in the city if you can prise yourself away of course!
- To book, check prices or availability for Thompson Nashville
10. W Nashville – one of the hippest and most Insta-worthy hotels in town perfect for partying Millenials and Gen Zs
Located in the revitalized former railroad yard neighborhood of The Gulch, W Nashville is close to all the happenings in the LEED-certified community with live music, street art murals, breweries and delicious southern food like Nashville Hot Chicken and biscuits.
The highly Instagrammable hotel interiors are highlighted with music and Music City-related artwork. A print of the specially-commissioned Southern Skies by FAILE hangs in every room, celebrating the tough and gritty road to success in the world of music.
The luxurious rooms, some with balconies, have stunning views of the city. There’s a fitness center and the WET Deck with its swimming pool, private cabanas, bar and music with DJs.
Dining options include the Carne Mare Steakhouse and The Dutch with American classics, both by James Beard Award-Winning Chef Andrew Carmellini, and there are a few bars and lounges scattered around the hotel as well.
- To book, check prices or availability for W Nashville
11. The Russell – a 1904 church turned trendy and cute Nashville boutique hotel with quirky chic design details
A funky, popular boutique hotel in the historic East Side of Nashville, a short drive from Downtown and set among loads of restaurants, bars, and stores.
The Russell Hotel is based inside a renovated historic church and has a fascinating backstory. Many of the original features have been retained, making the hotel one of the coolest in the city.
Guests will experience historic brick walls, beautiful stained glass windows, and many more refinements. Even the church pews have been recycled for use as headboards in the bedrooms!
The vibe is quirky and comfortable, suitable for all types of travellers who want easy access to Nashville’s hotspots.
- To book, check prices or availability for the Russell Hotel Nashville
12. Hotel Fraye – Nashville’s newest upscale lifestyle hotel located on Broadway which has a vibe that captures all the buzz of the surrounding neighborhood
Nashville’s newest luxury hotel celebrates the city’s history with a design that plays up its musical, industrial, rustic and glamorous past. The midtown location on Broadway is close to the city’s famed Music Row, the Bridgestone Arena and Vanderbilt University.
Funky art, gleaming woodwork and leather accents frame spectacular city views from the public spaces, rooms and rooftop. The rooms at Hotel Fraye Nashville are industrial chic dens of comfort with high ceilings, exposed brick, and bespoke furniture.
The Gathre restaurant serves up farm fresh food, a Tennessee trend, in a sophisticated setting, and the rooftop EAD bar has cocktails, food and live music, plus stunning views of the river and city. There’s also a rooftop swimming pool with private cabanas.
- To book, check prices or availability for the Hotel Fraye Nashville
13. Fairlane Hotel – a beautiful retro-modern Nashville boutique hotel locates in the center of downtown just minutes from Broadway
One of the newest hotels in Music City, this distinctly modernist building was once a bank. Located in the popular downtown business and arts district, the 4-star and already much-raved about Fairlane Hotel offers trendy retro-modern interiors awash with mid-century design flourishes.
The funky Nashville abode is fully embracing its history and offers guests a touch of luxury and mod cons combined with plenty of nostalgia.
The bedrooms are full of 1960s charm paired with modern convenience, while the hotel’s restaurants include Mile End Delicatessen, a New York-style deli featuring classic deli eats in the lobby of the hotel, a fourth-floor terrace restaurant and bar serving modern twists on classic American favorites.
Union Teller Coffee Counter, also in the lobby, serves freshly brewed Stumptown Coffee and light bites. Step outside and you are just a short walk away from some of the city’s most famous haunts including the Bluebird Cafe and the Grand Ole Opry.
If you can, opt to stay in the stylish and – ultra-cool – 1970s-inspired penthouse on offer – easily one of the coolest places to stay in Nashville!
- To book, check prices or availability for Fairlane Hotel Nashville
14. Bobby Hotel – a fun and hip, eclectic hotel with an industrial-chic design located on a downtown street known for partying
Countless visitors flock to Nashville for the city’s vibrant nightlife, and Bobby Hotel is a self-described lifestyle hotel that delivers that vibrancy right to guests’ doors.
Besides rooms to get some rest, guests will find parties, a rooftop bar, and plenty of food and drink right on the premises.
However, that doesn’t mean Bobby is just a party destination. Every detail of the hotel, from the furnishings to the decoration from Bobby’s travels to the dog-in-residence, is designed to make guests feel as if they are Nashville residents during their stay, not just tourists.
The prime central location doesn’t hurt either!
- To book, check prices or availability for Bobby Hotel Nashville
15. Conrad Nashville – a sleek, chic and sexy new contemporary design hotel located just steps from Music Row
Tasteful and luxurious, this 5-star hotel is located near the intersection of Broadway and West End Avenue, close to Music Row and Vanderbilt University.
The sleek design by Champalimaud Design takes inspiration from the city’s Tennessee and music heritage, with the dramatic two-story lobby with its spiral staircase, themed artwork and the use of local woods and brass fittings.
The rooms and suites at Conrad Nashville have a restful neutral decor, luxurious Frette linens, comfortable seating, dining/ work tables and floor-to-ceiling windows, many with amazing city views. All suites have private balconies, and there’s a swimming pool and fitness center for guests.
The Blue Aster restaurant offers Tennessean farm-to-table dining, and the indoor-outdoor Thistle & Rye bar also has a patio that looks out over downtown Nashville.
- To book, check prices or availability for Conrad Nashville
16. Bode Nashville – a funky, cool and uber-chic restored retro motel located a short walk from Broadway
This hip 4-star hotel has unusual accommodations with a choice of regular hotel rooms and 1 to 4 bedroom suites with shared kitchens and living rooms. Outdoor spaces at Bode Nashville are equipped for lounging and living with swing seats, Adirondack chairs, firepits, and cornhole.
The refurbished motel building is located downtown within walking distance of all the music, fun and sights, including the Frist Museum, the Country Music Hall of Game, the Parthenon and the Bridgestone Arena, not to mention the finest in barbecues and whiskey.
Rooms have balconies or patios, hardwood floors and elegant, retro decor that feels homelike. The Porch serves breakfast in the mornings and coffee and snacks all day, and when you need something stronger, the Sidebar will oblige with locally-inspired cocktails.
There’s something appealing about this sense of community while traveling, which has earned Bode Nashville a 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice award.
- To book, check prices or availability for Bode Nashville
17. Margaritaville Vacation Club Nashville – a fun, quirky-chic themed hotel which is another great place to party
This popular quirky upscale hotel brand now offers a playful urban retreat in the downtown, trendy, and buzzing SoBro neighborhood of Nashville.
The large, fun, and themed hotel is aimed at “adventurous travelers, and movers and shakers.” The design at the Margaritaville Vacation Club Nashville is beach-inspired and the decor features wood furnishings and colorful accents the modern guest rooms include Wi-Fi, minifridges, flat screens, and coffeemakers and some rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows and/or city views and one of the suites include a shuffleboard table.
Other stand-out features include a laid-back restaurant, bar and a terrace, a Starbucks cafe and a cool rooftop pool with city views, and a funky poolside bar featuring regular live music.
- To book, check prices or availability for Margaritaville Vacation Club Nashville
18. Kimpton Aertson Hotel – a unique and trendy boutique Nashville hotel with an industrial chic design located in the legendary Music Row
Encircled by cool bars and restaurants on the legendary Music Row, this hip and trendy boutique hotel offers plenty of Nashville charm alongside the unique ultramodern design that Kimpton’s are known for.
Complete with a rooftop swimming pool, an urban restaurant and its very own Spa, the 4-star exceptionally rated Kimpton Aertson Hotel is an absolute gem.
The bedrooms at this stylish Nashville boutique offer design-forward touches like concrete ceilings and exposed rafters, suites offer balconies, floor-to-ceiling windows and whirlpool tubs, while the communal areas proudly display unusual original art installations.
Dine in at the hotels own American brasserie, the Henley, or sip cocktails at the central bar with its Bette Davis’ famed wall mural.
- To book, check prices or availability for Kimpton Aertson Nashville
19. 1 Hotel Nashville – a popular eco-conscious luxury lifestyle hotel with a wellness spa and yoga studio
Even in a city as full of unique hotels as Nashville, the 1 Hotel Nashville stands out. The centrally located new hotel has a mission that goes beyond luxury, as important as luxury can be.
Its goal is to create a “sustainable sanctuary” even in the bustling city. Every luxurious touch in the hotel, from the reclaimed materials in the room to the optional donations, is done with environmental benefits in mind.
The hotel shows its commitment to nature by its welcoming attitude toward pets, one not shared by high-end establishments like this. For a natural oasis, book a stay at the 1 Hotel Nashville.
- To book, check prices or availability for the 1 Hotel Nashville
20. 21c Museum Hotel – part hotel, part art gallery and a great hotel to stay in Nashville
A clever mix of a contemporary art museum and boutique hotel, the 4-star exceptionally rated 21c Museum Hotel is always worth a visit.
While the bedrooms at this cool and unusual Nashville hotel are sleek and modern, affording all the modern conveniences visitors could need for their stay as well as hip vintage-chic furniture, it’s the hotel’s 10,500 square feet of exhibition space that arguably is the real draw!
With a changing program of curated exhibitions and installations, the gallery focuses on featuring art from all around the world. Housed in Nashville’s historic Gray & Dudley building, the 21c is close to Printers Alley in downtown Nashville, making it a great spot from which to check out all of the other cultural attractions in the city.
Add in a historic redbrick building dating from 1900, an industrial-chic restaurant and bar, a 24-hour gym and a modern spa and voila! You have yourself a must stay!
- To book, check prices or availability for 21c Museum Hotel Nashville
21. Hermitage Hotel – a unique upscale Nashville hotel with lashings of vintage charm housed in a historic 1910 beaux arts building
Housed in a Beaux Arts building dating back to 1910, this characterful historic place sits directly opposite the Tennessee State Museum.
The 5-star exceptionally rated Hermitage Hotel is packed with opulent and quirky touches and offers luxurious accommodation, a grand lobby area and a wood-paneled library bar that specializes in Bourbon and free afternoon cider and cookies.
The bedrooms are spacious, grand and full of antique furnishings that befit the age and grandeur of this five-star hotel perfectly. Upgraded rooms offer sitting areas and sea views.
The unique Nashville hotel is also home to the famous Capitol Grill, one the most revered restaurants in the city where you can dine on Southern comfort food and farm-fresh vegetables whilst sipping fine wine!
- To book, check prices or availability for The Hermitage Hotel
22. Placemakr Music Row – a hip new retro-chic boutique apartment hotel located in a buzzing nightlife hub
This hip Midtown hotel has spacious accommodations with studios and suites equipped with queen beds and full kitchens for a comfortable stay. It’s close to everything – Music Row, Downtown, the West End, The Gulch, Hillsboro Village, Centennial Park, Vanderbilt University and all the nightlife, music, restaurants, and sights.
The living spaces at Placemakr Music Row are full of natural light and everything you need to feel at home. The clean modern lines and occasional indoor plants add to the sense of comfort, and some suites have balconies as well.
Besides free laundry, the amenities include a seasonal outdoor pool, terrace, lounge area, workspaces and a fitness center.
- To book, check prices or availability for Placemakr Music Row
23. BentoLiving Chestnut Hill – cool, modern and trendy apartments where you can live like a local on longer stays
Seasoned travelers know that the best way to see a place is to live like a native, and you can do just that at the BentoLiving apartments in Nashville’s Chestnut Hill.
It’s close to the trendy Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood, where a formerly industrial area has been transformed with art galleries, breweries, nightclubs and creative workshops.
The spacious apartment-style studios and suites have large windows that let in natural light, and many have private balconies with views of the Nashville skyline. All accommodations have a full kitchen and washer/dryer, and are pet-friendly.
The Hart restaurant is a favorite with locals and travelers and offers a Hawaiian Izakaya-inspired menu. However long you stay, you’ll find a friendly community feeling with yoga and fitness classes and live music.
- To book, check prices or availability for BentoLiving Chestnut Hill
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My first true adventure began as a six month voyage around South East Asia as a fresh faced backpacker and ever since I’ve lived a semi nomadic existence, clocking up visits to over 40 countries. I’m a lover of US Road Trips, deserted beaches bathed in warm glow of a sunset, Cuban mojitos, travel destinations far away from the tourist crowds and all things Scandinavian – from cloudberry liquors to Nordic noirs. When not wandering the world and running Global Grasshopper, you’ll find me walking my rescued Greek street dog in leafy South West London, strolling around the Brighton Lanes on random day trips, hunting for photogenic landscapes or daydreaming about my favourite places; Havana, Copenhagen, Italy, Laos, California and the surreally beautiful landscapes of a wintry Iceland.