Over the past decade, Nashville has evolved from quiet country music outpost into a culturally hip and thriving metropolis. Amazon just announced plans to open an operations center, bringing 5,000 high-paying jobs to the city, and Ernst and Young recently opened a 600-person office on Music Row. Let’s not forget the surge in music tourism, bringing a buzzy visitor scene that has cities such as New Orleans on notice. Hotels are opening at a rapid clip as well including the recent debut of the 33-story JW Marriott and soon-to-open Dream Nashville. There are 20 more hotel openings slated for 2019---which explains the skyline littered with construction cranes. Given all of the changes we decided to embark on a family road trip to see what all the fuss was about, booking a stay at yet another cool new hotel –the recently opened Noelle, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel.
Before we can check in, we have to get there and the first order of business for any road trip is the vehicle—a serious consideration when the drive time is over five hours and most of your offspring are over six feet tall. I enlisted the help of an SUV that offered more square footage than my living room –the 2019 GMC Yukon Denali. Tricked out with two video screens, multiple seat warmers (including the middle row of seats) and an in-vehicle wi-fi hotspot, my crew of large people issued nary a complaint while lounging in their full-size amply cushioned seats and enjoying towering views of the road.
Pulling into Nashville rested and comfortable we navigated to the Noelle—a stylish reinvention of the original Noel hotel (circa 1930). Located just a few short blocks from Broadway and adjacent to Printer’s Alley, the property puts you smack in the middle of the downtown Nashville action, no car needed. Rooms are sleek and minimalist, letting the original historic interiors shine–and the roomiest mid-price options are the studio suites and designer suites. They also offer 10-minute coffee delivery from 6-9AM each morning and, our favorite amenity---hydration stations featuring taps of ambient, sparkling, and still water on draft and available on every floor. One pro-tip, when booking be sure to inquire about closet and desk--some of the rooms have wall hooks instead of closets, and little workspace; given the hotel's prime downtown location this is a destination best suited to playing, not working.
We loved the year-round rooftop bar, Rare Bird, which offers s’mores kits, perfect for making a snack over the bar’s wood-burning fireplace. On the lobby level, you’ll get the full sense of the hotel’s history in the Trade Room lounge with its soaring ceilings, Tennessee marble walls and terrazzo flooring. Makeready Libations & Liberation is their full-service restaurant with several beers on draft and a seriously good brunch/lunch menu (see below for more info). Below is a one-day itinerary for what to see and do in Nashville.
Listen:
Of course, you have to visit the Grand Ol' Opry and the Ryman, but if you want a free listening experience try The Stage on Broadway. Acts here are polished and popular---and always free (as is most of the live music on Broadway). A dance floor and lots of table seating make this a great place to park yourself for the evening.
See:
The Parthenon: This full-scale replica of the original in Athens, Greece was first built in 1897 (from plaster, brick and wood) for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition. It was later rebuilt and now houses a permanent art collection of over 60 works and a full-scale replica of the statue Athena.
Eat:
Makeready Libations & Liberation was our favorite lunch scene—the BLT was epically tasty served on buttery from-scratch bread with slabs of serious bacon.
Loveless Café is a short country drive from the downtown area but worth it for the authentic no-fuss southern fare and down-home vibe (and some of the city’s best biscuits) — a Nashville institution.
