Destinations
A local writer shares the spots she sends her family and friends to when they visit Music City.
Emily Dorio
The best thing about Nashville is that everybody sings to their own tune. It’s a town of creatives. As a Music City resident, I walk outside and never know who I might meet: a country musician, a rock star, a clothing designer, an entrepreneur, a bride on her bachelorette, or all of the above.
The best boutique hotels in Nashville reflect that creative chaos. Many of the properties are so distinct, it’s hard to believe they share the same zip code. But that’s the beauty of this anything-but-one-note town. One day you could be checking into a 425-acre sustainable resort, looking at citrus trees grown inside a custom orangerie; the next, you could be bedding down at a hotel overlooking the football stadium after pre-gaming on the rooftop.
While each of the intimate hotels on this list is completely different, they all provide an authentic Nashville experience, whether you're looking to be blocks from Broadway or in a suburb where you can live like a local. Here are the nine boutique hotels in Nashville I recommend to my friends and family when they come to town.
In this article:
Sylvan Park Boarding House
Sometimes you want guests to stay close by, but not on your couch. Sylvan Boarding House, opened in 2026, was designed exactly for that scenario: The century-old former boarding house was carefully restored into a B&B by Sylvan Park residents who wanted folks to be able to stay in—and get a real feel for—their residential West Nashville neighborhood. With eight individually designed rooms named after famous Nashville families, the inn offers guests a homey breakfast, a restful night’s sleep, and a taste of what it's really like to live in Tennessee's capital, far from the neon of Broadway.
Waymore's Hotel
Nashville has a reputation as being a place to party with your friends, and if that’s on your itinerary, few places are better to hole up than Waymore’s. This East Nashville hotel is a friendly, funky stop with lots of communal space—plus a lobby photo booth—built for hanging out, making plans, and decompressing. The rooftop bar is well-designed as a cozy but bustling spot for groups, and Short Stories Café, the lobby restaurant, is the place for breakfast and lunch. The hotel's Main Street location is convenient to downtown, Nissan Stadium, and East Nashville’s Five Points neighborhood.
The Chloe Nashville
When training his staff at The Chloe, owner Ro Leblanc instills the golden rule. The result is a buzzy, friendly environment where people really feel welcomed—and it’s not just hotel guests. Located in Hillsboro Village, in the former home of Asylum Records, The Chloe is a hangout for locals too. Neighbors have pool memberships, and the bar is a go-to for a nightcap. Each of the hotel’s 19 rooms has different decor, contributing to the feeling that this is a place to live in, not just visit. Insider tip: Don’t skip the praline ice cream sandwich (served at the bar, in the restaurant, or by the pool).
Drift Hotel Nashville
The 1965 building that houses the Drift Hotel has lived a lot of lives since Elvis Presley reportedly stayed there in his heyday. The most recent incarnation features 87 rooms designed with impeccable midcentury-modern style and remarkable attention to detail, such as room numbers made from custom tapestries. The Sun Room and Poolside at Drift bars have become destination waterholes for locals, and the rooftop penthouses (where Elvis stayed) are the big-money picks for a pre-game party, offering views of Nissan Stadium.
Fairlane Hotel
I'm a fan of all the hotels on this list (that’s why I chose them), but if I were Eloise and got to live in one day in and day out, I’d choose the Fairlane. I love the terrazzo floors in the lobby, the plush headboards in the guest rooms (they have cup holders, so you can sip your wine, water, or coffee while you sit in bed), and the floor-to-ceiling windows providing some of the city’s best people-watching. All-day brunch at Modern Love, the lobby restaurant, is a draw for the sleep-in-late crowd.
The Hermitage Hotel
As the city’s oldest and most historic hotel, The Hermitage is full of city lore. A member of the hotel’s staff serves as its historian, continuing to show how the property connects to Nashville’s past, present, and future—be sure to ask them about the lobby-level displays of historic ephemera. The 122-room hotel was completely renovated in 2022, so its large guest rooms feature modern amenities alongside old-school touches, like a sheet of stationery with your name on it waiting in your room. In 2021, celebrity chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten opened his first restaurant in the South in the Hermitage, a place that is at once refined and friendly, like the hotel itself.
Southall Farm & Inn
Southall’s name isn’t just a clever marketing ploy. This 62-room resort is a working farm 25 miles south of downtown Nashville, with citrus trees, hydroponic greenhouses, an orchard, and sustainable farming practices. The fruits of the land are part of the experience, served in restaurant dishes and lining the walkways as you stroll the verdant acreage. Southall is a true resort experience, with options for traditional inn rooms or freestanding cottages with screened-in porches, deep soaking tubs, and firepits. The spa features a soaking pool with pond views and a lineup of wellness classes.
The Russell
Housed in a former church in East Nashville, the Russell remains connected to its roots. The magnificently restored stained-glass windows boast bright colors that provide not just a color palette, but an aesthetic direction throughout the 23-room hotel. Local firm Mission Hotels (which also owns The Gallatin and 506 Lofts) donates 100% of the profits from each stay to people experiencing homelessness in the city.
The Germantown Inn
This 10-room oasis stands in the heart of Germantown, and the building itself has been here since 1865. It offers a quiet and refined bed-and-breakfast experience just blocks from Nashville’s hubbub, including the minor league baseball stadium and the hip and happening Neuhoff District. A walled-in garden (and a glassed-in sitting room overlooking it) offers a compelling spot to sit, read, and decompress before or after visiting Music City’s most popular sites.
FAQ:
What is the difference between a hotel and a boutique hotel?
Boutique hotels are a category of hotel. They typically have fewer than 100 guest rooms and offer a one-of-a-kind vibe that makes the property stand out. They are often independently owned, but some major hotel chains have created unique boutique properties that show off the best of a particular city or neighborhood.
What is the most luxurious hotel in Nashville?
Luxury is in the eye of the beholder, of course, but the non-boutique 1 Hotel Nashville checks all the boxes, with impeccable service, enveloping scents from Bamford Wellness Spa, and design that provides an oasis from Nashville’s energy right outside the door. Every room in the pet-friendly hotel has live green plants, providing oxygen as you sleep.
Where should I avoid staying in Nashville?
Nashville’s core neighborhoods, including downtown, SoBro, and The Gulch, are quite walkable, but the further afield you go, the less you'll be able to walk, and public transportation options may become sparse. Budget hotels on and near Murfreesboro Pike are not close to many attractions, so any savings on room rates may be spent on parking and transportation. As in any city, visitors to Nashville should stay aware of their surroundings wherever they stay.
How we choose the best boutique hotels in Nashville
Every hotel review on this list has been written by a Condé Nast Traveler journalist who knows the destination and has visited that property. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
Margaret tells the stories of the people and places of the South. She loves a “small” story, a story about a person changing their community, even if the rest of the world doesn’t know about it. She loves to show people getaways and activities in their own backyards. She is ... Read More