From buzzy Broadway to genteel Germantown, get to know Nashville’s neighbourhoods before you take a trip to Tennessee’s capital of country cool.

A city that hangs its (cowboy) hat on its incredible live music scene, Nashville’s enthusiasm for country music is infectious. But there’s also plenty of energy and excitement surrounding Music City’s culinary hotspots, a legion of new hotels and a strong community of independent business owners, too. Before you go, brush up on Nashville’s neighbourhoods to find the perfect match for your stay.

The Gulch

Best for: Luxury lovers, business travellers

What was once an overlooked industrial area is now an upmarket destination home to boutiques, bars and brunch spots. From Pilates studios to organic grocers, everything you need is just a stroll away in this walkable neighbourhood perfect for visitors who like to feel at home while they’re away.

Almost always busy, Milk and Honey is the local go-to for coffee and baked goods. As is Biscuit Love, where people line up to get their fill of warm ‘bonuts’ (fried biscuit dough tossed in sugar).

If dropping into a morning barre class, enjoying a lavender honey latte, and shopping for artisan leather cowboy boots sounds heavenly, then make a beeline for The Gulch.

The Gulch hotels

Thompson Nashville

This designer hotel’s mid-century modern aesthetic will thrill guests with an appreciation for luxe interiors and soft furnishings.

Cool room touches include a Marshall Bluetooth speaker and a large glass bottle that can be refilled with still or sparkling water at the nifty water stations located on each floor.

In the morning, start your day with a latte at Killebrew Coffee, located right off the hotel lobby. By night, head upstairs to the hotel’s rooftop bar L.A. Jackson to enjoy sweeping city views and killer cocktails (the local beer list is impressive too).

W Nashville

This chic, pet-friendly hotel is everything you’d expect from the W brand. Go all-in and splash some cash on the EWOW Suite – W’s take on a palatial presidential suite complete with an oversized balcony, deep-soaking tub and sublime wraparound views of the city from floor-to-ceiling windows.

Locale Lofts

Dubbed as ‘apartments with hotel perks’, a stay at Locale means you’ll have access to your own fully equipped kitchen and in-unit laundry. There’s also a fitness centre, coworking space and rooftop lounge for afternoon hangs. Whether you’re a digital nomad or just prefer to feel at home while you’re on the road, Locale Lofts is a top choice.

East Nashville

Best for: Returning visitors, road trippers

If shopping for vintage threads, playing pool in dive bars and other low-key pursuits is your thing, then laidback East Nash is your vibe. This area’s notable neighbourhoods are spread out, so having a car is handy but isn’t essential if you’re happy to rely on ridesharing apps.

In the Five Points area, you’ll find the likes of Bongo Java (a veteran on the local coffee scene) and I Dream of Weenie (an endearing hotdog vendor operating from a cute, yellow VW van).

North of Five Points, you’ll find another pocket of East Nashville goodness. Here you can dig through the crates of new and preloved vinyl at Grimey’s, then wander over to Living Waters Brewing – a brewery and coffee bar serving all the good stuff (beers, espresso, pop tarts, burritos).

If you’re keen to see another side of the capital beyond the city centre, then head to East Nashville.

East Nashville hotels

The Russell

This concierge-less boutique hotel housed in a century-plus-old historic church is a rare find. The 23-room hotel has retained many of the building’s original features (like stained glass windows) yet it still feels like a fresh, contemporary place to stay thanks to pops of colourful art.

There may be no elevator, in-house bar, restaurant, or daily room cleaning service, but there is a photo booth! It’s a different type of stay for sure, but one that will have you feeling like a local in no time.

The Russell also gives the majority of the money they make from each stay to local non-profits that support those experiencing homelessness in Nashville. So when guests stay, they are helping multiple people in need. That’s a win-win!

The Gallatin

The Russell’s sister hotel is an equally unique place to bed down. Splashes of tangerine, lime green and cobalt blue provide a memorable backdrop to your stay at The Gallatin, while the lobby art’s message to ‘stay joyful’ is a life motto worth embracing.

Travelling with mates? Book the Quad Bunk Suite to enjoy an adult slumber party with your besties.

Waymore’s Guest House and Casual Club

For travellers who don’t need 24-hour room service, pools with cabanas and luxury day spas, this endearing guest house with a big personality is located near great restaurants, coffee spots and a novelty for anyone not from America: a drive-thru ATM.

Midtown

Best for: Live music lovers, car-free travellers  

Conveniently located close to Downtown and Music Row, Midtown strikes a happy medium. With Vanderbilt University close by, expect to share local bars and restaurants with the college crowd in these parts.

Here, you can watch a drag show (with a side of Asian fusion cuisine) at Suzy Wong’s Drag’n Brunch, scout out the somewhat obscure Patterson House for next-level cocktails, cure your hangover with pickle chips, shakes and burgers at the oh-so retro Elliston Place Soda Shop and sample a sweat-inducing culinary icon at Hattie B’s Hot Chicken.

Food and fun times aren’t in short supply in Midtown.

Midtown hotels

Hutton Hotel

This longstanding hotel will delight music lovers. Apart from having a rotating lineup of local musicians playing in the lobby and a special studio room for songwriters to record in, this hotel even has its very own intimate live music venue, Analog.

During your stay, don’t miss treating yourself to an upscale brunch at Evelyn’s, an elevated hotel restaurant and bar that describes itself as a ‘love letter to classic Americana’. Allow yourself plenty of time – the brunch menu is loaded with the greatest hits of daytime dining (hint: the breakfast sandwich is something special).

Graduate Nashville

From guitar-shaped bedheads to hot-pink neon signage, this unapologetically fun fever dream of a hotel isn’t afraid of clashing colours and bold prints.

But, what else would you expect from a Dolly Parton-inspired hotel? Be sure to visit the hotel’s karaoke joint, Cross Eyed Critters Watering Hole, to belt out “Jolene" with an animatronic backup band in support. Only in Nashville.

Kimpton Aertson Hotel

The Kimpton brand’s ultramodern Nashville outpost has a lot going for it, including a rooftop pool, day spa and 24-hour fitness centre featuring Peloton equipment.

Eclectic contemporary art adorns the walls, including works from local letterpress stalwarts, Hatch Show Prints. Featuring high-efficiency cooling systems and electric vehicle charging stations, this LEED-certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) hotel has genuine green credentials.

Downtown

Best for: Party people, car-free travellers, first-time visitors

If you relish staying right in the thick of it, Downtown delivers. By day, tip your hat to the greats at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, walk in the footsteps of entertainment legends at the Ryman Auditorium and grab a casual bite to eat from the 30-plus vendors in the sprawling Assembly Food Hall.

After dark, slip into the moody Twelve Thirty Club for a negroni, then don a cowboy hat to have a rootin’ tootin’ time on Broadway’s notorious stretch of Honky Tonk bars before stumbling back to your hotel. Yeehaw!

Downtown hotels

Union Station Nashville Yards

Be prepared to be blown away by the heritage grandeur of this atmospheric hotel housed in what was once a busy train station terminal. After admiring the lobby’s vaulted ceiling, stained glass windows and opulent chandeliers, you’ll find tastefully renovated rooms with large bathrooms and super comfy bedding.

Don’t miss grabbing a nightcap at the lobby bar where you can raise a glass to the golden age of American rail travel. The bartender may just blow an old-timey train whistle for you!

Bobby Hotel

If you like your hotels to have style and flair, then bookmark the Bobby Hotel. With an enviable Printers Alley location, you’re just a short stroll from Broadway’s heaving bar scene.

Prefer to stay in? Bobby’s Garage bar is a lowkey spot for a beer or two. Wanna see something cool? Head to the rooftop lounge to check out the hotel’s vintage 1956 Scenicruiser bus.

The Hermitage Hotel

Built more than a century ago, a stay at this five-star stunner is worth saving up for. Everyone from American Presidents to Hollywood legends and sporting superstars has stayed at the Hermitage, so it’s as much a historical point of interest as it is a luxury hotel.

During your stay, visit the Pink Hermit Cafe for wood-fired pizza and blush-pink cocktails or dress up sophisticated fine dining at Druisie and Darr.

Germantown

Best for: History and architecture fans, returning visitors

Historic Germantown may be Nashville’s oldest neighbourhood, but it’s far from stale. In comparison to the bar-crawls and hedonistic hijinks of Broadway, upscale Germantown has a refined feel.

You’ll find plenty of heritage buildings to appreciate here as well as some standout eateries. Dinner at Rolf and Daughters is one of the hottest tickets in town and with good reason: every single dish is a knockout. Pelato brings Brooklyn-style Italian fare to Germantown, while the vendors at Nashville Farmers’ Market (open year-round) offer casual eats like crepes, cookies and vegan tacos.

Germantown hotels

Germantown Inn

With just ten suites (all named after notable Americans), this locally owned boutique hotel is a cosy spot to retreat to after a day exploring Nashville. Likely built in the mid-1800s, a careful restoration has ensured the building’s original charm endures.

In the afternoon, head to the leafy patio to grab a drink and shoot the breeze with staff and other guests – this is one friendly inn.