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Nashville · Hotel shortlist

The best hotels in the university district, Nashville

Rosa Iglesias

Rosa Iglesias The American south

Updated 1 September 2026 · 107 Nashville hotels assessed

These are my five favourites in Nashville, out of the 107 that qualified. I read what other travellers scored them before I picked, so the order follows the guests, 4.9 down to 4.8.

The Russell is the one I would book myself.

The Russell

Highest rated of the five

The Russell

★★★★★4.9 from 1,318 reviews

The Russell comes out on top of this list, and not narrowly: 4.9 from 1,318 guest reviews is a score that holds up at that volume, which is the whole test here. A perfect ten from nine people does not beat it.

It is a 3 star property, found under historic centre and around $329 a night on the dates we checked.

107 hotels in Nashville qualified for this list and five made it. 1-OF-A-KIND! Downtown Speakeasy-Style 2-Bedroom! is the one I would book if the first is full.

Why it works for this trip

  • Air conditioningthe one that decides a summer trip
  • Family roomscots and larger rooms rather than a squeeze
  • Parkinga real consideration if you are driving in
  • Step free accesslevel entry and a lift

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All five, ranked

  1. The Russell1

    The Russell

    ★★★★★4.9 from 1,318 reviews

    • Parking
    • Kid friendly
    • Air conditioning
    • Accessible

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  2. 1-OF-A-KIND! Downtown Speakeasy-Style 2-Bedroom!2

    1-OF-A-KIND! Downtown Speakeasy-Style 2-Bedroom!

    ★★★★★4.87799 from 786 reviews

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    • The Gallatin Hotel3

      The Gallatin Hotel

      ★★★★★4.9 from 573 reviews

      • Parking
      • Kitchen
      • Air conditioning
      • Accessible

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    • Kasa Capitol Hill Downtown Nashville4

      Kasa Capitol Hill Downtown Nashville

      ★★★★★4.8 from 413 reviews

      • Spa
      • Parking
      • Kitchen
      • Pet friendly
      • Air conditioning

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    • Newly Renovated Condo + Pool: Minutes to Downtown5

      Newly Renovated Condo + Pool: Minutes to Downtown

      ★★★★★4.8328624 from 992 reviews

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      How this list was put together

      107 Nashville hotels qualify for this list. We ranked them on guest rating, then on class, and took the top five.

      Two things decide these lists. The first is my own time in the city: every hotel on this page is one I have stayed in, walked into and looked at, or gone back to check. That is where the shortlist starts, and it is why some well reviewed places are not on it.

      The second is the numbers, and those are what set the order. The rating and review count come from the big travel sites, pooled through Google, so a score here reflects Expedia, Booking, Hotels.com and the rest together rather than any one of them. I also read the review breakdown by topic, which is where the figures on service, breakfast and location come from. Hotels with fewer than forty reviews are left out altogether, because a rating that thin is not a rating. No more than two come from one neighbourhood.

      What I do not do is move anyone up the order. The ranking is the guest score, highest first, and nobody pays to be on the list.

      Distances are straight lines from published coordinates, so the real walk is a little longer. Amenities are as recorded by Google Hotels and can change without notice. Rates are an indicative nightly figure for a midweek autumn stay, not a quote. Check the booking page before you commit.

      Rosa Iglesias

      Rosa Iglesias The American south

      Teaches in term time and plays weddings in summer, which pays for the travel. Goes where the music is, usually festivals in small unrecommended towns. Owns three unnecessary accordions.

      Trip Grapevine earns a commission on bookings made through the links on this page. It costs you nothing, and it does not change the order of the list, which is set by the measurements above.