Hotels

Nashville caters to tens of thousands of country music fans each year and so has an abundance of inexpensive and moderately priced hotels. Although prices have risen in recent years to match Nashville's rise as a tourist and convention destination, whatever your reason for being in Nashville, you'll likely find a hotel that's both convenient and fits your budget. If you're used to exorbitant downtown hotels, you'll be pleasantly surprised to learn that rooms in downtown Nashville are, for the most part, reasonably priced, although that is rapidly changing. With the frenzied construction of swank condo and loft complexes around every corner, downtown is being transformed into a more chic city center with ever-escalating prices for everything from hotel rooms to parking. Beyond downtown, new and moderately priced hotel chains have been mushrooming in the airport area along Elm Hill Pike, easily reached by heading east out of the city on I-40. If you want to be close to the city's best restaurants and wealthiest neighborhoods, book a room in a West End hotel.

Long gone are the days when you could easily nab a decent hotel room for under $100. Nashville is growing in popularity, and prices reflect that demand. When big events such as music festivals and conventions bring lots of tourists to the city, rates spike and rooms can be sold out all over town -- even at otherwise more moderately priced chain properties in the Opryland and airport areas.

If you do want to splurge, consider a luxury hotel such as the Hermitage or Loews. However, for sheer visual impact, you can't beat the massive Opryland Hotel, which is shedding some of its Southern, Bible-belt clichés to appeal to more sophisticated tastes. A night here in a basic room will run you about $250 on average.

The rates quoted are, for the most part, the published rates, sometimes called "rack rates" in hotel-industry jargon. At expensive business and resort hotels, rack rates are what you are most likely to be quoted if you walk in off the street and ask what a room will cost for that night. However, it's often not necessary to pay this high rate if you plan ahead or ask for a discount. It's often possible to get low corporate rates even if you aren't visiting on business. Many hotel and motel chains now have frequent-guest and other special programs that you can join. These programs often provide savings off the regular rates.

Virtually all hotels now offer nonsmoking rooms (many properties are now entirely smoke-free) and rooms equipped for guests with disabilities. When making a reservation, be sure to request the type of room you need. While multi-line telephones are often the norm, charges for telephone calls vary widely. Some offer free local calls, while others do not. Many hotels have electronic in-room amenities such as flatscreen TVs, high-speed (often wireless) Internet access, and Web-browser TV screens. Internet fees range from free access to about $12 per day. Increasingly, hotels have public computers in the their lobbies -- a nice perk if you don't travel with a laptop but want to check your e-mail from time to time.

If you'll be traveling with children, always check into policies on children staying for free. Some hotels let children under 12 stay free, while others set the cutoff age at 18. Still others charge you for the kids, but let them eat for free in the hotel's restaurant.

The rates quoted here don't include the Tennessee sales tax (9.25%) or the Nashville room tax (5%), which together will add 14.25% onto your room bill. Keep this in mind if you're on a tight budget. And if you're driving to Nashville, don't overlook the cost of parking your car, which can cost up to $20 a night at downtown hotels. I have used the following rate definitions for price categories (rates are for double rooms): very expensive, more than $175; expensive, $125 to $175; moderate, $75 to $125; inexpensive, under $75.

Family-Friendly Hotels

Guest House International Inn and Suites, Music Valley -- With an indoor pool and a garden atrium, there is plenty to keep the kids distracted here. The two-room suites also provide kitchenettes and lots of space.

Hyatt Place Opryland -- Teens and tweens can appreciate a place with huge, in-room plasma TVs with plug-and-play capability. This completely refurbished property also offers spacious rooms with beds as well as comfy leather ottomans and pull-out sofas so the family can spread out.

Opryland Hotel -- The kids can wander all over this huge hotel's three tropical atriums, exploring waterfalls, hidden gardens, fountains, whatever, and then head for one of the pools. There are also enough restaurants under this one roof (the property encompasses nine under glass) to keep everyone in the family happy.

The Music Valley Area

If you plan to spend any amount of time at either the Opryland Hotel or the Opry Mills mall, staying in the Music Valley area will be your best bet. It will also be much more convenient if you plan to attend the Grand Ole Opry, where the second of two nightly shows can sometimes extend past midnight. After a night of all that barn-raising music, who wants to get in their car and drive across town to get to their hotel?

Inexpensive -- A number of national and regional chain motels, generic but dependable, can be found in the area, including Days Inn, 2460 Music Valley Dr. (tel. 615/889-0090), charging $50 to $90 double (with an outdoor pool and an adjacent miniature-golf course); and Comfort Inn, 2516 Music Valley Dr. (tel. 615/889-0086), charging $75 to $90 for a double.

The Airport Area

Business travelers may find the plethora of airport hotels most conveniently located for their needs. But even leisure travelers including those with families may find many of these resort-style properties appealing for their broad array of amenities.

Inexpensive to Moderate -- National and regional chain motels in the area are increasing exponentially. Some good choices include the following: Alexis Inn and Suites, 600 Ermac Dr. (tel. 615/889-4466), charging $59-$109); Doubletree Guest Suites, 2424 Atrium Way (tel. 615/889-8889), charging $129 to $179 for a double; Drury Inn & Suites, 555 Donelson Pike (tel. 615/902-0400), charging $109 to $130; Homewood Suites, 2640 Elm Hill Pike (tel. 615/884-8111), charging $109 to $159; Quality Inn and Suites, 2521 Elm Hill Pike (tel. 615/391-3919), charging $108 to $120 for a double; La Quinta Inn Airport, 2345 Atrium Way (tel. 615/885-3000), charging $79 to $115 for a double; Radisson-Nashville Airport, 1112 Airport Center Dr. (tel. 615/889-9090), charging $99 to $145 for a double, and SpringHill Suites by Marriott, 1100 Airport Center Dr. (tel. 615/884-6111), charging $94 to $134 for a double.

Other budget bets include such old standbys as Best Western Airport, 701 Stewart's Ferry Pike (tel. 615/889-9199), charging $60 to $70 for a double; Days Inn-Nashville East, 3445 Percy Priest Dr. (tel. 615/889-8881), charging $59 to $72 for a double; Red Roof Inn-Nashville East, 510 Claridge Dr. (tel. 615/872-0735), charging $50 to $60 for a double; and Super 8 Motel-Nashville/Airport/Music City, 720 Royal Pkwy. (tel. 615/889-8887), charging $58 to $78 for a double.