When you’re traveling constantly, it’s always nice to find a property that is not only unique, but one that is in perfect harmony with its surroundings. Not only does the Omni Nashville Hotel let you know that you’ve arrived in Music City, but it quickly illustrates the heart of this metropolis: music, history and southern hospitality.
Having only opened in the winter of 2013, the 800-room property is already making a name for itself. Last year, Cvent ranked it #4 on their Top 100 Meeting Hotels in the United States list, and in 2013 it was honored with four accolades from USA Today Travel: #1 Top 10 Best Hotel in Nashville, Top 10 Best Steakhouses (Bob's Steak & Chop House) in Nashville, Top 10 Best Spas (Mokara Salon & Spa) in Nashville and Top 10 Best Hotel Bars (Barlines) in Nashville.
The property boasts an impressive art collection of 300 pieces curated from Nashville and Tennessee-based artists. One of the most creative ways the hotel has incorporated music into its design is seen in its lobby shaped like a guitar. The room includes distinct lines on the floor and linear wood panels resting on the ceiling that are meant to mimic strings on a fretboard. A chandelier entitled Fallen Notes incorporates staff bar lines arranged behind glass-bulb notes (evocative of sheet music) sits in the center of the guitar’s round “sound hole.” Behind the front desks the wood curves like the upper and lower bouts of the instrument’s body. It’s actually quite stunning, tastefully done without being gimmicky.
Guests staying in one of their Premier King Executive, King and King Executive suites are offered a separate elevator entrance that requires a key card for access. Inside the corner King Executive suite, the spacious parlor has two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows and includes one of two bathrooms. Perfect for business travelers, the room includes a desk with outlets and USB ports available, plus a separate high-top table for more work space.
Sitting at 967 square feet, the suite is decorated in dark woods, neutral shades and an almost wall-length entertainment center with a 42-inch HDTV decorated with musical-themed adornments and framed art. The bedroom also boasts floor-to-ceiling windows and another TV, plus plenty of drawers and closet space to unpack all of your clothes. Granite countertops furnish the master bath which includes dual sinks, a separate shower and tub and a lighted vanity mirror.
Omni also offers a complimentary loyalty program called Select Guest which gives members benefits at all of the brand’s hotels. As you rack up your points, you’ll be able to enjoy things like complimentary Wi-Fi, exclusive concierge services, room upgrades, late check-out and, our favorite at this location, complimentary morning beverages delivered to your room. Before heading to bed, Select Guests are given a form to fill out (left during turndown) in which they can choose to order two beverages per person. The choices are coffee, tea, juice and bottled water. You then choose how you like your Nespresso coffee, what time it should be delivered and if you’d prefer it left outside the door or brought inside. While there is a coffee maker in the room, having it fresh-delivered is much more enjoyable.
The 1.2-million-square-foot hotel is also home to four dining venues ranging from a coffeehouse to a honky tonk bar and a fine dining establishment. In keeping with a true Nashville and Tennessee theme, Omni partnered with Bongo Java, a local coffee chain that started in the ‘90s in Hillsborough village, next to Vanderbilt University. As a hangout for artisans and college students, the café quickly became a favorite in the area for locals. Marketing Manager Kellie Keyes shared that the hotel has now started Bongo at Night in which they offer table service with pour over options brewed tableside; happy hour beers, wines and spirits; and a light bites menu while a DJ spins vinyl records from 5-10 p.m.
Bob’s Steak & Chop House, open Monday through Saturday for dinner only, was voted one of the "Top 50 Restaurants in the Country" by Travel + Leisure and was a "Diner's Choice Winner" by Open Table. The steakhouse features corn-fed, Midwestern prime beef, fresh seafoods, salads and decadent desserts. Also, Gibson partnered with the eatery and donated a beautiful set of vintage guitars to decorate the fine dining venue. Whether you play music or not, it’s hard not to be impressed by the collection that pays homage to Music City.
If you’re visiting Nashville for the first time, there are a few spots to hit while touring including the Country Music Hall of Fame. Luckily for you, if you’re staying at the Omni, all you have to do is walk through the hotel through a connecting hallway that leads you right into the Hall of Fame’s main lobby. This was actually extremely useful for us as it was raining the day we did some sightseeing, and we immediately appreciated being able to arrive dry. Located on Fifth Avenue between Demonbreun and Korean Veterans Boulevard, the hotel is centered in the heart of the city within walking distance to Honky Tonk row, the famed Ryman Auditorium, The Johnny Cash Museum, Parthenon and the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Along with places to explore outside, the hotel itself has a number of amenities to enjoy including a spa, Five and Tenn retail store, a fully-equipped gym with personal training and group fitness sessions and a heated rooftop pool. Mokara Spa is 5,500-square-foot facility located on the fourth floor that is home to a salon, seven treatment rooms and one couples’ room, dry sauna, and a relaxation area.
But one of the property’s best features is its 80,000 square feet of meeting space among 38 rooms, 49,000 square feet of prefunction space and a UPS store on property (American Idol even filmed their auditions in one of their spaces). The hotel is also located across the street from the Music City Convention Center should you need an extra 1.2 million square feet of space. Another nice detail of this hotel are the Interactive Concierge touchscreens located on levels one through four. Guests can use it to find which rooms their meetings are being held in, discover additional hotel information (spa hours, restaurant menus), or use it to check-in to flights since it connects to BNA’s airport system.
From its melodic lobby to its award-wining steakhouse and exquisite suites, the young Omni Nashville Hotel already has got a lot going for it. I wouldn’t be surprised if it started pulling in more awards and accolades in the coming years. It’s a destination that you’ll have to spend a week in to really get the full effect of its greatness. But if you don’t have a week, just be sure to check out the rest of it on your follow-up trip (because you’ll definitely want to go back).
