I have an interview scheduled at Meharry Medical School in Nashville on Friday. The hotel the school recommends is full one of the nights I need a place to stay because there’s some big convention in town. So what I need is a hotel recommendation. Ideally this hotel should be:
Close enough to Meharry that a taxi ride there isn’t going to cost me a fortune.
In a decent enough neighborhood that I can walk to a restaurant without fearing for my safety.
Near something of possible interest since I’m gonna have some time to kill.
Not exorbitantly priced.
I do have a reservation at an airport hotel but I’d really like to have something better. Also, is there more than one Nashville airport? All the online resources I have mention only Nashville International Aiport but while making hotel resevervations reference was made to Opryland Airport. Please tell me these are alternate names for the same place.
There are a number of chain hotels on Church street and Broadway that might fit the bill for you. (I remember a Day’s Inn and a Holiday Inn, specifically).
Broadway north of I-40 is a little sketchy (but plenty of strip joints!), but south of I-40, closer to Vanderbuilt and Meharry, walking alone at night shouldn’t be a problem.
West End, which is also in the neighborhood, has tons of good restaurants, coffee shops, and clubs. No shortage of a good time there.
Along West End Ave would be a good place to stay. If you want to go downtown at night you can walk but I wouldnt get off of Broadway (West End after you cross I-40) until you get downtown close to the river and “the district”. I would recommend renting a car if possible, the cab fare from the airport will cost at least as much as a day’s rental. If staying two days you will still come out cheaper than getting a cab to get to/from places. Nashville has a trolley system downtown also. you might check citysearch or something, they might have a route map.
There is only one airport in Nashville. Dont stay at the Opryland hotel. Broadway/2nd Ave is the tourist spot downtown. Lots of live music places and nightclubs too. Good restaurants. As the earlier poster mentioned, if strip clubs are your thing (i don’t even know if you are male!) nashville has a lot of them, but they aren’t in places where you would walk to, except the one in printers alley. Thats kind of a cool area to check out anyway, still sort of has an old speakeasy feel to the area. Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar is there and is popular.
One of the reasons nashville is so popular for conventions is the multitude of adult entertainment options. The strip clubs are all nude, and byob. There are probably 30 or more “massage” type places that are advertised openly, though in the past week the cops have been raiding them so I’d stay away from that.
Lots and lots of live music, and mostly free. Everyone is out hoping to get discovered in this town. Enjoy your visit.
Many hotels offer shuttle bus service from the airport, free or at low cost.
Avoid the Opryland Hotel at all costs!
During the day, go to the State Capitol building, a beautiful piece of pre-Civil War architecture.
Try the State Museum, in the James K. Polk Building on Deadrick Street. Civil war stuff, art, travelling exhibits, & our own Egyptian Mummy.
Close to both is the State War Museum. Ask directions when you get to the capitol. The WW1 exhibit contains a fine collection of weapons, & Sergeant York’s uniform & medals. Also, a WW2 display, & models of the cruiser, U.S.S. Nashville.
Check out the Farmer’s Market, right next door to the Bicentennial Mall. BTW-- it isn’t a shopping mall, it’s an outdoor park. A timeline of Tennesse history is carved in black stone walls & monoliths. The Tennesse WW2 memorial is there, with photo-engraved monoliths, & a black marble globe of the world.
The mall also has a fountain display commemorating Tennesse’s rivers. It was designed for kids to splash in during Summer, & it’s fun to watch.
