Fairlane Hotel Nashville

The Fairlane Hotel is Nashville's mid-century-modern boutique, a hideout of just 79 rooms at 401 Union Street, a short walk from the Capitol and the Ryman. Guests are greeted with complimentary champagne at check-in and get morning drip coffee in the lobby. The restaurant, Modern Love, serves breakfast, brunch, dinner and happy hour, and the hotel has a lobby bar, a rooftop terrace with city views, a Seasonal Bouquet Bar, a vintage bar cart called Fairlane at Five and a private-floor penthouse bar with rotating pop-up themes. Guests rate the hotel about 9.4 out of 10 across more than a thousand reviews, with top marks for cleanliness, service and the property itself.

Rooms are designed with Euro-top beds, cotton sheets, minibars, safes and a lot of personality, and they range from compact standards of about 266 square feet to a 666-square-foot Boss Suite, with king and corner king rooms between. Reviewers praise the friendly staff from the front desk to the doorman and bartenders, the clean and spacious rooms, the attractive lobby and the comfortable beds, and many mention little touches such as complimentary water bottles and upgrades. The location is in downtown's Union Street corridor, five minutes from the Tennessee State Capitol and Nashville Municipal Auditorium, six from Broadway and the Ryman and eight from Bridgestone Arena. The Riverfront station is about ten minutes on foot.

What to expect from a boutique. There is no pool, and the fitness offering is modest, so this is a hotel for people who want atmosphere over amenities. Reviewers' few complaints are practical: parking is difficult and expensive, the bar closes early on weekdays, and the rooftop pop-up is open only on weekends. A nightly destination fee applies, parking is valet only at a nightly rate and the cooked-to-order breakfast is paid. Dogs are allowed for a per-stay fee, one per stay in specific rooms that must be requested through the property. Check-in starts at 4 pm, checkout is by 11 am, the minimum check-in age is 21, and cash is not accepted. Free cancellation is offered on select rates.

Who should book. This is the right choice for couples, anniversary and birthday trips, and style-conscious travelers who like a hotel to be a destination in its own right. Jeff Ruby's Steakhouse, 417 Union and the Bobby Hotel are all about a minute away on foot, with Skull's Rainbow Room two minutes off, so you can dine without crossing the city. Families needing a pool or a big room should look to the larger hotels; light sleepers should ask for a room away from Union Street. If you are choosing between boutiques, the Fairlane is quieter and more design-led than the party-oriented options on Broadway.