Business and leisure travelers have one thing in common: a need for convenient accommodations. For some, the solution may take the form of a simple hotel room with a comfortable bed. Others require a luxury suite with plenty of room to work and to prepare for a full day in the trenches of the business world. Still others prefer the quiet setting of one of Nashville’s hospitable bed and breakfast inns. No matter what you are looking for or what district you will be staying in, you will be able to find quality accommodations with a down-home touch.

Downtown
If you are looking to stay near the downtown business or tourist district, you have a number of hotels to choose from, both in the luxury category and in more moderate price ranges. Whether you are in Nashville to close an important deal or just to see the legendary home of country music, you can stay near all the action. The Downtown Sheraton overlooks the State Capitol and offers 400 rooms at moderate prices. Travelers who need a little more space may want to opt for the Doubletree. Every room here is a suite and features luxurious comfort and impeccable service. If you are in town on business, there are few places better suited to meet your needs—the business center is equipped to rival your own, as it has office with computers, copiers and fax machines. The enormous Clubhouse Inn and Conference Center offers maximum space for visiting conventions and conferences along with maximum hospitality.

Opryland/Airport
Opryland, once a theme park, has been transformed into the South’s largest shopping area, Opry Mills. If you are planning on staying in or around the Nashville Airport or Opryland, there are myriad choices including the famed Opryland Hotel, which is a tourist attraction in itself. It has fountains and waterfalls, theme areas, gardens and, most notably, a river that flows right through the middle of the hotel. With 23 restaurants, lounges and cafes inside the complex, you will always be able to find a place to fit your cravings. It’s all here, from Italian and contemporary American cuisine to French, Cajun, Southwestern and Asian food.

If you are more interested in getting some work done than in wandering around a hotel the size of Rhode Island, consider Studio PLUS. This national chain offers affordable suites designed to help business travelers be more productive.

West End/Music Row
The West End of Nashville attracts visitors to famed Music Row, Vanderbilt University and the Green Hills Shopping area. No matter what brings you to the West End, there is a hotel nearby ready to accommodate you and your family. The West End Courtyard by Marriott is extremely popular with business travelers, as it is a familiar chain hotel with business facilities and a complimentary breakfast buffet. If you are a train buff or you just feel like sleeping somewhere interesting, try the Union Station Hotel. This Romanesque Revival structure was once a thriving railroad station; in the late 1970s, the Wyndham Hotel chain took over the station and transformed it into a marvelous hotel. Many features of the elegant old terminal remain today. In fact, you can still check the train schedules—they are written on an old slate behind the front desk.

Franklin
The small town of Franklin lies 20 miles south of Nashville and offers visitors a respite from the hectic atmosphere of the Music City. Rich in history and famous for its antique shops, Franklin is a popular destination for Civil War historians and collectors of antique furniture. There are a lot of hotel options in this small burg, such as the Goosecreek Inn, an inexpensive motel that caters to business travelers. If you are planning an extended stay in Franklin, the best choice is Homestead Village. Guests enjoy a fully equipped kitchen, which allows for some home cooking when you don’t feel like venturing out. The in-room work area provides ample workspace in which to handle the day’s paperwork. An extra data-port phone line provides access to e-mail and Internet services.

Brentwood
As Nashville grows and its metro area expands into the outlying areas, more and more people are finding that a stay in nearby Brentwood makes a lot of sense. Only 10 minutes from downtown Nashville, this small suburb is convenient to the business district and all popular attractions, yet it is out of the snarl of traffic congestion that typifies the Nashville experience. Harried businesspersons looking for a comfortable bed and adequate workspace have made AmeriSuites a popular destination. If you need a little extra luxury, try the Hilton Suites.

Nashville’s Transportation Woes
People who visit the Music City for the first time are always surprised by the lack of public transportation. Like many large cities in the Mid-South, Nashville has spread out, taking over land from plantations and farms and now covering a large area that limits the ability to walk from one district to another. Granted, there are a few public bus routes and many taxi companies, but Nashville is a lot like Los Angeles (at least in one respect): people here like to drive. There are more parking lots downtown than office buildings, and yet parking remains at a premium. If you arrive by plane, your first step should be to rent a car. Don’t depend on public transportation—it’s just not a dependable or convenient option. However, Nashville is currently addressing this need with the development of the Music City Star, an inter-city light rail.  The MCS will begin service late Summer 2006, providing easy transportation between Nashville and Lebanon.  Other routes will come on line in the future.

The one exception to this overriding need for a car is if you plan on spending most of your time downtown. It’s a short walk from tourist-friendly Second Avenue to famed Printers’ Alley and all parts in between.

Bed and Breakfasts
Catering to travelers who desire something other than the standard hotel accommodations, these specialty inns take advantage of the natural beauty of Tennessee and the hospitality of its people. Sometimes luxurious, sometimes rustic but always refreshingly different, these are a few of the more popular locations around the Nashville area:

Apple Brook Bed and Breakfast: Once used as a schoolhouse, this bed and breakfast got its name from the brook that ran through the apple orchard on the same property. The orchard is gone, but the brook still babbles, welcoming guests to their destination.

Homeplace Bed and Breakfast: Just 11 miles south of Nashville and only a few miles from historic Franklin, the inn is nestled on a creek and offers you relaxing views from inside your room or from the courtyard. Built in 1820, Homeplace Bed and Breakfast offers three delightful rooms, each with a canopy bed and its own bath.

Sumner’s View Bed and Breakfast: This quaint inn looks as if it belongs amidst the hills of Southern France. The two-story stone structure features a metal roof and is decorated with antiques in a French-country style. Innkeeper Arch Garland will personally see to your needs as you relax in this tranquil setting.