Aloft Nashville West End

Inside this modern masonry and glass building, guests are greeted in a large, open lobby with industrial-style touches like poured-concrete floors and cutouts within sheetrock walls, lending the space an urban -- if chilly -- air. The contemporary decor is hip, with colorful art on the walls and cool (though dim) lighting, though the space has the feel of an upscale frat house complete with a pool table centerpiece. Musical touches like guitars on the walls and paintings of country music stars are a nod to the city's rich history. The lobby bar offers lounge seating of tailored banquettes, drum tables, and low, leather stools. The rooftop terrace offers sweeping views of the city, but is quite stark with a few, molded plastic chairs providing the only seating. Guests here are a mix of parents and prospective students of Vanderbilt University, tourists, and those who work in Nashville's thriving music industry. 

Aloft Nashville West End is situated on a busy but forlorn stretch of road in downtown Nashville, where commercial traffic is heavy and the surrounding businesses are not too charming. Guests who wish to walk to restaurants and bars around the hotel do so with the rattle of cars and trucks passing by. Music Row, home to a thriving business area that includes record labels and publishing and video production houses, is a 13-minute walk from the hotel. The picturesque campus of Vanderbilt University, whose grounds double as a national arboretum, is a seven-minute walk away. The Music City Center, a convention facility, is a five-minute drive or an 11-minute bus ride, while the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum is a six-minute drive or a 15-minute bus ride. Ryman Auditorium, home of the Grand Ole Opry, is a five-minute drive or a nine-minute bus ride. Centennial Park, at the heart of Nashville and home to a full-scale replica of the Parthenon, is a seven-minute car ride or 12 minutes by bus. Nashville International Airport is about a 15-minute drive from the hotel.

These spacious rooms are loft inspired and feature good views of either downtown Nashville or the city's west end from higher floors. Rooms are sparsely furnished and have an industrial look, with a dark blue and gray color scheme and dark wooden furniture that's paired with dim and sometimes inadequate lighting, which can make the spaces dark. The rooms are larger than average and have seating areas with couches and beanbag chairs. Amenities include air-conditioning, flat-screen TVs, coffee- and tea-making facilities, mini-fridges, work desks with ergonomic chairs, and safes. The bathrooms are modern but basic with beige floor tiles, large vanities, and modern fixtures, as well as walk-in showers and Bliss toiletries.

Though there's no restaurant on-site here, the hotel does have a bar that serves various alcoholic drinks as well as snacks. The Re-Fuel station in the lobby also offers an array of snacks and beverages available for purchase, as well as breakfast in the mornings (not included in rates). The hotel's large lobby offers plenty of seating to relax in, as well as a pool table, plus free coffee and newspapers. There is a small fitness room that's open 24-hours and offers a handful of modern machines. Business travelers are catered to with four meeting rooms and a small business center. Pets are not only welcome here, but they receive a goody bag of treats and toys upon arrival. Wi-Fi is free throughout.