Eco-chic in Music City: A review of the 1 Hotel Nashville

Eco-chic 1 Hotels is expanding quickly, with new or upcoming locations in international destinations like Melbourne, Australia, and Copenhagen. But you don’t have to venture so far afield to find some of the chain’s most intriguing outposts. The 1 Hotel Nashville opened in 2022 and provides an upscale but unfussy counterpoint to some of the city’s party-heartier options.

Here’s why you should consider it for your next jaunt to Music City, especially if you carry select premium credit cards.

1 Hotel Nashville location

Once a warren of skeletal buildings, Nashville’s SoBro neighborhood is now one of the city’s hottest districts thanks to the spate of hotels that have popped up in recent years, including the 1 Hotel.

The hotel is about a 30-minute drive from Nashville International Airport (BNA), which costs around $30 each way via a ride-hailing service. Once here, you might not need a car since the honkey-tonks of Broadway, the bars of Printers Alley and various museums — including the National Museum of African American Music, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and the Frist Art Museum — are all short walks away.

The Music City Center for conventions is just across the street, and Bridgestone Arena is a block away. Those who don’t mind a decent stroll can also cross one of the city’s bridges for events held at Nissan Stadium.

1 Hotel Nashville booking details

Unfortunately, 1 Hotels is not part of the major hotel loyalty programs. However, many of its locations, including this one, are credit card unicorns because they participate in all three major hotel-booking portals associated with premium cards.

The hotel is a member of American Express’ Fine Hotels + Resorts, so those with The Platinum Card® from American Express or The Business Platinum Card® from American Express who make a booking through amextravel.com can enjoy benefits like complimentary daily breakfast for two, room upgrades based on availability, a $100 on-property credit to use during their stay and guaranteed late checkout.

The hotel is also a member of Capital One’s Premier Collection. So if you have the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Business, you can book a stay through Capital One Travel for value-added benefits like free daily breakfast for two, up to $100 in on-property experience credits and room upgrades (if available).

The hotel is also affiliated with The Edit from Chase Travel℠. If you have an eligible card, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve® (see rates and fees) or Chase Sapphire Reserve for Business℠ (see rates and fees), and make your booking through Chase Travel, you can expect perks such as daily breakfast for two, availability-based room upgrades, early check-in and late checkout based on availability, a $100 property credit to be used during your stay, and a welcome gift.

Rates at the 1 Hotel Nashville start at around $370 per night.

Standout features

• Whether you’re in town for business or pleasure, you’re in the heart of the action here.
• Eco-chic decor transforms guest rooms into urban oases.
• Creative country cuisine takes center stage at 1 Kitchen.
• The Bamford Wellness Spa will soothe your mind and muscles.

Drawbacks

• Beware crowds of convention attendees and sports fans on game day.
• Settle into the sedate Southern pace when it comes to service.
• Unfortunately, you can’t redeem hotel points for a stay.

The vibe at the 1 Hotel Nashville

You might notice a few lanyard-brandishing convention attendees and cowboy-hatted bachelorettes in the lobby and hallways of the 1 Hotel Nashville, but chances are your notice will be diverted by the profusion of plants (over 56,000 of them throughout) and other eye-catching natural elements like the enormous stone reception desks.

Most folks here seem to be seeking out a sedate stay, whether that’s cocooning in the eco-chic rooms or catching up over cocktails in the lobby lounge. Those who do want a more energized experience, however, will find it in the surrounding streets (Broadway is just a few blocks away) or up on the 19th floor at Harriet’s Rooftop.

The room

Rooms are where the hotel’s eco-conscious ethos comes out for a playful spin, and not just because of the plethora of live plants you’re likely to find.

You won’t encounter plastic water bottles. Instead, you are provided with recycled glassware, which you can fill up at your in-room filtered water tap.

Instead of a bedside paper notepad, you’ll find a reusable chalkboard. You might spy a sand hourglass in the shower in case you want to limit your water consumption. And the panoramic windows might just encourage you to enjoy the natural lighting instead of using electricity.

But that doesn’t mean you’re hit over the head with sustainability credentials. Sure, the sheets are made from organic cotton, but you probably won’t remember that as you sink into them after a long day out. Likewise, the reclaimed wooden furniture feels like it might have graced the cover of a design magazine.

My Panoramic One Bedroom Suite on the 16th floor felt like a luxe beach club thanks to the live-edge wooden furnishings with white cushions and the greenery.

The living and dining area doubled as a formal entertaining space, complete with its own wet bar and powder room, while the bedroom could be transformed into its own sanctum thanks to sliding privacy doors.

The limestone and granite bathroom, meanwhile, was like a spa, with a huge walk-in shower stocked with herbal Bamford products, a soaking tub with an accent boulder (seriously) and an extended basin-style sink.

If being sustainable feels this chic, waste not, want not.

Food and drink at the 1 Hotel Nashville

Seasonal eats and imbibable treats await at the 1 Hotel Nashville’s various dining and drinking establishments.

Anchoring the hotel’s ground floor is 1 Kitchen, which has a sultry cocktail bar just adjacent to the lobby and a larger dining room with both indoor and outdoor sections beyond that.

Here, culinary director Chris Crary (of “Top Chef” fame) and chef Tyler Lee have crafted a menu of comfortable but sophisticated classics that draw upon the bounty of ingredients from nearby partner farms, the vast majority of which are located within a hundred miles of the city.

Dinner might start with house-made carrot hummus and farmers market-fresh veggies for dipping ($16), but also fluffy, thick-cut toasted brioche served with savory-sweet butter whipped with chives and Kentucky cattle bone marrow ($14).

The not-to-miss entree is the hearty chicken Bolognese with al dente torchio pasta ($27), but you’d be remiss to skip specialties like a juicy but flaky halibut with olive oil-breadcrumb crust served with spicy nduja, Castelvetrano olives, roasted peppers and eggplant ($37).

The vegan, gluten-free pistachio-lemon icebox cake ($14) is a must, as are the house specialty cocktails like the strong but refreshing Nutty Herbalist with hazelnut-infused rye whiskey, rosemary syrup and Peychaud’s bitters ($17).

This is also the spot for a leisurely brunch of items like buttermilk biscuits with chicken sausage gravy and scallions ($18); chicken and waffles with whipped ricotta, pickled peppers and smoked chili honey ($22); and a healthy Florentine frittata with local spinach, fresh mozzarella, roasted tomatoes and chives ($18).

If you’re in a rush, though, you can also grab coffee and tea drinks plus pastries, smoothies and other to-go items like yogurt parfaits and breakfast sandwiches from Neighbors Cafe just across from reception.

Topside, Harriet’s Rooftop has expansive indoor and outdoor lounge areas (though the outdoor space was closed intermittently due to weather and private events) on the 19th floor and tends to attract an after-work and post-convention crowd, then late-night merrymakers.

Here, guests can sample beverage director Harrison Deakin’s signature sips like the Oaxacan Paloma with Dos Hombres mezcal, Giffard grapefruit liqueur, clarified lime, agave nectar and grapefruit Fever-Tree soda ($18).

Nibbles include a selection of Asian-inspired bites like rock shrimp tempura ($19); shiso-cured hamachi with compressed melon and chive oil ($24); spicy chicken bao with togarashi honey hot glaze and sunomono slaw ($17); and the heaping imperial roll with tuna, hamachi, Ora king salmon, chives and citrus-marinated crab salad ($31).

Amenities and service at the 1 Hotel Nashville 

The hotel’s wellness amenities are all on the fourth floor. They include a sizable gym with Precor cardio and weight machines and a large floor area for stretching and free weights. The hotel also has a resident yoga instructor for private sessions, and you can access Alo Moves from the 1 Hotels app if you prefer to get your sweat on in your own room.

The hotel’s Bamford Wellness Spa has men’s and women’s locker rooms with steam and sauna facilities. Once properly relaxed, emerge and walk down what feels like a hallway to healing thanks to the soothing natural elements like stone floors and timber doorframes to the relaxation lounge, where you can sip a cup of tea or try some all-natural treats as you unwind in one of the chaise lounges or get some fresh air out on the balcony.

Therapists can tailor treatments to individuals using Bamford’s line of organic skincare products, including a jade hot and cold stone massage (80 minutes, $295) and the Bamford Awakening Facial using ultrafine volcanic dust as an exfoliant and both lactic and fruit acid to rejuvenate the skin (50 minutes, $215).

Accessibility at the 1 Hotel Nashville

The 1 Hotel Nashville offers accessible guest rooms in four categories, plus the Panoramic One Bedroom Suite and two of its specialty “House” suites. These accommodations offer features like 32-inch doorways, roll-in showers with grab bars and a folding seat or a bathtub with grab bars and a removable seat, lowered lighting and temperature controls, TTY machines provided upon request, digital alarm clocks with sound and strobe lights, and visual emergency alarms and doorbells. As always, call the hotel directly to ensure you can book a room that meets your specific requirements.

The hotel’s public areas and all floors are wheelchair accessible thanks to elevators and no-step entrances, clear walkways and ramps. There are also accessible public restrooms and both ambulatory and accessible toilet stalls. Signage is available in Braille as well.

Checking out

The 1 Hotel Nashville is an upscale antidote to downtown Nashville’s sometimes raucous recreation scene. The hotel’s eco-focused interiors and the natural elements artfully placed throughout create an oasislike ambience. That said, its lively dining and drinks venues and its location near several major venues make it an excellent choice if you’re in town for a major event, or just out for a night of fun with colleagues. Thanks to its participation in three premium credit card travel-booking portals, you can also bank on value-added extras like upgrades, on-property credits and complimentary breakfast to make your stay that much more enjoyable.

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