In this guide · 3 sections
Nashville's hotel scene has blown up over the last decade. Thousands of new rooms have opened downtown, in The Gulch, Germantown, and East Nashville as more tourists arrive. If you're gay, the big question for where to stay is simple: how close do you want to be to the Church Street bars, and do you want to be in the middle of all the tourist action or a little outside it?
Stay downtown, and you can walk to Church Street's main gay bar strip. The catch? Downtown Nashville — especially the Lower Broadway honky-tonk stretch — is loud. Really loud. And packed with tourists, particularly on weekends. If that's your vibe, or you're just going to be in the gay bars anyway, downtown's your spot. If you want some peace and quiet, East Nashville or Germantown are a 10-minute Uber away and feel more like real neighborhoods.
The Hotels
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville at Vanderbilt — These 208 suites are big, with a living room separate from the bedroom. Each one has a wet bar, mini-fridge, microwave, and a two-cup coffee maker. You'll also find a pull-out sofa in the living area, and the beds come with white cotton duvets, Serta pillow-top mattresses, and down-like pillows.
You get a free made-to-order breakfast every morning, with a full hot buffet, fresh baked goods, and oatmeal.
- Noelle Hotel — This is a stylish boutique hotel downtown. It's gay-friendly, looks great, and has a rooftop bar. If you're LGBTQ+ and want a hotel with some flair, this is it.
Where to Stay by Priority
Walking distance to Church Street gay bars: Downtown. Any hotel within about 10 blocks of Church Street will do. Most downtown hotels fit the bill. The walk from the main hotel cluster to the gay bar strip takes 5 to 15 minutes, depending on where you are.
Quieter stay with reasonable access: East Nashville, just across the Cumberland River, feels like a real neighborhood. It's got local restaurants, coffee shops, and a younger crowd. It's a 10- to 15-minute Uber to downtown nightlife. There are a few boutique hotels and short-term rentals here, often cheaper than downtown options.
For Nashville Pride: Downtown, but book way ahead. Pride week in late June is peak tourist season. Downtown hotels sell out, and prices skyrocket. If Pride is your reason for coming, book three to six months out.
Germantown: Just north of downtown, this historic neighborhood has good restaurants and a calmer feel than the main tourist areas. You'll find a few boutique hotels here. You can walk to downtown and some of the gay bars from Germantown.
Practical Notes
Hotel prices in Nashville have shot up with the tourism boom. Expect to pay $150-250/night for a mid-range downtown hotel on a weekend. Weekday rates are lower. Summer (June through August) is peak season and the most expensive. Spring and fall "shoulder seasons" give you better value.
Nashville International Airport (BNA) is about 15 to 20 minutes from downtown by Uber or other rideshare. There's no train to the airport. Taxis exist, but ridesharing is standard.
Downtown, there's a music venue on almost every block. If you're a light sleeper near Lower Broadway, ask for a room away from the street or bring earplugs. The honky-tonks play until 3am, and the sound travels.
For the bar scene: Nashville Gay Bars. For the full city guide: Gay Nashville Guide.