GuestHouse Inn & Suites Nashville/Music Valley

This hotel makes a favorable impression upon entering the spacious lobby, which features two clusters of dark-brown leather sofas and oversized armchairs on Oriental-style rugs. There are potted tropical plants adjacent to the seating area, and a large glass chandelier hangs from the second story. White-tile squares on the floor brighten the space, but the lobby gets darker as guests approach the reception desk, which is flanked by brown and gold-patterned carpet and framed by a lower ceiling and recessed lighting. The lounge off the lobby also is dark, with solid-brown carpet and a low-paneled ceiling. With live music and a corner bar, this is a popular spot, especially with group tours. Being close to the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center and Grand Ole Opry, the hotel also attracts families, tourists, and conference attendees. 

The GuestHouse Inn is located just off busy Briley Parkway, northeast of downtown Nashville and across the street from a gas station with a minimart. There are several restaurants within a two- to five-minute walk, including some directly across the street. Most of the attractions in downtown Nashville are approximately 15 to 20 minutes away by car, including the Nissan Stadium, the Ryman Auditorium, the Tennessee State Capitol, the Bridgestone Arena, Music City Center, Printer’s Alley, the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, and the Music City Walk of Fame Park. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the airport and nearby Gaylord Resort, and staff can arrange shuttle service to downtown for a fee. Vanderbilt University is about a 17-minute drive, as is the Hermitage Farm. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center is a three-minute drive, while the Grand Ole Opry, Opry Mills Shopping Center, General Jackson Showboat, and Gaylord Springs Golf Links take around five minutes by car. Nashville International Airport is a 13-minute drive.

All rooms offer the same basic, dark, dated decor, with patterned carpets, light-wood furniture, colorful comforters in lavenders, blues, reds, and whites, blue drapes, and gray accent walls. Music-themed art hangs on some walls. Rooms are generally clean and comfortable, but some past guests have reported various issues with stained carpet and bathroom grout, musty smells, loud air-conditioning units, and maintenance issues such as broken toilet seats and malfunctioning TVs. All rooms come with mini-fridges, microwaves, coffeemakers, and flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms are small and plain with shower/tub combos and big white-laminate vanities are situated outside; Family Rooms also have small sinks inside the bathrooms.

Rooms come in various configurations, including 13 two-room units with separate living rooms with two sofas and two flat-screen TVs. Family Rooms offer two sleeper sofas and two queen beds in one large room. VIP Rooms are bigger and offer 42-inch flat-screen TVs (as opposed to the 27-inch flat-screen in regular rooms). All rooms offer enough space to be comfortable, but lower-category rooms lack work desks. Views are of the hotel parking lot and/or surrounding buildings. 

Though it lacks a full restaurant, this budget property does offer a few other helpful extras. A free hot continental breakfast is included in room rates, and there's an on-site lounge that offers live music nightly. There's also an indoor pool and a fitness center, as well as an outdoor whirlpool with lounge chairs nearby for sunbathing. A small business center has one computer station with Internet access and a printer, and there's a large ballroom that can be divided into smaller meeting spaces. Other features include coin-operated laundry facilities, free Wi-Fi, snack and beverage vending machines, and an ATM. Guests get free copies of USA Today on weekdays, and free parking is on site at the hotel lot. The hotel offers a free shuttle to the airport and nearby Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, and it can arrange a shuttle service to downtown for a fee.