Hilton Garden Inn Nashville/Vanderbilt

The guitars mounted on the wall behind the white reception desk and a large mural depicting the Nashville music scene remind guests they're in Music City. The tan tile floor and golden-yellow walls at the entrance are illuminated by a cluster of modern chandeliers. A side sitting area is partially separated by half walls, and with its hardwood floors, coffee table strewn with magazines, large-mantel fireplace, and upholstered sofa and armchairs, resembles a cozy living room. The small lobby bar is popular in the evening hours, and a nearby table with free coffee, cookies, and water stays busy all day. The adjacent restaurant, with upholstered sofas and floor-to-ceiling windows along the outer wall, is nice and bright. With more than 6,000 square feet of meeting space near Vanderbilt and area hospitals, this hotel gets lots of university-related visitors and business travelers.

The Hilton is located in Midtown, between Vanderbilt University and downtown Nashville. It's about a 10-minute walk to the university’s western edge (a half-mile), and a 15-minute walk (10 by bus, five driving) to the university’s medical center. Saint Thomas Midtown Hospital (10 minutes walking, four driving) and Centennial Medical Center (seven minutes driving) are also nearby, as is Centennial Park’s famous Parthenon (a 10-minute drive or 18 by bus). Most of Nashville’s downtown attractions are about an eight- to 12-minute drive away, including Nissan Stadium, Tennessee State Capitol, Bridgestone Arena, Music City Center, Printer’s Alley, Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum, and Music City Walk of Fame Park. The Nashville Riverfront train station is about a 10-minute drive or 25 minutes away by bus. Gaylord Opryland Hotel & Convention Center and Nashville International Airport are 20 to 25 minutes away by car, depending on traffic. Bus service is available between Vanderbilt and points downtown, but it generally takes much longer than driving. The hotel is surrounded by numerous restaurants and bars, all within a few minutes' walk. The hotel also offers free shuttle service within a two-mile radius, which includes some of downtown. 

Rooms at the Hilton Garden Inn Nashville/Vanderbilt are clean and somewhat spacious. Most have one king or two queen beds. Some rooms have shower/tub combos with curtains, while others have walk-in showers with sliding glass doors. The King Whirlpool Rooms have two-person hot tubs outside the bathrooms and walk-in showers. King Corner Rooms have curved, floor-to-ceiling windows and slightly larger bathrooms. Some King Rooms have upholstered sofa beds and wood coffee tables in lieu of the upholstered armchairs and leather ottomans in standard king/two queen-bed rooms. Suites also have separate sitting areas with sofa beds and additional flat-screen TVs. All rooms share a decor that includes reddish-brown furniture, including matching headboards, dressers, nightstands, and hall credenzas that hold mini-fridges, microwaves, and one-cup coffeemakers. Dressers hold 37-inch flat-screen TVs. But the furniture is a bit nicked in some rooms. Walls are beige, with reddish brown accent walls behind the beds, and the diamond-patterned carpet is reddish brown and beige. Bathrooms have grayish-brown, granite-topped vanities, with beige-patterned wallpaper, beige-tile floors, and shower/tub combos or walk-in showers. Neutrogena toiletries are supplied. Guests give the Garden Sleep System beds with adjustable firmness high marks for comfort. Room service during dinner hours is offered, and remote printing to the hotel business center is possible. Free bottled water and Wi-Fi are provided. Some rooms have views of downtown, while others overlook a parking deck. 

Valet and self-parking is available for a fee in the on-site garage -- rates can be high for a hotel outside downtown. The hotel operates a free shuttle service within a two-mile radius, which includes some of downtown Nashville. The on-site, full-service restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, but breakfast is not included in room rates; it offers outdoor seating in season. The lobby bar provides free coffee, tea, cookies, and water. A 24-hour pantry sells sundries, beverages, snacks, and microwaveable entrees. There is a small fitness center with cardio machines and free weights. It's adjacent to an indoor pool and whirlpool. The 24-hour business center has two computer stations, printers, and Internet access. There are 10 meeting rooms that encompass approximately 6,000 square feet. Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the property. Valet dry cleaning and laundry services are offered, and coin-operated laundry facilities are on site.