Virgin Hotels Nashville: What It’s Like to Stay on Music Row
Virgin Hotels Nashville is a stylish boutique hotel on Music Row, less than a mile from downtown Nashville and close to The Gulch, Vanderbilt, restaurants, bars, and live music.
My sister and I stayed here during a quick weekend trip to Nashville, and it worked well as a base for exploring the city. The rooms are unusual, the rooftop pool has skyline views, and the hotel has enough dining and entertainment options that you don’t necessarily have to leave the property every time you want coffee, dinner, or a drink.
Virgin Hotels Nashville at a Glance
- Located on Music Row
- 262 guest rooms and suites
- Two-room “Chamber” layout in many rooms
- Rooftop pool and bar
- Pet-friendly with no pet fee
- No breed or size restrictions for pets
- Four on-site dining and drinking options
- 24-hour fitness center
- Valet parking only through the hotel
- Check-in at 3 p.m.
- Check-out at noon
- Daily amenity fee
Virgin Hotels Nashville currently has 262 guestrooms, including Chamber Kings, Double Queens, Grand Chambers, suites, and the two-bedroom Richard’s Flat penthouse.
Throughout the hotel, be sure to look around and up to see nods to the music industry. We found the deconstructed musical instruments hanging from the ceiling to be a whimsical touch.
The walls of the elevator are creatively decorated with black belts.
What Are the Rooms Like?
Virgin calls its guest rooms Chambers, and the layout is one of the things that made our stay memorable.
Instead of one open hotel room, the signature Chamber design separates the sleeping area from the dressing and bathroom area with a privacy door. That gives you a little more separation when two people are trying to get ready at the same time.
Our King room had a large window seat overlooking Nashville, a separate vanity area, an in-room safe large enough for a laptop, and a toilet tucked into its own little room.
The shower was generously sized with both a rainfall showerhead and handheld sprayer.
And then there was the bed.
Virgin uses its own patented lounge-style bed, and ours was one of the most comfortable hotel beds I’ve slept in.
That is not something I say lightly. A bad hotel mattress can make me reconsider every life decision that led to booking the room.
The Mini Bar
The Chamber includes a SMEG mini fridge stocked with snacks and drinks, and Virgin still promotes its minibar as being priced at street-level prices rather than typical hotel minibar markups.
When we stayed, a Diet Coke was about $3, which felt downright civilized compared with the ransom notes some hotels call minibar menus.
Prices can change, of course, so I would consider our 2023 prices a snapshot rather than a current menu.
Rooftop Pool and The Pool Club
One of the biggest draws is The Pool Club on the 14th floor.
The rooftop includes a pool, restaurant, bar, indoor and outdoor seating, and skyline views over Nashville. During warmer months, there are loungers, daybeds, and cabanas. Pool loungers are available first-come, first-served, while private seating can be reserved.
When we stayed, the rooftop was definitely a happening spot, so going earlier in the day is a smart move if you want a good place to sit.
The Pool Club also hosts brunches, DJs, pool events, and other seasonal programming, so it’s worth checking the hotel’s current calendar before your trip.
There’s even a photo booth so that you can take some quick pictures to remember your trip. [Does anyone know who that girl is on the sticker?]
Is Virgin Hotels Nashville Pet Friendly?
Very.
Virgin Hotels Nashville currently allows pets with no pet fee, no size restriction, no breed restriction, and no stated limit on the number of pets per room.
Pet-friendly Chambers can include:
- A pet-friendly chamber with a porcelain watchdog just outside the door.
- A dog bed that will be as comfortable as their human’s bed.
- Food and water dishes, along with a few treats.
- A Virgin bandana so that your pet can show off his/her style.
Pets need to remain leashed in public areas. The hotel also notes that housekeeping cannot refresh your room while an unattended pet is inside.
If you travel with a dog, this is honestly one of the more generous hotel pet policies I’ve seen.
Dining at Virgin Hotels Nashville
The hotel currently has four main places to eat or drink: Commons Club, The Pool Club, Funny Library Coffee Shop, and The Late Great.
Funny Library Coffee Shop
Funny Library is located near the lobby and works as a coffee shop and casual workspace. It serves coffee, drinks, light bites, and snacks and is currently open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The current amenity fee also includes complimentary drip coffee from Funny Library from 5 a.m. to 7 a.m.
Commons Club
Commons Club is the hotel’s signature ground-floor restaurant and cocktail bar.
It serves breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner and uses herbs, fruits, and vegetables from the hotel’s culinary garden.
The Late Great
The Late Great is the hotel’s more tucked-away cocktail bar and speakeasy-style space.
It’s one of those places that fits the overall Virgin aesthetic: slightly theatrical, slightly secretive, and very aware that you came to Nashville to have more fun than you probably do at home.
The Pool Club
The Pool Club doubles as the rooftop restaurant and bar, serving food and drinks with skyline views.
Room Service
Virgin currently offers in-room dining for breakfast and lunch from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Orders can be placed through the hotel team, app, or in-room TV.
That means you can technically spend the morning in that ridiculously comfortable bed and still obtain breakfast without putting on real pants.
Vacation has rules.
Fitness Center
The fitness center is on the second floor and is open 24 hours to hotel guests using their room key. It includes Technogym cardio equipment and weights.
I encourage you to step inside the bathrooms near the fitness center, but I recommend that you do not do it if you are inebriated.
Especially not after a heroic evening at The Late Great.
The Daily Amenity Fee
Virgin Hotels Nashville currently charges a $34 + tax daily amenity fee.
The fee currently includes:
- High-speed Wi-Fi
- 24-hour fitness center access
- Bottled water upon request
- In-room coffee and tea
- Access to hotel music programming
- Complimentary early-morning drip coffee from Funny Library
Whether an amenity fee makes Wi-Fi “free” is a philosophical question I will leave between you and your credit card statement.
Smoke-Free
Smoking is prohibited in the hotel. Don’t even think about lighting up. Evidence of smoking in a guest room can result in a minimum $250 cleaning fee.
Translation: they are not kidding.
Lucy – Virgin Hotels App
In keeping up with modern technology, Lucy, the Virgin Hotels app. This magical application allows guests to book stays and get members-only rates, order room service, and control the thermostat, lights, and TV remote. You can even use it in place of your room key.
Check-In/ Check-Out
Current standard times are:
Check-in: 3 p.m.
Check-out: 12 p.m.
According to the Virgin website, the times are flexible. (We arrived late at night and left early and had no issues.
Guests must be over 21 to check in.
Parking
Virgin Hotels Nashville offers valet parking only through the hotel.
Current overnight valet rates are:
- $58 per night plus tax for standard vehicles
- $65 per night plus tax for oversized vehicles
Paid street parking is also available nearby if you prefer to park yourself.
The hotel sometimes offers packages that include complimentary valet parking, including its current “Hey Neighbor” offer for residents of Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Georgia, and North Carolina. Offers change, so check before booking rather than assuming the standard valet rate is your only option.
Location on Music Row
Virgin Hotels Nashville sits on Music Row in Midtown, rather than directly on Broadway.
That was actually part of the appeal for us. We could get to downtown fairly easily without sleeping directly above the honky-tonk circus.
The hotel says Broadway and downtown are less than a mile away—about a 20-minute walk or 4-minute drive.
Other nearby spots include The Gulch, Vanderbilt, restaurants, breweries, and music venues.
The hotel is about 8.3 miles from Nashville International Airport, or roughly 25 minutes by car depending on traffic.
Nearby Things To Do
The hotel is in Music Row and is a short drive or walk to many of the fun things to do in downtown Nashville, like the Nashville 3-Hour Secret Food Tour. Below are the distances to some popular attractions:
- The Gulch – 0.7 miles
- Vanderbilt University – 0.7 miles
- Country Music Hall of Fame – 1.0 miles
- Bridgestone Arena – 1.1 miles
- Ryman Auditorium – 1.2 miles
- The Parthenon – 1.7 miles
- Nashville International Airport (BNA) – 8.3 miles
Is Virgin Hotels Nashville Worth It?
For us, yes.
I liked the Music Row location, the room design, the rooftop pool, and especially that absurdly comfortable bed.
The biggest drawback is cost. Once you add the room rate, amenity fee, parking, food, and Nashville’s uncanny ability to turn a casual weekend into a financial event, this is not an inexpensive stay.
But it also feels different from a generic chain hotel.
If your priority is being right on Broadway, I’d choose somewhere closer.
If you prefer a stylish hotel with personality, a rooftop pool, good dining options, and easy access to both Music Row and downtown, Virgin Hotels Nashville makes a lot more sense.
I’d stay again.
FAQs
Yes. Pets currently stay free with no size or breed restrictions.
Yes. The Pool Club is on the 14th floor and includes the rooftop pool, bar, restaurant, and skyline views.
Current overnight valet parking is $58 per night plus tax for standard vehicles and $65 plus tax for oversized vehicles.
Yes. In-room dining is currently available from 7 a.m.–2 p.m. and again from 4 p.m.–10 p.m.
The hotel says Broadway is less than a mile away, about a 20-minute walk or 4-minute drive.
Yes. Chambers include SMEG refrigerators stocked with minibar items that Virgin advertises at street-level pricing.
Final Call
Virgin Hotels Nashville isn’t the place I’d choose if my only goal were finding the cheapest bed in Music City.
But if you want a stylish Music Row hotel with a rooftop pool, a genuinely comfortable room, good dining options, and a refreshingly generous pet policy, it has a lot going for it.
Would the rooftop pool, the ridiculously comfortable bed, or free stays for pets be the thing that convinced you to book? Let me know in the comments.
