Run Oregon loves running – that’s no surprise. But we also love the Pacific Northwest and all that it has to offer. Running is a part of us, but it does not fully define us. In our “Make a Day of It” feature, we aim to showcase some great local non-running events and highlight where to run and how to make the most of your experience! We recently kicked off checked out The Gallatin Hotel in Nashville.
If you have been following our Instagram, you may have seen pictures from our recent road trip to Tennessee. We recently spent a few days visiting friends, running a half marathon in Oak Ridge, and experiencing a football game in Knoxville. We started off our trip with about 48 hours in Nashville – a location we have always wanted to visit. We were lucky and grateful that The Gallatin Hotel hooked us up with a discount to check out their location and utilize as a basecamp for our trip. And color us (pun intended) impressed!
First the Running:
Shelby Bottoms Greenway
Nashville has a variety of running opportunities, mostly through their variety of Greenways. Given our flight schedule, I only had a single morning to run, but the Gallatin was absolutely a PERFECT location to get miles in a wonderful spot. I highly recommend making the mere ~2.5 drive from the hotel to the north parking area at the Shelby Bottoms Greenway and Natural area, a 960-acre park located in East Nashville.
There are a variety of paved and dirt trails here in the park (signs would indicate that high school, and perhaps college, XC races take place here), but also opens up a variety of miles beyond the park boundaries. It’s easy to do an out-and-back on the paved trails, incorporate the dirt (or mud – when I was there), or do what I did – take the pedestrian bridge to head further over the Cumberland River and into the Two Rivers Greenway Trail a wonderfully beautiful spot. A full out-and-back will land you around 15 miles.
If I wasn’t racing on the Saturday we were there, I would have loved to experience more miles within the park and beyond. Maybe someday!
Our Room:
There seem to be a ton of amazing hotel options in Nashville, but The Gallatin really shines. From a visual standpoint, its a hotel that is super vibrant and, as far as boutique hotels go, it’s actually affordable. They have suites to stay in, but also provide other options for those travelling both with larger groups (girls getaway anyone?!) in their bunk room, as well as those on a budget with their smaller nook rooms. We recommend viewing their virtual tour to get a feel of the spot. The bold and bright color palate really shine through – literally and figuratively.
We stayed in a King room which was equal parts simplistic, stylish, and comfortable. It had the amenities we needed – not too much and not too little – for a trip to a new city we intended to spend much of our time exploring. It had a comfy bed, a TV, a small (and cute) fridge, and a small area for coffee and storage.
It is interesting to note that the hotel has no staff on site. Both the outside door and each individual room has a digital code to allow access. It worked out for us amazingly well and we wish more locations did this. Most of the time we feel there are too many amenities in many hotels, something that we can appreciate in some situations, yet is often overkill in situations where someone is just in town to explore for a few days.
A weekend in December runs between $185-$215 and an Economy Full is about $155. I am sure the summer will be more expensive, but given the costs of most hotels we checked out in Nashville, we anticipate this being MUCH less than most, if not all, out there.
Refueling:
Only 1.5 miles from the hotel
As The Gallatin is a completely concierge-less hotel, there really isn’t much in the terms of refueling within the hotel outside of coffee in the main lobby area. However, there is a ton to enjoy and experience in the neighborhood around the hotel.
East Nashville is not the touristy-mess that the hotels near the Broadway Honky-Tonks is, and we were grateful for that. This area seemed a combination of neighborhood and business – a semi-suburban sprawl that seemed both safe and fun. There were easy access points like Walgreens and gas stations, yet also had a nice amount of local restaurants, breweries, and bars within a short walk, Uber, or drive. We recommend a few spots that we checked out:
- Southern Grist – a cool brewery in East Nashville with tasty fruited sours (a la Great Notion)
- Smith & Lentz Brewing – right on Gallatin Ave with a spacious outdoor area
- Butcher & Bee – HIGHLY recommended restaurant with cool indoor and outdoor space
- Donut Distillery – Specializing in mini-donuts AND the possibility of adding booze to these sugary concoctions
Outdoor patio at Butcher & Bee – pictures don’t do it justice
Overall:
Highly recommended!
The Gallatin met, and exceeded our expectations. It was super quiet (and even has quiet hours from 10pm-8am) – which is not something we found with most of the Nashville area. From Broadway Street to downtown, there is a LOT of loudness, but the Gallatin was perfect for what we needed. When the most “wild” that a hotel provides is a selfie station and the bright colors adorning the indoors, you have me hooked.
On top of all that, we love that they one of a few spots managed under Mission Hotels. They build spaces that not only are great for those who stay there, but they also serve those who need it most. The Gallatin promotes their Rooms for Rooms program, in which they give away the majority of our profits to Nashville’s underserved communities. How cool is that?! It’s totally something that we here in Oregon would appreciate. Just one more reason to love your stay.
We absolutely recommend The Gallatin if you are looking to check out Nashville. It fits in quite well with a PNW sensibilities, and offers a bang for the buck AND is in an area that is perfect for runners.
The Gallatin Details:
Address: 2510 Gallatin Ave Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: 615-861-1634
More about The Gallatin:
A feel-good stay in Nashville’s most creative neighborhood. Every stay helps someone experiencing homelessness through our Rooms for Rooms program.
Many thanks to The Gallatin for allowing us to check out their property! Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
