Thompson Nashville Hotel Review

Thompson Nashville is one of those hotels I keep coming back to because it just works. It’s in the Gulch, you can walk to a ton of restaurants and bars, and the vibe feels modern without trying too hard. I’ve stayed here a bunch of times—mostly because my son lives in Nashville—so it’s become my default when I’m in town.

It’s been consistently great, especially with upgrades, which I’ve had good luck with more often than not. In this review, I’ll walk through the rooms, what the service is actually like, the overall vibe, and whether it’s worth booking for your trip.

Location

The Thompson Nashville is located in the Gulch, a former industrial neighborhood that’s now Nashville’s main dining and nightlife district. The hotel is on 11th Avenue South, which puts you within walking distance of the area’s best restaurants, bars, and shops.

What I like about this location is that you’re away from the chaos of Broadway’s honky-tonk strip—the Gulch has a more upscale, local feel where you can actually enjoy dinner and drinks without dodging bachelorette parties and tourist crowds.

From a practical standpoint, the location works well for exploring the city. Downtown and Broadway are about a 10-15 minute walk when you want to check out the main attractions, while neighborhoods like 12 South and Music Row are a short ride away.

The Gulch itself has plenty of farm-to-table restaurants, rooftop bars, and galleries, so you can walk to dinner or drinks without needing to venture into the tourist areas if you’d rather stay local.

Lobby

The lobby includes a music listening lounge with a vintage turntable where you can play records from the hotel’s curated vinyl collection—a nice touch given Nashville’s music heritage. Killebrew Coffee is one of my favorite coffee spots and is located right on the lobby level.

The Thompson Nashville offers standard check-in starting at 4:00 PM with digital check-in available if you want to skip the front desk entirely. The hotel has a 24-hour reception and concierge desk, so you have flexibility if your arrival time doesn’t align with standard hours. Checkout is at 11:00 AM, though Globalists receive guaranteed 4pm late checkout.

I have stayed here five or six times and have been given a suite upgrade every time! Sometimes I used my Globalist suite upgrade certificates to confirm in advance, but a couple of times I just booked a standard room and received an upgrade to an Executive Suite. They take very good care of their globalists here!

Rooms and Suites

The Thompson Nashville has 224 guest rooms and suites across its 12-story building. All rooms feature the same design elements—floor-to-ceiling windows, hardwood floors, sliding barn doors, midcentury modern furnishings, and rainfall showers—but the suites add significantly more space and separation.

I normally end up in an Executive Suite, which measures 767 square feet and includes a separate bedroom with a king bed, plus a living area with dining space.

An entry foyer welcomes you into the suite, and the bedroom has a door separating it from the living area (unlike junior suites, where the spaces typically flow into each other without a full separation). The living area includes a sofa, a lounge chair, and a dining table with mid-century modern seating.

The suite also includes a custom honor bar stocked with local spirits and recipes from Nashville bartenders, plus hardwood floors and Sferra luxury linens throughout.

The bathroom has a double vanity with brushed brass fixtures, a separate rainfall shower, and a clawfoot bathtub.

Restaurants and Bars

The Thompson Nashville has three food and beverage outlets: Marsh House (the main restaurant), L.A. Jackson (the rooftop bar), and Killebrew Coffee (the lobby coffee shop).

Killebrew Coffee is just off the lobby and serves the quick coffee and breakfast crowd. I stop here every time I stay—the pastries are excellent (they’re made at Marsh House and brought over fresh), and it’s the perfect spot for grabbing coffee before heading out for the day.

Marsh House is the hotel’s signature restaurant on the ground floor. The menu focuses on sustainably sourced seafood and Southern-inspired cuisine. I have had breakfast and lunch here and both were great.

L.A. Jackson is the rooftop bar and restaurant on the top floor, and it’s become one of Nashville’s hottest spots for locals and visitors alike. The space is indoor-outdoor with views over the Gulch and downtown Nashville skyline. I don’t know why, but I have never gone up there for a drink.

Amenities

The Thompson Nashville has a 24-hour fitness center on the second floor with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking 11th Avenue. The gym isn’t huge—especially for a 224-room hotel—but it has enough equipment for a solid workout if you’re not competing for machines.

Pet-Friendly

The Thompson Nashville is pet-friendly with no pet fees—you just fill out a form at check-in. We’ve brought our dog Chewy multiple times, and the staff has always been great with him. They provide dog beds and welcome treats, and everyone from the front desk to the valet team goes out of their way to make him feel welcome, which makes traveling with him much easier.

Final Thoughts

The Thompson Nashville delivers exactly what you want from a boutique hotel in Nashville—a great location in the Gulch that puts you close to everything without dealing with the Broadway tourist crowds, strong food and beverage options (the rooftop bar alone is worth visiting even if you’re not staying here), and consistently good service throughout the property. The rooms feel modern and well-designed, and if you can snag an Executive Suite upgrade, you’re getting real separation between bedroom and living space rather than the typical “junior suite” layout most hotels pass off as a one-bedroom.

For Globalists, this is an easy choice. You get full Hyatt benefits (no SLH-style dilution), the breakfast credit works at both Marsh House and Killebrew, and the valet parking waiver saves you about $50 per day. The pet-friendly policy with no fees is a bonus—we’ve brought Chewy multiple times, and the staff has always been great with him.

I highly recommend staying here is you are going visit Nashville and want to get away from the Broadway scene!