I can’t even lie to you: any time I go somewhere, my favorite part of trip planning is figuring out which hotel I’m staying at. Sure, you aren’t in your room much, but ultimately the hotel you choose is your home away from home and can make or break your trip.
When my photographer, Kelsey, and I decided we were going to Nashville, I immediately knew that I was booking us a room at The Graduate Hotel in Midtown. Fun fact: I’ve actually wanted to stay here for a long time! It all started 3 years ago, when I first stepped foot inside this property to visit White Limozeen, Dolly Parton’s famous bar. I’ve actually heard The Graduate commonly referred to as “the Dolly Parton hotel” for this exact reason! From then on, staying at The Graduate Nashville was on my bucket list. Now that I can check that off, I thought I’d bring you my official hotel review!
- Fun Fact: The first time Kelsey and I took a trip together was when we went to New York City. I was in the very beginning stages of creating my travel blog, and I knew I needed some epic photos (check out some of her photography on the Brooklyn Bridge here!). Although we had an incredible weekend, the hotel we stayed at was…not cute…so I knew I had to redeem myself in Nashville!
Nashville, Tennessee
The Graduate Hotel
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One thing about me is I love an aesthetic hotel. Of course, it also has to be clean, welcoming, in a safe central location, and have good amenities…but assuming all of those boxes are checked, hotels with the best ambiance win me over every time. Needless to say, The Graduate has all of the above. In this post, I cover the lobby, our hotel suite, dining and bars, amenities, and more.
Overview of The Graduate
The Graduate Hotel is a 4 star hotel in Nashville, owned by Hilton. It’s located in Midtown, and is a 5-10 minute drive to popular places like Broadway Street, The Gulch, and 12South. It’s also less than a 10 minute walk to Winners & Losers’s, another popular Nashville bar.
The Graduate is the perfect mix of southern country charm meets NashVegas glam, which, of course, I’m going to show you in the photos below. But don’t worry – she’s more than just a pretty face! The amenities – such as the gym, coffee bar, and the rental bikes – are simply more reasons to love staying here. Keep reading for my entire Graduate Hotel Nashville review!
Checking In – The Hotel Lobby
As soon as Kelsey and I came in, we were greeted by the friendly hotel staff and a large wall mount of Minnie Pearl, designed by Margaret Timbrell. I thought the entire setup was very welcoming and inviting. Not only that, but every guest I saw in the lobby area just seemed so happy. There were numerous groups of people coming in and out, and everyone looked like they were having a good time. I loved how the entire place was just filled with positive energy.
The Lobby and Common Areas
If you’ve clicked on my Aesthetics section of this website, you know that I think the visual vibe or atmosphere of a place plays an important role in how people feel and directly impacts their experience. In every Graduate Hotel, the the lobby and common areas are always decorated around a creative theme to entice their guests. Like I mentioned above, the theme here in Nashville was country glam. I absolutely loved this lobby.
One of my favorite things about the design of The Graduate Nashville is how every room has different patterns and fabrics that you would never think to put together, but they all just work. The common seating area in the lobby is a great example of this. The plaid chairs, butterfly wallpaper, and different colored lamps together with the greenery and massive windows makes for one of the most enticing places to sit and enjoy the morning.
Right past the check-in desk is an area with a bunch of different colored couches and more tables facing the windows. Obviously, hotel lobbies need to have ample seating areas, but I LOVED that there were so many options here. A little further past this was the gorgeous coffee bar, Poindexter, which I talk more about later in this post. I think this area is perfect to gather and socialize while sipping on your latte. Oh, and the people! The people were so friendly down here. Kelsey and I had so much fun talking to everyone from the guests to the hotel staff.
Hotel Rooms – A Look Inside a Suite at The Graduate
Say it with me: THE AESTHETICS. The femininity. The classic, pink, southern boutique charm. Imagine your dream childhood bedroom, except better.
But seriously – when Kelsey and I opened the door to our suite room, we were blown away by how beautiful everything was. Both of us agreed we have never stayed in a hotel room that looked anything like this or had this much character. A lot of hotels I’ve been to really put a lot of effort into their lobbies, bars, and common areas, but The Graduate really went the extra mile to include that effort in their rooms too.
- The suite rooms at The Graduate would be the perfect choice for anyone planning a girls weekend, birthday, or bachelorette party. If you need some ideas and inspo, check out my other post, The Best Girls Weekend in Nashville.
The Bedroom Area
While the entire bedroom area is beautiful, the bed is by far the focal point. Immediately, my eyes went to the adorable photo of Dolly hanging above our bed. It felt like she was our fairy godmother, giving us the best vacation! The bed was super comfortable, and we each had our own nightstand and lamp. At night, the large windows allowed us to see the lights from the city.
I loved how much storage space there was in our room. Across from the bed was a dresser with a TV and complimentary snacks, and to the right was a large armoire with mirrors. The table on the right of the dresser has a phone, notepad, and coffee.
Similar to the lobby, the bedroom has an array of colors and patterns that are totally unrelated but somehow go together perfectly. I love how the striped wallpaper seamlessly tied into the florals on the bed curtains and the blue accents on the lamps and throw pillow. All the attention to detail gave the room so much charm!
The Bathroom
My favorite thing about the bathroom in our suite was how spacious it was. I liked that the shower was a large size, and the light with the guitar fixtures on each end was a cute touch. In each shower, there is shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel by Malin + Goetz, which smells amazing.
- Pro Tip: The hairdryer, along with extra towels and washcloths, are kept in the armoire in the bedroom
- Is it just me, or are black bathrooms popping up everywhere nowadays? Regardless, I’m here for it.
The dark walls paired with the gold accents and soft pink shower tile were stunning! The only downside to the bathroom being dark is the lighting wasn’t great for makeup. Kelsey and I did our makeup in the bedroom in front of the huge armoire mirror, where we had all the natural light from the windows. There also wasn’t a ton of space on either side of the sink for us to each put our bathroom essentials, but this was hardly a dealbreaker.
The Living Area
The living area is actually what you see when you first open the door to the suite. I loved how there were multiple places for people to sit and gather. Across the room, there was a tv and a bookshelf with coffee table books about things related to country music. I found the colors in this room to be so relaxing, especially when the sun came in from the windows.
The gold mirror was one of my favorite touches in this room. I loved how there was one acoustic and one electric guitar crossed at the top, symbolizing some of the different sounds that encompass country music. It’s the details for me.
Hotel Bars & Restaurants
White Limozeen
The first time I ever came to The Graduate Nashville, I came for White Limozeen, Dolly Parton’s famous bar. It’s pink, it’s feminine, it’s every cowgirl’s dream. There’s also a rooftop patio with a pool, which I talk about more below. I would recommend coming here for pre-dinner drinks and apps.
- Pro Tip: While I love the most of the drinks here, I was not particularly fond of the espresso martinis because they aren’t made with Baileys. If you, like me, enjoy a creamier version of this drink, ask the bartender to throw some Baileys in.
- (Another) Pro Tip: White Limozeen is open daily for lunch, dinner and drinks, plus weekend brunch. Must be 21+
Check out my post, Step Inside Dolly Parton’s Photo-Worthy Bar in Nashville, for a more in-depth look inside White Limozeen.
The Governor’s Pool* at White Limozeen
Did you really expect Dolly Parton to have a pink beach cabana themed bar without a pool? Before you get too excited, note that The Governor’s Pool is owned by White Limozeen and is actually NOT a hotel amenity. In other words, you don’t get perks or free access to the pool just for being a hotel guest without making a reservation. However, I included it in this section because it is located at The Graduate Nashville, and I didn’t want you to get there and think, “WTF, this b*tch didn’t tell me we had A POOL?!”
As you can imagine, the pool books up fast. Like, really fast. There was no availability for the time that Kelsey and I went, so we did not get to have our Dolly Parton pool experience. You are still able to hang out on the rooftop bar and sit under pink umbrellas, just not directly in the pool area.
Cross-Eyed Critters
Cross-Eyed Critters is a fun, animatronic karaoke bar on the ground floor of The Graduate. When you walk in, there’s a stage with furry woodland animal creatures that is kind of cheesy, but also kind of cute. Kelsey and I popped in here about a half hour before closing time, so we had the bar to ourselves…but I’ve been told it can get pretty packed in here! Think of it as a loud, rowdy contrast to White Limozeen.
Aside from the life-size furry animals, this bar is actually kind of chic. Part of me wants to call it a dive bar, but it’s just too pretty for that term. In fact, it’s one of the prettiest rustic bars I’ve ever been to. It’s the kind you see in movies where the girl goes to get an unsuspecting drink after a bad breakup and meets the love of her life. (I mean…it didn’t happen to me, but it could happen to you!)
Their bar menu features a small cocktail list and small bites. I’m not sure how often the cocktail list changes, but when I was there, they had a tequila drink called Cruel Summer that I will forever regret not trying (I know, I know…but I was too full from the beer I had earlier). If you are a tequila girl and tried this drink, feel free to contribute to my FOMO by telling me how it was in the comments!
- Pro Tip: Cross-Eyed Critters is only open on Thursdays-Saturdays from 8:00pm – 2:00 am and does NOT accept reservations. Must be 21+.
Poindexter Coffee
I don’t know about you, but there’s something about a hotel having a really aesthetically-pleasing coffee bar that just sends me. This cute little lobby café serves coffee & tea, breakfast, seasonal pastries, and other food items. I can attest that they make amazing lattes – do yourself a favor and get one with cinnamon and oat milk.
- Pro Tip: If you’re a hotel guest, you can order ahead by scanning the QR code on the back of your room key. Just another reason to stay here IMO 😉
Hotel Perks & Amenities
Complimentary Bicycles
The Graduate has the cutest green bicycles that you are able to rent if you don’t want to explore the city on foot but also don’t want to rent a car or call an Uber. Kelsey and I had too many other things planned and didn’t get a chance to ride one, but if I went back, this is something I would definitely consider doing. Nashville is flat, so biking would be easy and fun. You could even bike to the shopping areas (12South and The Gulch) that I mentioned above.
Fitness Center
For those who like to start the day with a workout, The Graduate has a fitness center located on the 2nd floor of the hotel. The first thing I noticed when I walked in were the windows…they are large and let a lot of light in. Call me crazy, but I love when gyms have large windows and natural sunlight because it makes me feel energized.
There are free weights, cardio machines, a functional trainer, and stability balls. For you Peloton enthusiasts, they also have Peloton bikes, so you never have to miss a workout class.
The White Limozeen Experience
YES, honey, The Graduate makes it possible to ride around Nashville in your very own white limousine (well, it’s their limo, but you get what I’m saying). For a base price of $200/hour, you & 3 friends can hop into a restored 1990 white Cadillac stretch limo and paint the town. Beverages from White Limozeen are included, with optional add-ons.
If that sounds a little out of your price range, you can also pay $150 for the limo to pick you up and/or drop you off at the airport. You can have your own celebrity moment, and hey…for all they know, you’re country music’s next big thing. Keep them guessing 😉
Other Notable Amenities
- Pet friendly
- Valet parking available ($55/day)
- In-Room Rightwater and snacks
- Luxury shampoo/conditioner
- Free WiFi
The Outside Patio
I couldn’t end this post without highlighting the outside patio. Out front, there is this adorable little area with greenery and flowers that you can come to and sip your morning coffee, wait for your Uber, or just enjoy the morning. At night, the string lights create the most gorgeous ambiance, so you could even spend your evening out here if you weren’t quite ready to call it a night.
Summary – Staying at The Graduate Nashville
By now, I think it’s obvious how much I loved my stay! Every time someone asks me which hotel I recommend in Nashville, I always tell them The Graduate due to the location, hospitality, aesthetics, and amenities. Jump to my links above to book your stay!
