Airbnb or Hotel? Nashville’s Bode May Just Be the Best of Both!

For a lot of visitors to Nashville, seeking out an “authentic” Music City experience is a top priority on their trip. Where do the locals eat? What’s the best hot chicken joint? Which honky tonks have the best bands and the coldest beer? What’s it really like to live in this vibrant city?

Unfortunately, some of the answers to these questions are not found along the neon rainbow of Lower Broad. While it’s certainly entertaining, the tourist district is not necessarily the best place to stay if you want to discover all that Nashville has to offer. Even in a room in one of downtown’s tall luxury hotels, quirky boutique properties or a short term rental along the river, the experience is still not always ideal for the most bona fide view of Nashville life. Or for sleeping, for that matter.

However, there’s a new lodging option just on the outskirts of the urban core that offers an entirely different vibe within an easy walk of the entertainment of Broadway’s honky tonks. Bode is located at 401 Second Ave South in a converted apartment building and prides itself on offering the best of hotel amenities in an environment that’s more like having your own Music City apartment. The company originally started out with the goal to be a short term rental management company, but then pivoted their business plan to focus on becoming a quasi-hotel.

The first thing you’ll notice when arriving at Bode is that they actually have ample free parking in a surface lot reserved for guests, a real rarity downtown! Park your car if you drove or send your ride share driver off with five stars and a tip and walk through the front door for another surprise. There’s not really a lobby at Bode. Instead, the main gathering spot is what they call “The Hub,” an indoor/outdoor space that is where guests check in and receive whatever services they need combined with a coffee house/cafe, a small market, a full bar and quiet work spaces if you need to actually accomplish something constructive during your stay.

The renovated apartment complex offers all sorts of flexibility in accommodations for just about any size group of travelers. With 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-bedroom units, including some that can be connected to create suites, travelers can opt for privacy or group living. The larger lodgings include full chef’s kitchens, multiple bathrooms and fully furnished living room spaces where groups can gather for communal living and dining. The rooms are each uniquely decorated with all sorts of Nashville memorabilia, record players and albums, guitars hanging on the walls that you can use if songwriting inspiration strikes you, smart televisions and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. A few of the rooms even have pool tables or ping pong tables in the main living area.

Most rooms feature balconies with views of the downtown skyline or the attractive courtyards of Bode, and some even boast their own little strips of private yards. Common outdoor spaces feature fire pits, a small performance stage for happy hour band concerts, picnic tables, outdoor games like table tennis and cornhole, BBQ grills and a covered pavilion with televisions showing big games on weekends. While Nashville is a fantastic dining town, sometimes it’s nice (and cheaper) to enjoy a meal in your own room with your fellow travelers. That’s where those fully-equipped kitchens come in handy. Not only do they have all the necessary appliances, cookware, plates, cocktail and barware you’d need to throw a proper dinner party, they’ll even arrange to go shopping and stock the kitchen with food for you if you email them in advance. While you of course have to pay for that perk, the rooms do come stocked with premium coffee from local premium roasters Stay Golden and high-end coffee makers to prepare your morning pot. The small market in The Hub is also loaded up with all sorts of kitchen staples to satisfy your hunger needs from breakfast snacks like bagels and cereal to late night ramen cravings. They also sell beer and wine to stock your fridge with.

Although Bode is great for the single business traveler looking for the comforts of home or for groups that want to spend time together on vacation, the property also strives to create a sense of togetherness among all their guests. Drop into The Hub during their generous happy hour top meet your fellow guests over a cocktail or a local craft beer, and you might find out the skinny on the best places to eat in the neighborhood or where that hot band is playing tonight. The helpful Bode staff will also be happy to offer assistance like a casual cross between a good friend and a concierge.

You’d think with about a hundred rooms and all this fun going on, Bode might be a little noisy for a good night’s sleep, but guests tend to take advantage of The Hub and all that outdoor space for their late-night fun, and it’s still a whole site better than the decibel levels of Lower Broad. When you compare the rates with other hotels on a per bed basis, Bode is a great deal, and who wants the party to end just because you get back to the hotel and have to retire to your separate rooms? That’s not a problem at Bode where you can live like a local and party like a VIP!

Bode
401 2nd Ave S, Nashville, TN 37201
(844) 431-2633
www.bode.co/bode-downtown-nashville-hotel-alternative