By Travis Doody
Updated August 28, 2026
The Nash is a 144-room boutique hotel in Nashville's Printers Alley, one block from Lower Broadway. We stayed in August 2026 and rate it 4.5 out of 5 — excellent location, genuinely warm service, and far more character than the convention towers nearby.
The one thing to know before you compare prices: two mandatory charges add about $95 a night that never appear in the rate you see on booking sites.
And if you were looking for the Bobby Hotel — this is it. The property was renamed The Nash on 1 March 2026 when it joined the Opal Collection. Same building, same 144 rooms, same address. Only the name changed.
The Nash at a glance
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Property | The Nash — formerly Bobby Hotel Nashville, renamed 1 March 2026 |
| Location | Printers Alley, downtown — one block off Lower Broadway |
| Size | 144 rooms and suites |
| Experience fee | $30 per night, mandatory |
| Parking | Valet only, about $65 per night plus tax |
| Minimum age | 21 to reserve and to check in |
| Rooftop pool | Seasonal, hotel guests only |
| Walk to Broadway | About 3 minutes |
| Our rating | 4.5 out of 5 |
Best for: couples and small groups who want character, a walkable downtown base, and will use the rooftop.
Skip it if: anyone in your party is under 21, you need a real in-room fridge, or $65-a-night valet breaks the budget.
Nicest surprise: fresh cookies, bottled water and an assortment of apples on every floor — not just in the lobby.
Rates and policies below were verified against the hotel's own published information on 28 August 2026. Hotels change them; confirm before booking.
Is The Nash the same as the Bobby Hotel?
Yes. The Bobby Hotel was renamed The Nash on 1 March 2026 when it joined the Opal Collection. Same building, same 144 rooms and suites, same address at 230 4th Avenue North. Only the name and brand affiliation changed.
Much of the web has not caught up. The hotel's own site still carries “formerly Bobby Hotel Nashville” in its page titles, and you will find booking pages and directory entries under the old name — some with URLs that literally read bobby-hotel.
If someone recommended “the Bobby” to you, this is the hotel they meant. The name comes from a long-standing nickname for Nashville itself.
One practical tip: search both names. Most of the substantive guest writing about this property predates March 2026 and is filed under Bobby Hotel. Searching only for The Nash gives you a thin, misleadingly recent picture.
What The Nash actually costs
Budget about $95 per night on top of the room rate if you are driving — $30 for the mandatory experience fee and roughly $65 for valet parking, before tax.
| Charge | Amount | Mandatory? |
|---|---|---|
| Room rate | Varies by date and season | Yes |
| Experience fee | $30 per night | Yes, every guest |
| Valet parking | About $65 per night plus tax | Only if you bring a car |
| Added per night if you drove | About $95 plus tax | Fee + valet |
Over a three-night weekend that is roughly $285 before tax — enough to change which hotel is genuinely the cheaper booking once you compare like for like.
What the $30 experience fee covers
It is not optional and it is not a gratuity. Per the hotel's published policy it covers:
- 24-hour fitness centre, including a Peloton bike
- High-speed wifi
- Nightly turndown service
- Two in-room bottled waters and in-room coffee
- The lobby refreshment station and freshly baked cookies
The policy states plainly that no portion goes to staff — so tip normally on top of it.
The complimentary touches are the best part of that fee. They kept fresh cookies, bottled water and an assortment of apples on each floor, not only in the lobby. Small on paper, but you notice it on day three when you do not have to ride down to reception for a bottle of water.
Parking: valet only, and the price is inconsistent
There is no self-parking option — which matters if you were planning to find your own garage and walk.
Worth knowing before you are quoted a number: the hotel's own website contradicts itself. Its FAQ page lists valet at $65 per night plus tax; its Policies page lists $60. We were charged the higher figure.
Confirm the rate when you book, and if you are quoted the lower one, get it in writing.
Driving down from Canada? Our Montreal to Nashville road trip guide covers the full driving budget. And because valet is close to universal downtown, where to stay in Nashville is worth reading if avoiding it matters more than being central.
Where is The Nash, and can you walk to Broadway?
Yes — it is about a three-minute walk to Lower Broadway. Printers Alley sits one block off the strip.
- Lower Broadway: about 3 minutes on foot
- Ryman Auditorium: about 5 minutes
- Country Music Hall of Fame: about 10 minutes
- Nashville International Airport (BNA): roughly 8 miles
That one block is the whole point. You are close enough to walk everywhere, without a room facing Broadway and live music until 2 a.m.
It is not silent — this is still a nightlife alley and there are bars directly below. But it is a materially quieter proposition than a Broadway-facing window, and if you sleep lightly, that block earns its keep.
For what is inside that walk, see our guides to the best bars on Broadway and things to do in Nashville.
What are the rooms like?
Comfortable, well designed, and genuinely characterful. The hotel leans into a speakeasy-ish, art-led look and it works — this place has an identity, which is more than most downtown properties manage.
There are 144 rooms and suites, from standard kings up to one- and two-bedroom suites. Some add balconies or lounge areas; select suites have wet bars or skyline terraces.
Two things to know before you book.
The mini-bar is not a mini-fridge
Our room had a mini-bar setup rather than an empty fridge you can use.
If you need real refrigeration — milk, medication, leftovers, baby bottles — request a standard mini-fridge when you book. It is a request, not a guarantee, so ask early.
The bathrooms have frosted glass walls
A design choice many modern boutique hotels have made, and reactions to it split sharply.
For a couple it may be a non-issue. For friends sharing a room, colleagues, or adult family, factor it in before you book — it is not a fault, but it is hard to un-see once you have paid.
Does The Nash have a rooftop pool?
Yes — a seasonal rooftop pool and lounge with skyline views. It is one of the better reasons to pick this hotel over a larger downtown tower.
Three caveats before you build a trip around it:
- It is seasonal. Check current operating dates, particularly outside high summer.
- It can be closed for private events. The hotel has 9,500+ square feet of event space and the rooftop is part of what it sells.
- Registered guests only, and loungers are first-come, first-served. Cabanas can be rented if you want a guaranteed spot.
If the pool is a main reason you are choosing The Nash, call ahead and confirm it will be open and unbooked during your dates. That one call is the difference between a highlight and a disappointment.
Policies worth knowing before you book
You must be 21 or older to check in
This is the rule most likely to wreck a trip. Guests must be 21 or over to reserve a room and to check in.
A 20-year-old cannot check in here even if an older person booked the room. If you are travelling with anyone in their late teens or early twenties, this hotel is not an option for them.
Check-in and check-out
Check-in 4:00 p.m., check-out 11:00 a.m. — a tight window by downtown standards, so plan your first and last day around it.
Is The Nash dog friendly?
Yes, with conditions. Well-mannered dogs are welcome, maximum two per room, leashed any time they are outside the guestroom. Room-type restrictions apply, and housekeeping needs the dog crated, leashed or out.
The hotel does not publish a dog fee. Call 615-782-7100 and ask before booking rather than assuming it is free. Service dogs are exempt from these restrictions.
Cribs
Rollaways and pack-and-plays are available; cribs are not. Worth knowing if you are travelling with an infant.
Who is The Nash best for?
Book it if
- You want a downtown boutique hotel with real character, not a convention tower.
- You are a couple or a small group.
- You will use the rooftop during pool season.
- You would rather be a block off Broadway than on it.
- The fee stack does not change your maths.
Book elsewhere if
- Anyone in your party is under 21.
- You need a real in-room fridge as standard.
- The glass bathroom would be a problem for your group.
- You are driving and $65 a night for valet breaks the budget.
- You are travelling out of season and the rooftop was the main draw.
Our verdict: is The Nash worth it?
4.5 out of 5 — yes, with one caveat about the total.
The location is excellent, the service was warm every single time, and the design gives the hotel an identity a lot of downtown properties simply lack. The cookies, water and apples on every floor are a small thing that says something true about how the place is run.
The half point comes off for the fee stack. It is high even by downtown Nashville standards, and it is not presented clearly when you book.
Compare hotels on total stay cost, not the advertised nightly rate. Do that and The Nash still holds up well — just not always as the cheap option it first appears to be.
We would stay here again.
Frequently asked questions
Is The Nash the same as the Bobby Hotel?
Yes. The Bobby Hotel in Printers Alley was renamed The Nash on 1 March 2026 when it joined the Opal Collection. It is the same 144-room property at the same address, 230 4th Avenue North. Only the name and brand affiliation changed.
What is the experience fee at The Nash?
$30 per night per room, and it is mandatory. It covers the 24-hour fitness centre, high-speed wifi, nightly turndown, two in-room bottled waters, in-room coffee, the lobby refreshment station and daily cookies. None of it goes to staff as gratuity, so tip separately.
How much is parking at The Nash Nashville?
Valet only, at about $65 per night plus tax. The hotel's FAQ page lists $65 while its policies page lists $60 — we were charged the higher figure. There is no self-parking option, so confirm the rate when you book.
Does The Nash have a rooftop pool?
Yes, with skyline views, but it is seasonal and open to registered hotel guests only. The rooftop can also be reserved for private events, so confirm availability before planning around it. Loungers are first-come, first-served; cabanas can be rented.
Is The Nash within walking distance of Broadway?
Yes. It sits in Printers Alley, one block off Lower Broadway — about a three-minute walk to the honky-tonks, five minutes to the Ryman Auditorium and roughly ten to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
How old do you have to be to stay at The Nash?
Guests must be 21 or older to reserve a room and to check in. This applies at check-in regardless of who made the booking, so a 20-year-old cannot check in even on a room booked by an older traveller.
Is The Nash dog friendly?
Yes, for well-mannered dogs, maximum two per room. Dogs must be leashed outside the guestroom and room-type restrictions apply. The hotel does not publish its dog fee — call 615-782-7100 to confirm before booking. Service dogs are exempt.
Is The Nash a good hotel for a first trip to Nashville?
For most people, yes — it is central, walkable and has more character than the large convention hotels nearby. The exceptions are groups including anyone under 21, and travellers on a tight budget who will feel the roughly $95 a night in fees and valet.
