Nashville Unscripted · Where to Stay in Nashville
A 1900 train station with a 65-foot stained-glass ceiling, a first-floor room with its own private patio, and Broadway a short walk away. Here’s our honest review of Union Station Nashville Yards.
We checked into The Union Station Nashville Yards, part of Marriott’s Autograph Collection, on a Thursday in September 2026, in a room with two queen beds and a private patio. It’s one of the most historic hotels in Nashville, a National Historic Landmark with 125 rooms, and it sits right on Broadway next to the Frist Art Museum. Here’s what the stay was actually like, from the airport to checkout.
The Quick Answer
Is Union Station Hotel Nashville Worth Booking?
Yes. Our 391-square-foot two-queen room came with a private stone-arch patio, we got into it early, and we walked to Broadway, Bridgestone Arena, and the Frist. Skip it if you need a pool on site or you’re a very light sleeper.
Check Union Station Rates →Getting There From BNA: Follow the “RIDE APP” Signs
From baggage claim at Nashville International Airport, rideshare pickup is a short walk across the street to Level 1 of the garage. Look for overhead signs that say RIDE APP, since Uber and Lyft pick up in separate spots. Our ride to downtown took about 20 minutes at 1pm and cost around $25 with tip. See our Nashville rideshare guide for surge times to avoid.
Check-In: Early, Easy, and on the “Third” Floor
Official check-in is 4pm, but we arrived around 1:30 and our room was ready after just a few minutes’ wait. That wait happened in one of the most beautiful lobbies in the South, so we weren’t complaining.
One thing that confuses nearly every first-timer: the lobby is on the third floor, which is street level. The building sits above the old rail yard, so floors are numbered from track level up. When the front desk says your room is on the first floor, that means two levels below the street, down where the trains once ran.
The Grand Lobby: Stained Glass, Chandeliers, and History
The lobby is the reason many people book this hotel. It’s the station’s original two-story main hall, crowned by a 65-foot barrel-vaulted stained-glass ceiling, with marble floors, tiered crystal chandeliers, and wrought-iron balconies wrapping the upper level. The Bar Car, the lobby bar, sits right off the main floor, and when we came through around 5:30pm there was live music playing.
The history runs deep. Union Station opened on October 9, 1900, for the Louisville & Nashville Railroad, and it was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1977. Al Capone was escorted through on his way to prison, and during World War II tens of thousands of soldiers said goodbye to their families in this very hall before shipping out. The station closed in 1979 and was later restored as a hotel. For a strange bonus fact: from 1900 to 1919, live alligators lived in pools at track level.
The Room: Two Queens and a Private Stone-Arch Patio
Our 2 Queen room was listed at 391 square feet, and it felt spacious: warm hardwood floors, crown molding, two queens set against one long channel-tufted headboard, reading sconces with built-in outlets on both sides, a leather armchair, and a Nespresso machine with bottled water. Robes were hanging in the closet.
The real surprise was outside. Our first-floor room opened through French doors onto a private patio built into the station’s original limestone arches, with a slatted wood pergola, a cushioned L-shaped bench, trees overhead, and a slice of the Nashville skyline. Drinking a morning espresso out there was the highlight of the stay, and my daughter said the whole hotel felt genuinely relaxing, which is rare this close to Broadway.
Two small notes. The thermostat was set to 68 when we walked in, a thoughtful touch but chilly for two desert dwellers coming from Las Vegas. And while the room technically “sleeps 4,” two queens are ideal for two adults, fine for a family with young kids, and cozy for four grown-ups.
Patio Rooms: Know Before You Book
The first-floor patio rooms sit at track level, near the rail line (you can see freight cars beyond the fence) and close to The Trestle, the hotel’s open-air event space. The hotel told us a wedding was being held outside the night we stayed. If you’re a light sleeper, ask about events when you book, or request a higher floor.
The Bathroom: Walk-In Rain Shower and a Backlit Mirror
The bathroom is roomy and modern: a large walk-in shower with a sliding glass door, a rain showerhead, and gray marble-look tile, plus a backlit mirror, a vessel sink, a lighted makeup mirror, and a vanity with open shelves of rolled towels. Toiletries are full-size pump bottles. There’s no bathtub in this room type.
Amenities: Pickleball, Lawn Games, and No Pool
Dinkville Under Broad
Pickleball & Mini Golf · Next to the Hotel
Five covered pickleball courts and a nine-hole putting course sit under the Broadway Bridge, with a vintage train-tunnel mural on the back wall. A session is one of the destination-fee perks.
The Alligator Bar
Outdoor Bar · Beneath the Broadway Bridge
A casual open-air bar with beer, cocktails, and light bites, named for the station’s alligator pools. Happy hour runs Monday through Thursday, 4 to 7pm. Hours are seasonal.
The Garden Lawn
Picnic Tables · Giant Jenga · String Lights
A turf lawn tucked against the original stone walls, with picnic tables and lawn games. It’s a nice spot for a drink before dinner.
Fitness Center
Life Fitness Equipment · Original Brick Columns
Modern bikes, ellipticals, and weight benches set among the building’s exposed original brick columns, with a “You Look Fine” mural for motivation.
No Pool (But There’s a Workaround)
Pool Pass Available at the Hyatt Next Door
Union Station doesn’t have a pool. If that’s a dealbreaker, you can buy a pool pass at the Hyatt across the street.
Dining: Stationairy, The Bar Car, and Weekly Deals
Stationairy, the hotel restaurant, serves brunch from 7am to 1pm on weekdays and until 2pm on weekends, and dinner from 5 to 10pm daily. The Bar Car lobby bar opens at 1pm Monday through Thursday, 2pm Friday and Saturday, and 4pm Sunday. Weeknights have a rotating lineup: Jazz Mondays at Stationairy at 5:30pm, half-price wine bottles and signature cocktails for Tennessee residents on Tuesdays, and half-price whiskey pours at The Bar Car on Wednesdays.
We didn’t eat on property this trip. We walked a few blocks to Whole Foods for lunch and snacks for the room, grabbed tacos at Chilangos in Assembly Food Hall at Broadway and 5th (quick and good), and picked up Hattie B’s to go. Tip: order Hattie B’s online if the line is long; ours was ready in about five minutes.
The Destination Fee: What It Includes
Union Station charges a daily destination fee. In return, you get a daily $16 food and beverage credit at the hotel’s restaurants and bars, a daily welcome gift, upgraded Wi-Fi, and a daily activity: either a pickleball or putt-putt session at Dinkville, or two tickets to the Frist Art Museum next door. Marriott Bonvoy Gold members and above also get free coffee and tea at Stationairy.
We chose the Frist tickets, and they turned into the best part of our trip. Adult admission is $20, so two tickets alone cover a good chunk of the fee. Read our Frist Art Museum guide →
Location: Steps From Broadway, the Frist, and Bridgestone
You can walk almost everywhere from here. The Frist is essentially next door, Bridgestone Arena and Lower Broadway are about a 10-minute walk, and Assembly Food Hall is right at Broadway and 5th. Staying here means you can skip downtown parking entirely, which is a real savings in Nashville.
Who Union Station Hotel Nashville Is Really For
Great for: history and architecture lovers, couples, mother-daughter trips like ours, and anyone who wants to walk to Broadway but sleep somewhere calmer than a honky-tonk hotel. The patio rooms are a standout for travelers who like a little outdoor space.
Not ideal for: families who want a pool on site, very light sleepers in the track-level patio rooms on event nights, and groups of four adults trying to share one two-queen room.
The Verdict
Union Station Nashville Yards delivered more than we expected: an early check-in, a private patio in a 125-year-old stone train station, a lobby that stops you in your tracks, and free museum tickets that became the highlight of the trip. The destination fee and the lack of a pool are real trade-offs, but the location and the history more than make up for them. We’d stay again, and we’d request a patio room.
Ready to Book?
Stay at Union Station Nashville Yards
Rates change daily, and patio rooms go fast. Check current prices and request a first-floor patio room when you book.
Check Union Station Rates → Browse Nashville VRBOs →Union Station Hotel Nashville FAQ
Does Union Station Hotel Nashville have a pool?
No. Union Station Nashville Yards doesn’t have a pool, but guests can buy a pool pass at the Hyatt across the street.
What time is check-in at Union Station Nashville Yards?
Official check-in is 4pm. We arrived around 1:30pm on a Thursday and our room was ready after a short wait, so early check-in is worth asking about.
What floor is the lobby on at Union Station Nashville?
The lobby is on the third floor, which is street level. Floors are numbered from the old track level up, so first-floor rooms are two levels below the street.
What does the Union Station destination fee include?
A daily $16 food and beverage credit, a daily welcome gift, upgraded Wi-Fi, and a daily activity: a Dinkville pickleball or putt-putt session, or two Frist Art Museum tickets.
Is Union Station Hotel within walking distance of Broadway?
Yes. Lower Broadway and Bridgestone Arena are about a 10-minute walk, and the Frist Art Museum is right next door.
Do Union Station rooms have patios?
Some first-floor rooms have private patios set into the station’s original stone arches. Request one when you book, and note they’re closer to the event space and rail line.
→ Frist Art Museum Nashville 2026: Tickets, Hours, Parking & What’s On
→ Nashville Rideshare Guide 2026: Uber, Lyft & What to Know
→ Nashville Broadway Bars: What’s Inside Every Honky Tonk
→ Things to Do in Nashville: The Complete Guide
→ Nashville Parking Guide 2026: Every Option, Every Neighborhood
We paid for our own stay. Rates, fees, dining hours, and amenities were accurate as of September 2026 and can change, so confirm details with the hotel before booking. This post contains affiliate links.