The Getaway: The Joseph

Under City Lights

The downtown hotel is the perfect launching pad as you get to know Music City

THE VIBE: Set in Nashville’s buzzy SoBro (South of Broadway) district, the Joseph exudes urbane luxury. Outfitted with a hundreds of contemporary art installations, the space is sophisticated and full of whimsical touches, from the neon poetry that marks their casual rooftop restaurant to seven self-watering living plant walls throughout the property (featuring fourteen thousand plants, to be exact). The rooms are handsome with leather seating, mother-of-pearl detailing, and copper accents, plus there are Audio-Technica turntables connected to Bose speakers in each, along with a hand-selected set of albums to explore. And at Rose, the twenty-first-floor spa and salon, each treatment starts with a foot scrub and soak.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD: The thrill of downtown Nashville—live music everywhere, upscale restaurants, cocktail bars, and honky tonks—is within steps of the Joseph, as is the Cumberland River, viewable from many of the rooms. Don’t miss iconic nearby spots like Martin’s Bar-B-Que, Arnold’s Meat & Three, and Robert’s Western World.

THE FOOD SCENE: Morning espresso and pastries await in the Lobby Bar (as do light lunches and cocktails later on) while Denim, the rooftop indoor-outdoor bar, provides sturdier fare. Start with Mediterranean-style ceviche topped with microgreens paired with a cocktail like the Hey Mambo, made with Rittenhouse rye, a San Pellegrino blood orange reductions, sage, and bitters. But don’t skip the pizzas and house-cut frites showered with parmigiano-reggiano. Back at street-level in Yolan, high ceilings, gold accents, and more greenery set the scene for a posh Italian dining experience. Chef Tony Mantuano (last of Spiaggia in Chicago) and his team put out composed plates of roasted duck with tufts of compressed apple and creamy sweet potato puree, a pitch-perfect cacio e pepe, and octopus layered with ’Njuda, market beans, briny olives, and crispy chips. His wife, Cathy, oversees the wine list, which is full of lesser-known gems—let the somms be your guide. Desserts, like a huckleberry torte with cream and chai streusel, are happy notes to end on.

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