Nashville is full of large, commercial hotels that are built for those looking to enjoy the Broadway scene. But if you’re headed to Music City looking for a more enchanting experience, look slightly west of downtown and find your way to Sylvan Park Boarding House. This luxury bed-and-breakfast is situated in a circa-1910 home in one of the city’s idyllic, though changing, neighborhoods, offering up eight guest suites that offer charm and comfort without standing in the center of the action.
Owner Erin Tolbert took five years to update the property, which includes the historic home plus a restaurant set just behind it, called Tantísimo. (The Latin restaurant provides the “breakfast” element of a stay here which is included, but it’s also an excellent spot for dinner.) Each suite, all with en-suite bathrooms and walk-in showers, boasts its own design and is named for a notable local, like The Lovell, named for entrepreneur Frank Lovell who operated one of the first grocery stores in West Nashville—an antler chandelier, horses on the curtains, and a jaunty original cowboy painting give this one a Western flair.
Downstairs, a wide front porch is outfitted for lounging, the manicured lawn is set for games and relaxation, and the communal areas are full of snacks and beverages. A courtyard connects the inn to the restaurant and through that hallway, you’ll find a cabinet stores all kinds of games and card sets for endless entertainment.
- On-Site Dining: The attached restaurant Tantísimo, run by owner and chef Ana Aguilar, is one of the city’s most exciting new restaurants with a constantly changing menu of Latin dishes like papas with salsa cremosa, Mexican-style ceviches, and their beloved warm bolillo bread served with chorizo butter. There are plenty of other options near the heart of Sylvan Park, including Answer, Antoinette’s Wine & Provisions, Edley’s Bar-B-Que, and more.
- Neighborhood: Sylvan Park remains one of Nashville’s most charming neighborhoods, and while a mix of new development has changed the housing landscape, it remains a family-friendly community full of historic homes. Nearby Richland Park hosts one of the city’s most vibrant farmers markets each Saturday and you’re walking distance from the McCabe Community Center and Richland Greenway.
- Don’t Miss: Grab a can of wine or cocktail from the fridge and enjoy an early-evening porch hang, waving hello to the neighbors as they stroll by.
