In the past decade, Nashville has welcomed a flourishing collection of five-star and luxury branded hotels. But in a time when our city feels like it’s losing its character with every passing day, The Chloe, spanning two reimagined 1920s Craftsman cottages in Hillsboro Village, feels like the boutique property we needed.
The Hotel
On a leafy side street a few blocks away from Vanderbilt University, Robert LeBlanc, founder of the New Orleans-based hospitality group LeBlanc + Smith, has created a historic haven for visitors and locals alike. You’ll find embroidered Bellino linens, Wonder Valley bath products, custom Lekha robes, and Marshall record players that lean into the bohemian vibe, while the upholstery, wallpaper, artwork, and historic elements lend a layered, lived-in style to each of the 19 sleeping spaces.
Everything feels relaxed and welcoming starting with the entryway, flanked by wildflowers and hydrangeas, and dotted with fringed umbrellas and rattan chairs that create enchanting nooks throughout the shared outdoor spaces. Inside, dim lights, layers of velvets, woods, and worn leather are juxtaposed with an airy pink palette outdoors. Then there’s the pool. A petite splash of blue surrounded by cushy striped loungers topped with thick towels just begging for a long sit with a frozen drink. (Pro tip: Daily pool passes are available for non-guests so you could hit the pool and enjoy happy hour.)
Eat
Chef Matt Regan, of Sylvain and Emeril’s fame, oversees the all-day restaurant, The Chloe, with a menu that pays homage to Southern fare with some elevated twists. Breakfast is included with every stay, either in your room or on the property, so be sure to get your order card out the night before if you want to wake up to a fried chicken biscuit bathing in honey or a fresh fruit smoothie in bed. The lunch menu features some distinctly New Orleans mains: Shrimp and grits, Cochon de Lait sandwich, and a shrimp roll with bright, herby aioli.
If the weather is in favor, don’t skip dinner on the breezy patio overlooking the pool deck. Start with something like pimento cheese with fried saltines and add a pickle plate—the pickle program is big here, with anything from radishes to apples getting a zingy, vinegar soak. Follow with the charred broccoli and cauliflower salad with Romesco sauce or an anchovy flecked Caesar, and finish with the blackened, butter-crusted redfish. There’s also a killer smashburger available for lunch and dinner and just about every table in the house was busy dipping fries in aioli the night we dined, so add that to the list, too. Even if you don’t think you saved room for dessert, two bites of the brown butter ice cream sandwich, with two ultra-thin crispy praline cookies on each side, is a must.
Drink
Three separate bars are spread across the hotel’s first floor. Whether you’re sipping a frozen daiquiri poolside, a perfectly poured vieux carre or sazerac perched on a bar stool, or a glass of wine in front of the fireplace in the lounge, the service is relaxed, never rushed, encouraging you to slow down and savor the thoughtfully designed spaces. Happy hour is offered Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., with classic cocktails, house wine, and a limited beer selection alongside a small selection of tasty snacks. And locals will rejoice to discover free street parking is available at the property.
About Those Coyotes
You’ll spot a coyote theme on the menus, woven into rugs, as brass knockers on the hotel room doors (where you use real keys to enter). It’s a Nashville-riff on the alligator theme at The Chloe in New Orleans—animals that are revered in folklore, but you wouldn’t want to encounter in your own backyard.
