Kimpton Aertson Hotel

The place

Beside Music Row in Midtown Nashville, the Kimpton Aertson takes an industrial line — concrete columns, exposed wooden ceilings, contemporary furniture, objects chosen with care. Sleek rather than loud, despite the neighborhood.

Its 180 rooms and suites hold the same tension: concrete and wood, softened by elegant leather headboards, touches of Carrara marble, custom artwork. The essentials are all accounted for.

The pool is the reward — outdoors on the eighth floor, looking across to Vanderbilt University. A fully equipped gym and a spa sit below. At Henley, a modern brasserie, Southern flavors meet French technique.