Union Station Hotel- Nashville, TN

Opened in 1900 as an elegant urban railroad station, Nashville’s Union Station has found lasting success as an elegant luxury hotel. Far removed from the chaos of Lower Broadway, it’s a quiet oasis, filled with reminders of its past life.

Designed by Richard Montfort for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad, the massive Richardsonian Romanesque structure was a symbol of Nashville’s strategic importance to the company. Built of Bowling Green gray aslar limestone, with large semicircular arches and a clock tower capped by Mercury, the station instantly became a Nashville icon.

Inside, passengers were greeted by a 65 foot, barrel vaulted, luminous prism stained glass ceiling, highlighting the prestige associated with train travel at the time. The walls were heavily adorned with ornamentation, including two large transportation themed bas-reliefs at either end of the lobby, depicting a chariot and a locomotive, flanked by female figures “Miss Louisville” and “Miss Nashville,” believed to be modeled after Montfort’s daughters.

The station lobby boasted Italian marble floors, oak doors, wrought iron accents, and three limestone fireplaces. Curiously, there were also two alligator ponds. The station flourished for years, however, ridership declined following World War II, as increased automobile ownership caused a general decrease in passenger train travel. Service slowly dwindled until 1979, when the station was shuttered, and ownership was transferred to the General Services Administration. Not surprisingly, demolition was discussed, however it was ultimately decided the space would be reborn as a luxury hotel.

Although it took a couple of owners to make it work, eventually the plan was a success. Unique rooms were carved out of the grand space, utilizing both passenger areas and offices, with upper floors boasting large arched windows with views of the city. While some features are replicas of originals, such as the stunning chandeliers, many original details remain, including the bas-relief artwork. Sadly, no alligators have been reintroduced, but not much else was overlooked during the recent $15.5 million hotel renovation.