Off the tourist path in the Midtown Aertson mixed-use project, Kimpton Aertson Hotel is swaying to an uncommon tune. Their industrial-chic design celebrates Nashville's innovation with steel and stone, concrete and Carrara, and commissioned artwork everywhere you turn. Relax by their double-sided ceramic fireplace, or at the seasonal rooftop pool as you toast the Nashville night with a handcrafted whiskey cocktail from the award winning restaurant & bar Henley a modern American brasserie. All in a walkable neighborhood where locals live, work, dine and play.
Day 1.
After being asked to showcase the Kimpton Aertson Hotel and its amenities and the neighborhood surrounding it, I immediately called up Ashley & Heather Combs to join me for photo taking and photo joining. They are both amazing fun ladies always up for adventures, so this trip was perfect for all of us to take this challenge on. On the morning we flew from Charlotte to Nashville we were getting hit by a snowstorm and even though our plane boarded on time, we had to wait about 2 hours on the plane in a line of others to get de-iced. So we finally land in Nashville and immediately head to the hotel to get checked in and unpack and figure out food and plans for the evening. From the first moment we arrived to the hotel we were blown away at the aesthetics, decor and customer service of the place. The staff in addition to the details of the hotel were 5 star! So up to my room I went to unpack my luggage unpacked and my bathroom essentials to get my face and beard refreshed before we headed out to grab food before I get tattooed. At home and when I travel I stick to a normal routine of skincare from Lab Series Skincare for Men for everything from my eyes to the skin under my facial hair, and for my beard I use a mixture of products from Beardbrand which are great form wash to conditioning to styling. My teeth and gums and mouth always stay nice and clean thanks to my travel friendly Goby electric toothbrush. I love commemorating cool trips with little souvenir tattoos so luckily Nashville has Chad Koeplinger at Adventure Tattoo on the east side. We met up and he had drawn up a cowboy boot with "Broadway" underneath it to tribute to the famous strip to where so many famous musicians have played or been discovered.
Day 2.
Waking up in the Deluxe King Suite with the sunrise peaking into my balcony windows wasn't the hard part, it was getting up and out of the most comfortable hotel bed I had ever slept on. I woke up refreshed and even braved the 10 degree weather to open my balcony door to capture the sunrising over the city's downtown skyline. Ashley & Heather were meeting me for breakfast at Henley where Jake was also gonna join us for the morning and afternoon to shoot us as we ventured around downtown to see the Tennessee War Memorial Auditorium and other sites. After we got back to the hotel it was then time to get ready for hangs with the head bartender of Henley, Mr. Jonathon Howard, who in just a short time in Nashville was already making big moves to put Nashville on the map of intense bar programs not to overlooked by anyone visiting the city in search of a great cocktail. Following our amazing experience of handcrafted cocktails and small plates at the bar, Ashley, Heather & I headed off to the Bridgestone Arena just 1.5 miles from the hotel right on the Broadway strip to watch the Nashville Predators NHL team take on the Arizona Coyotes. The game was nothing short of electric! Fans were decked out in Preds gear and chanting all of the songs and cheers to let the team know they were rooting for them all of the way. It came down to a shootout in which both teams scored and were denied goals, but on the very last shot of the shootout by the Predators the took victory over Arizona to an almost sell out crowd. WOW, what a game.
Recap.
Nashville is rockin'. Everyone we met was incredibly hospitable and welcoming. The Aertson Hotel redefined lodging to the max on every level. Food & Cocktails are no joke to this city and neither is hockey. From myself, Ashley & Heather, thank you for all that you are.