Located five minutes from Interstate 40 and downtown, this property sits below the superior Hermitage in the ranks. The Renaissance, however, does offer stiff competition.
Looking like the bow of a cruise ship, this 11-story hotel sails easily past the big chain links downtown: Hilton, Sheraton and Doubletree. Fine maintenance, a professional staff, and handsomely appointed accommodations and public areas garner praise from executives and well-heeled travelers. The fountained entrance leads to a spacious marble-clad lobby accented with soft lighting, potted trees, and an inviting sitting area that brings a touch of Hollywood chic to Music City. The jukebox in the lobby
replaces classical music with country hits culled from the hotel's celebrity guest book. This appears to be working well for the hotel, as country-music stars book rooms here just to get their records played.
Following suit with the hotel's trendy look, Eat, the restaurant, is adjacent to Drink, the bar. Both display handsome contemporary decor and trendy lighting fixtures. Note: Eat should be called Eat Healthy, as it is the first hotel franchise in the U.S. to ban the use of trans fats from its pantry. Those in search of other restaurants and bars will find ample options within walking distance. The hotel has its own upscale boutique and 
beauty salon.
The exercise room here is small, but a local health club offers discounts. Banquets for up to 1,000 are held in period splendor, and a full-service business center will stay open all night upon request. Parking is reasonably priced.
At inspection, half of the guest quarters were showing new, stylish contemporary decor, with bold new soft goods, new flat-screen TVs and updated baths at the core of the work. These are being sold for the same rates as the unrenovated units, so be sure to request a renovated unit. That said, the older rooms remain in good shape, offering dependable residential styling. Standard are large desks, well-stocked minibars, excellent beds with duvets, dual-line phones with voice mail, high-speed Internet access for a fee, safes and CD alarm clocks. The baths are clad in marble and offer large vanities, fine toiletries and robes. Premium rooms add access to a lounge with a fireplace and Vanderbilt vistas. Prompt room service runs until midnight.
The lack of a pool disappoints in this climate, but this hotel is still a big step ahead of the competition.
