The Joseph Hotel

I recently visited Nashville to attend a business meeting and stayed at The Joseph hotel, which is part of the Marriott’s Luxury Hotel Collection. The opinions in this review are our own and represent our personal experiences.

Location

Located in downtown Nashville, The Joseph hotel offers easy walking access to several top- rated attractions, including the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and Glen Campbell museums, and of course Ryman Auditorium, home to the Grand Ole Opry. Across the street and one block over is Nashville’s new Music City Center, a 2.1 million square foot convention center.

If you want to get outdoors, take a walk along the Music City Walk of Fame, located on Nashville’s Music Mile. Here you will see a tribute to those who have made a significant contribution to the music industry. Also close by is a greenway trail that spans over the Cumberland River via a pedestrian bridge. A 30-minute drive from downtown Nashville takes you to many historical attractions, Civil War sites, and hiking trails, if you desire to venture further out.

Getting There

The Joseph does not offer hotel shuttle service to and from the Nashville airport (BNA). I suggest an Uber or taxi if you do not plan to rent a car. The ride should take no more than 20 minutes in either direction. The cost was about $35.

Taxis & Rideshare

Rideshare and taxis are readily available at the Nashville airport to transport you to The Joseph. For either of these options you will need to take the escalator to the ground level, and turn right. Follow the sidewalk to Terminal Garage 2 and look for signs to direct you. I found it a tad challenging to figure out where to go because there was construction outside the Main Terminal on Level 1. Once I figured it out though, it was a breeze to get a taxi.

Car Rental

All major rental car companies have service counters on Level 1, near baggage claim. You may need to first check in at the appropriate counter before proceeding to the rental car facility. To reach the facility you will walk out of the Main Terminal on Level 1 and cross Terminal Drive to Terminal Garage 1. Inside Garage 1, turn left and follow the signs to Rental Cars. 

Interior Design

From the front desk with its handmade leather panel to the multicolored glass and metal lobby bar chandelier, The Joseph welcomes its guests with a sense of refinement and elegance. The lobby as well as other areas of the hotel were a respite from the cold, busy streets of downtown Nashville and the 4,000 attendees at my national meeting being held in the Music City Center. 

Hotel Staff

The Joseph hotel staff are top notch. I wanted to ask, but didn’t, where they received their training. Pride emanated from every employee I met. When a waitperson noticed I was cold while dining in the restaurant, Yolan, one evening, he immediately brought over a wrap that matches my outfit! Not sure the matching part was intentional, but the fact that he noticed I was cold and resolved the problem without me saying a word, was impressive. I met staff who waited on me in the rooftop bar at night and served me breakfast the following morning, all with a smile. I was always surprised when they recognized me, asked about my evening, and what I had planned for the day. The valet team and housekeeping staff are excellent as well. I loved receiving little personalized notes from the evening housekeeper during turndown service. It made me feel valued and appreciated as a guest.

A big shout out to Melissa and Laura who work behind the front desk for letting me take their photo for Instagram! 

The Room

As I was sharing a room with a colleague, I asked for and received a room with two queen beds, located on the 16^thFloor. Like the rest of the hotel, this Deluxe Queen Guest Room relaxed and rejuvenated my mind, body, and soul. The hotel’s website says the room is 399 sq. ft, which made it quite comfortable for two people. 

I worked a bit from the room so I made myself comfortable on the leather sofa and used a moveable table top to set up my computer. USB and electrical plugs for charging devices were next to the bed as well as conveniently located next to the sofa. We had high speed wireless internet service free as part of my Titanium Elite Bonvoy status with Marriott. A large flat screen television offered cable/satellite, CNN, ESPN, HBO, Radio, and Netflix. An in-room iPad was also available to access the restaurant menus, spa services, the weather and so forth. 

Make Yourself at Home

The luxury Italian bed linens were comfortable and soft. The mattress was just the right amount of heavenly. I slept well every night! Each morning I enjoyed a cup of espresso or coffee from the Nespresso© maker, with a selection of different types of coffee pods. The room also offered the standard fare of snack selections, excellent small bottles of wine, and other drinks. Housekeeping left us bottled water or we could obtain more water at the front desk.

The bathroom had a beautiful marble floor and countertop with two sinks, a large walk-in shower on one side and a toilet on the other side. Two sliding wood doors pulled together to separate the bathroom and bedroom areas. Beautiful Ila-spa products from Essentials© were provided at the sinks and in the shower.

Interestingly, only one robe was provided in a room for two guests. We did not say anything to Housekeeping or Management because an extra robe wasn’t necessary. I am certain if we had asked, one would have been provided. Other amenities included the standard hair dryer, iron/ironing board, and a safe to store your valuables.

Special Amenities

When I arrived at the lobby desk to check-in, I was greeted with the choice of either a bottle of water or a demitasse cup of hot cider with a splash of bourbon. I asked and received both. The hot cider was a great way to begin my stay at The Joseph hotel!

My favorite amenities at The Joseph were the daily “Epicurean Moments” offered from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. in the lobby. During my visit I was able to enjoy a Shakerato, a chef created blend of pulled espresso and simple syrup served over ice and topped with fresh lemon zest. Delightful! One afternoon, I also sampled their Parmigiano-Reggiano (cut from a large 80-lb wheel of cheese rolled out on a cart) and drizzled with balsamic vinegar. Yum! 

Food & Drinks

The Joseph hotel has one main restaurant, Yolan, which is open for breakfast and dinner. We ate breakfast daily and selected standard options such as eggs and bacon, which were cooked to perfection. One morning I enjoyed a tasty, cold overnight oat cereal topped with fruit. Included in the restaurant area was a walk-up coffee, tea, and pastry counter where you could order as part of a larger breakfast or for takeaway. Because of my Bonvoy status, I received up to $25 per person credit for breakfast. Typically, our breakfast cost a little more, but the savings was much appreciated.

Yolan-Dinner

In the evening, Yolan turns into an Italian fine dining restaurant. Michelin-starred Chef Tony Mantuano is responsible for the menu, which includes Antipasti, Primi and Secondi, ordered A La Carte. There was also a six course and eight course tasting menu, inspired by the region of Piemonte. While the A La Carte menu selection was small, it tasted perfecto!

The Stracciatella – a plate of Calabrian chili crisp, fennel jam, and olive oil with crackers – served as our antipasti. Our Primi was the Cacio e Pepe – mafalde pasta with pecorino Romano cheese and black pepper. My colleague and I are light eaters so we passed on the Secondi and dessert. Although I’m certain any of the food would taste delicious. I personally love small, seasonal menus with limited choices. It makes me feel cared for in a way that I don’t necessarily feel in restaurants with pages of food options.

My colleague pointed out the flow of traffic from the kitchen to the table. It was an amazing process to watch as staff stepped from the kitchen into the restaurant, one behind another carrying food to guests in an exquisite manner. The utensils were the perfect weight in my hand, like they were especially made to twirl the pasta. And the staff? They were like all the staff at The Joseph, top notch. I am being honest when I say that nothing about our dining experience could have been improved. 

The next evening, I enjoyed sitting inside at a high-top table and looking out! My cocktail of choice was a regular favorite of mine – an Old Fashioned – which was very smooth. Ii did venture out and tried one of Denim’s signature cocktails, the Happy Camper which consisted of chocolate-washed bourbon, marshmallow syrup, spiced bitters, and a mezcal rinse, topped with a lightly toasted marshmallow.

It was tasty but I preferred the Old Fashioned 😊

For dinner one evening I shared the Persimmon and  Burrata topped with pine nuts, mint, and balsamic. We were still hungry so we shared the Prosciutto and Sausage Flatbread. Both were excellent choices for a light meal. 

Surrounding Denim is the rooftop pool with loungers. I imagine on a beautiful sunny day that would be the place to while away some hours. The weather during my visit was not conducive to spending any time in the pool, although I will say the water was very warm so I assume The Joseph keeps the pool heated. 

Final Thoughts

It is no surprise The Joseph has been awarded several times, including 2022, the Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Award as one of the top 25 hotels in the South. Overall, I would give The Joseph 5/5 stars. While no experience is ever completely perfect, this one was pretty close. 

I am generally not too sad when I say goodbye to a hotel because I know there will be another one down the road. This time, I felt a little sad.

If you have any questions about The Joseph, please contact us at travelwiththecrows@gmail.com

We’d love to hear from you!