The Russell — Hotel in Nashville-Davidson

I discovered after booking that this hotel is owned by a real estate investment group (Anchor Investments, LLC) that also operates short-term rentals. If you're like me and trying to avoid supporting short-term rentals/AirBnB, this is not a great choice. Nashville has a massive affordable housing shortage and while this company has a lot of messaging about how they donate a portion of their profits to "help those experiencing homelessness," they are actively taking housing off the market. The Russell is also in a neighborhood that is actively being gentrified, so it's definitely not doing the local low- and middle-income population any favors.

That said, their customer service deserves 5-stars. We didn't need to contact staff during our stay, but they were very kind in working with us when our plans were interrupted and we needed to modify our reservation prior to arriving. Life is messy and our travel plans got derailed. Despite their policies, they didn't penalize us for making changes to our reservation.

The hotel itself was fine. Our room was so tiny it was hard the two of us to move around at the same time, but it was comfortable and clean. I love that there's no carpet in the rooms, and that there was a mini-fridge. The gift basket was full of really good (and local!) snacks. The shared microwave was convenient, and the hot and sparkling water taps were nice perks.

One massive drawback was the complete lack of ventilation. The windows are sealed shut and the air is recirculated through a mini-split. If there was a vent for air exchange, I didn't see it.

Overall it was a mediocre and overpriced experience (though on the cheaper end for Nashville). If this hotel were less Instagrammable it would be half the price. There's nothing the staff could have done to improve our stay, and if it were less expensive (and if they turned their apartment complex into Section 8 housing) we'd probably stay with them again.

FYI: The same company owns The Gallatin.

EDIT: The short-term rentals owned and operated by Anchor, LLC. are called "506 Lofts" located at 506 Church St in Nashville. This property, which consists of six apartments, is listed first thing on Anchor's own website, on the same list as The Russell. I'm not sure why they are denying ownership in their reply...

First off I would give our experience at the Russell a well deserved 5 Star rating. Our room was a bit small in comparison to a Marriot, Hilton or Drury rooms, having said that it was very well appointed and very eclectic and cozy. I understand there are rooms on the "first level" of the hotel that are larger and have windows which we would opt for next visit. The treats were a nice touch, including water with Russell cozy's, popcorn, cookie and ear plugs. The bath robes were amazing, check in and check out was very smooth and the east Nashville area is very cool. Parking was a breeze! . Just a couple of things ownership may want to look into: we had brought a nice bottle of wine to enjoy on our arrival (expensive) the only options to pour into were 2 small flimsy plastic cups or 2 paper waxed coffee cups, maybe a couple of glass glasses would be nice, also a bathroom exhaust fan would be a good addition including a door that closes and seals properly. The sliding barn door "though really cool" is not the best for privacy when there is work being done, also very noisy in the middle of the night when using the facilities. I would also suggest asking your prospective guests if they are seniors and maybe tell them that their room is on the 3rd level and there is no elevator (lots of stairs). We are in our 70's and didn't have a huge issue with it but i can see some elderly folks who are not in top notch condition having a problem. The room did feel somewhat stuffy as there is no window.

If you are looking for a really nice place to stay where it is quiet and in a really cool area of Nashville this is the place!!!

I will recommend "The Russell" to all of the Russell's and my...

I was in Nashville to see Noah Gundersen on the first night of his tour, at the Basement East. I chose The Russell for their proximity to the venue and their commitment to providing services for the unhoused. I chose a room that had no carpet (very rare in hotels) because I have allergies and carpet is gross anyways.

This was a very cool place to stay. It is beautiful and quirky. My headboard was a pew from the church that the building was adapted from. They thought of everything, much more than any place that I have stayed. They had a Dyson air filter in the room and a Dyson hair dryer, two high end things that I always want to travel with but never do. Everything was clean and well thought out, without all the extra charges that you get at other places. The lockers were free and easy to use, so that I was able to stow my stuff and explore the city before check in and after check out. I also had use of the place before and after, and found plenty of options for quiet reading spots. Even the snacks and water bottles in the room were included in the original price.

Walking around was easy. My favorite place to eat was half a block away, Joyland, get the smash burger, it will change your life.

Jerry's Artarama is also within walking distance. I was able to pick up water color pencils and a water color pad, and sit at a table underneath the beautiful stain glass, and try to recreate the look (straight lines with darker colors, crayon in lighter colors, then blend with water for stain glass effect).

The entire building felt very safe and, with the 10:00 quiet curfew, I had a great night's sleep in a beautiful place.

I highly recommend The Russell and I do plan on...