It's hard to beat any summer Sunday in recent memory than the brunch and rooftop pool day I had recently with a friend at the Holston House, a historic downtown Nashville boutique hotel. Having lived in Nashville for over 20 years, I heard about it just prior to my move a couple of hours south to Alabama. (After having brunch at the hotel's restaurant, TENN, I will add to my list of regrets missing the window of time when I could have enjoyed it often without a road trip!) I will get to the delicious details soon, but first, a bit about the hotel ...

For starters, it's within steps of everything you might want to do downtown: concerts at The Ryman or Ascend Amphitheater, games at Nissan Stadium, attractions like the Country Music Hall of Fame, and all the honky tonks of Broadway.

It's perfectly positioned for bachelorette parties, friend getaways, or a romantic retreat – and yet seems to have broad appeal. We saw guests who fit all of these categories and then some. We saw what I assume was a bachelorette group gathering for brunch and then what remained of a champagne toast setup in the garden area from a wedding proposal the night before. That full-circle feeling only seemed more appropriate the more we learned about the hotel's rich history and how it became what it is today.

Originally built in 1929 as the James Robertson Hotel, it's the second oldest hotel in Nashville and one of a handful of the most beautiful Art Deco treasures in town. If you're familiar with the Frist Art Museum (originally the main downtown post office) and the Tennessee State Supreme Court building, then you may recognize similar stylings. Then-prominent local architectural firm Marr & Holman designed all three historic structures.

While the building began as a hotel, it went through several different lives over the years, including serving as wartime housing in the 1940s and later as apartments in the 1970s. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1984, it finally got a big ($70 million big!) makeover in 2017 and became the Holston House, a Hyatt Unbound collection hotel. Thoughtfully updated while preserved, it feels like a safe enclave amid all the ever-evolving growth and changes to the downtown Nashville landscape.

You can now retreat within one of the hotel's 191 stylish rooms – including two spacious penthouse suites adjacent to its oasis-like rooftop infinity saltwater pool and Heirloom bar that opened in 2023. We learned that space was once the city's tallest garden and the site of lively afternoon teas.

A cool tip for hot summer days: You do not have to be a guest to visit the pool from Thursday through Sunday. Garden access passes are available for $40 to $60 depending on the day.

Anyone may also visit the restaurant, which is open daily from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. and serves a brunch worth every indulgent bite and sip.

We had beautifully presented, yummy lattes, chatted with our friendly, helpful server, and took in the surroundings while making menu decisions.

We started by sharing a refreshing, fruit-and-granola yogurt before digging into our meals, which we also shared.

They were so pretty; how could we not? I ordered the turkey BLTA with bacon, arugula, tomato, and smashed avocado, with smoked mayo on multi-grain bread. My friend chose the smashed avocado toast, and this version is one of the best things I've tasted and just as beautiful to behold.

The smashed avocado toast at TENN includes whipped feta, balsamic onion, watermelon radish, local microgreens, and garlic chili aioli ... plus smoked salmon, which is an optional add-on.

We then chose cocktails to go with us as we explored the other parts of Holston House on our path to the pool - a Morning Berry Margarita and a classic mimosa.

Our drinks were as delicious as brunch and just a little taste of what you can expect at the full-service, upscale Bar TENN that overlooks the hotel lobby. It opens at 4 p.m. and serves shareable plates in addition to a vast selection of cocktails and mocktails.

It's also the best place to take in the full splendor of the lobby. The bar is elevated atop sweeping marble staircases and framed in original ironwork, while TENN, the restaurant, is tucked below.

The lobby design preserved important architectural elements with decor choices bringing in modern flair – and even those elements giving many nods to history. This place certainly has it, including its own musical roots in Music City – back in 1949, WNAH radio station started broadcasting from the penthouse and was the first Nashville station to air religious programs.

We especially loved the record selection in the lobby, where guests can choose selections and pick up a portable player for listening in their rooms. Another option is to hang out until the early afternoon social hour. That's when the staff rolls out a cocktail fountain near the record player for guests to mingle and spin records together.

For a good amount of the hotel's 6,500 square feet of meeting and event space, architects and designers renovated what was a basement parking area. The sleek hotel gym is located downstairs, as well. It's not at all basement-like, thanks to generous natural light filtering in plant-lined windows along the uppermost part of the wall.

No Pelotons for us that day! It was all about relaxation. We concluded our tour with a dip in that beautiful rooftop pool with sips from the Heirloom bar. While a selection of small plates and tapas are available there, too, we passed since we were understandably full from brunch. It's good to know you have that option if you want to hang out at the pool and have a lighter meal.

If you're planning a visit to Nashville, book a stay at the Holston House and I think you'll find it to be a visual and literal feast like we did.

Let us know if you go; we'd love to hear about your time! You can learn more about the property on the Holston House website and its latest events and specials on the Holston House Facebook page.