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1 Hotel Nashville, Music City's first mission-driven sustainable luxury hotel nestled in the heart of downtown, is now open!
We talked to 1 Hotel Nashville general manager, Nicholas Farina, about the hotel's sustainability initiatives and what guests can expect from the urban sanctuary.
Tell us a little bit about yourself and your role at 1 Hotel Nashville.
I am the general manager at 1 Hotel Nashville. I relocated here from 1 Hotel Central Park, where I was general manager for three years and began my journey with the 1 Hotels brand. Although I had only been to Nashville once ahead of moving here, I have truly fallen in love with the community and have been so lucky to be able to build a great team to help launch the first sustainable luxury hotel in the city.
What sets 1 Hotel Nashville apart from other hotels in the area?
As the first mission-driven luxury hotel in Nashville, we are so proud of the innovative practices we’ve implemented to prioritize sustainability and make a lasting difference in both the community and the planet. This is true in big picture design features, like our sustainably-sourced materials and overall biophilic design, but also true in the thoughtful touches like our recycled and reusable wooden key cards, and our 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper hangers. We’ve been planning this hotel meticulously and have put so much care and attention into every single element on-property. This care is also reflected in our dedication to tying in elements from the local community and regional history. From design details like the ivy façade sourced and maintained by local greenhouse Optimara, to our partnerships with local non-profits like Thistle Farms, Nashville is our home and 1 Hotel Nashville certainly reflects that.
Can you speak on the hotel’s sustainability commitment?
The 1 Hotels brand is rooted in the ethos that “the world around us is beautiful and we want to keep it that way” – and this idea of bringing it all back to nature of course means caring for the planet and making a positive impact. Here in Nashville, we’ve integrated ourselves into the community to help be a platform for change and serve as an inspiration to other hotels in the area. I have joined the Mayors Sustainability Advisory Committee and am really proud of some of the ways we’re able to work with other local businesses to make an impact in the city.
The outside of the hotel is covered in an ivy façade. What was the idea behind that?
Sometimes people think it’s fake, but I assure you it is 100 percent living! We’ve worked with the local farm, Optimara, in East Nashville, to create and maintain the façade, which is comprised of more than 880 linear feet of draped Hedera Helix Ivy (56,000 ivy plants in total). We’re very proud of it and see it as a statement that lets people know that nature is our guide in all the things we do – inside and out. There are also several benefits to the façade, as it generates fresh oxygen, regulates the building’s temperature and provides resistance from the impacts of weather, insects, and humans.
How many rooms does the hotel have and what are some of the amenities guests can experience while staying there?
We have 215 rooms in total which includes 37 suites with expansive city and skyline views. Some of our in-room details and features include…
- 1 Hotel app, which conveniently controls room temperature and television – guests can order in room dining and communicate with the guest services team from there as well!
- Bamford bath products
- Nespresso machines with recyclable pods
- Minibars with artisanal local products
- In-room water filtration system along with tumblers and a carafe made from reclaimed wine bottles, which reduces the need for single use-plastics
- Yoga mats (all are thoughtfully manufactured without the top six most harmful phthalates)
One thing we are very proud of is our Anatomy fitness center, which is open 24/7. For our hotel guests but also our Nashvillian locals, our onsite Bamford Wellness Spa allows guests to indulge in a selection of holistic treatments, services, and experiences intended to nurture the mind, body and spirit. Crossvine, our combined 6,000-square-feet of unique event and meeting spaces offers room for business functions, weddings, or social celebrations. For those that want to travel outside of the hotel to explore the city emission-free, guests can enjoy a test drive with 1 Hotel’s Official Electric Vehicle, the all-electric Audi E-tron. And most excitingly, ingredients take center stage at our three unique dining, bar, and rooftop venues, with each space offering sustainable and locally sourced farm-to-table cuisine.
1 Hotel Nashville will also feature 1 Kitchen. What is the driving force behind that space and those menus?
Helmed by our amazing culinary director and Top Chef alum, Chris Crary, 1 Kitchen will serve local ingredients with the philosophy that the closer things are to home, the better they taste. We are also proud to be serving a line-up of innovative zero-waste dishes that utilize every facet of our ingredients. All of our food and beverage outlets incorporate signature cocktails and dishes that follow the zero-waste initiative. Everything on the menu is clean, nourishing, and seasonal with the best hyperlocal ingredients available. This is also true for our biodynamic- and organic-focused wine list, sustainable cocktail program, and regional whiskies and bourbons.
What is the 1 Less Thing initiative?
In line with our true "less is more" spirit, our 1 Less Thing initiative is ongoing at 1 Hotel Nashville. Simply leave a piece of clothing (or two) out with your 1 Less Thing block on top and we will donate it to our local charity partner, People Loving Nashville.
What else should guests know about 1 Hotel Nashville?
There is no glass recycling in Tennessee! So, we created our own. We will have an onsite glass pulverizing machine that turns used glass into sand. This sand will be donated to flooded areas that need assistance along with non-profit building materials.