Hotel Preston - Nashville, Tennessee

Me + Nashville = Bad Karma

This was my first visit to Nashville since moving back to Alabama three years ago. I wasn't sure how I would feel, having to confront so much of my relationship past. Visually, I had no emotional reaction. I opened the car window to see if I could activate my olfactory sense. Skunk. I'm not kidding. I smelled a skunk. I guess that defines my relationship with Nashville - dead skunk in the middle of the road.

I had wanted to visit Hotel Preston since I heard about their unique bar called Pink Slip Bar. I had been reading things like this in the Nashville papers:

Nashville’s Hotel Preston recently unveiled a very unique concept bar: Pink Slip Bar. The remodeled Nashville hotel has a urban chic decor, and the new bar takes it to an entirely new level with a concept bar involving a small room behind glass where a woman in pink lingerie lounges as if in the comfort of her own homes. She reads, watches TV and generally looks hot while doing what would otherwise not be noteworthy.  Fortunately, The Tennessean was gracious enough to provide Pink Slip video for those of you not able to experience this amazing Nashville hotel bar. (source)

I pre-paid a room online for the discount and selected their offer to leave my car at the hotel; in turn, they agreed to shuttle me to and from the airport for the same rate as the airport's long-term parking fee. When I arrived at their driveway, I was unsure if I had the right place as it appeared I was turning into a residential area. Safely at the door surrounded by low lighting, the hotel tried to charge me a second time AND charge two dollars more per day for the parking. I reminded the desk clerk I was pre-paid and the quoted price on the parking. They knocked off $10 on the parking fees, although still $2 more than the airport long-term parking fee. I didn't quibble over the extra $2.

The lobby decor had a modern feel, although dark; the elevator required your room key to operate, a nice safety touch; and, there were black and white photographs of country music singers, of course. The room I had was identical to most any Hampton Inn and/or Marriott hotel room. That was fine for the price but I had hoped it would follow "urban chic' theme. There was makeup on the bath cloths (not mascara but a base or powder). Worst of all, the Internet connection was $8.95/day.

I walked to the lobby bar with very high expectations (see above). I stepped just inside the door and it was like stepping inside a roadside biker bar. It was dark with the only light from the fluorescent beer signs. From the bar stools, male heads turned towards the door. I stepped back out and went back to my room. To be fair, I did not go downstairs or try the restaurant so I can't say if it got any better.

Now, the worst part. I got to Dallas-Fort Worth, the first leg of my trip, and discovered they had charged me an additional $200.90! When one is on a tight budget, $200 can make a huge difference in one's vacation fun. When I called about it, they told me it was for "incidentals" and would be released in three to five days. WHAT-THE-F***? I checked with everyone around me who traveled and no one had heard of that or had that happen to them before. More phone calls resulted in an early release of the money so it turned out to be just a hassle.

Next morning, I received a customer comments email. What to do? Could I make a skillful and mature assessment that has less to do about the hotel than it does about Nashville? My expectations were high even though I had been disappointed in this city over and over again.

It is true. I never found where I fit in Nashville. The best comments I can make about this city is that it is very clean and I happened to have loved one of its residents. I can only assume that it's karma - very, very bad karma. In that case, Nashville keeps giving back the negative energy that comes from me.