Unique Places to Stay in Memphis Tennessee

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Whether you are looking for a downtown Memphis hotel or a mid-town boutique hotel, there are so many unique places to stay in Memphis, Tennessee. My husband and I recently visited Memphis for four nights. We stayed in downtown for 2 nights and mid-town for our second hotel. The first hotel is a Memphis classic in a great location, while The Memphian hotel is a fairly new hotel in Overton Square.

If you want a downtown Memphis hotel with a sense of place, hop on board. Look no further than Central Station Memphis for a historic hotel stay in the South Main Street neighborhood.

Yellow Cabs Transfer Buses neo sign points to the Eight & Sand bar on the ground level of Central Memphis Hotel. Concrete stairs lead down to the "Listening Lounge" with parlor-style chairs scattered about the room. Metal staircase leads to the vinyl record collection about the lounge.

Located one block from the National Civil Rights Museum and across the street from Arcade Restaurant – Elvis Presley’s favorite diner – you’ll be hard pressed to find a better downtown Memphis hotel in the Arts District.

Hotel lobby with floor to ceiling stacked stereo speakers. A long beige leather sofa is in front of the speakers. A light beige leather sofa and 2 wood chairs are by the oval table. Purple lights iluminate the ceiling and metal rafters of the hotel.

Central Station Memphis hotel highlights

The 4-star boutique hotel gets an A+ for marrying a historic 1914 railroad station with the rhythm and blues of Memphis music. The Central Station Memphis hotel has a cool vibe that attracts locals and out-of-town guests.

As I’ve mentioned before, we enjoy staying at unique hotels. The Central Station Memphis, a Curio Collection hotel, honors the historic railroad connection, without going over-the-top on train decor. From the “Yellow Cabs” neon sign, hanging above the entrance to the Eight & Sand Listening Lounge, to the “Bobble Shop” sign above our bed, reminding guests to watch metal rails, the train connection shines through.

Also, look for the “I Am a Man” artwork with the Black Panther images. You’ll want to make time for a visit to the nearby National Civil Rights Museum to learn more about this connection.

Hotel king bed with gray blanket on base of bed. The bed has white bedspread and several white pillows with a wood headboard. Above the headboard is an antique sign saying Customers Bobble Shop, No Loitering, No Firearms, No Profanity. Watch metal rails.

Guest rooms and amenities in Memphis

With 123 guest rooms and 9 suites, this Hilton Hotel is one to remember on your next trip to Memphis. While the hotel doesn’t have a rooftop lounge, it’s got something that no other hotel can probably match. In the spring and summer months the historic hotel offers “Live at the Tracks” music on the outdoor train platform.

We stayed in a king room, referred to as a Concourse King. Our hotel room was on the sixth floor with a city view and away from the elevator. The room included a Keurig coffee maker, mini fridge, flatscreen TV and bed with reading lamps and USB outlets.

Another unique feature of the hotel was the in-room EgglestonWorks speakers – made in Memphis. Look for the knob on the room’s desk and prepare to be blown away with the sound quality of the Central Station’s playlist. It’s like you’re sitting in your own private recording studio.

Two-story music room with 2 Eggleston Works speakers on back wall. Collections of records displayed on wall shelves above the speakers. Stairs climb to the record display. Lounge chairs are arranged in the hotel living room to the right of the hotel bar.

Listening Lounge for Memphians & travelers

You know you are in a cool hotel when the locals hang out in the hotel bar. Eight & Sand Listening Lounge is the place to relax after work or on weekends. Again, EgglestonWorks speakers take center stage in the lounge, along with the old church organ, converted into a DJ booth.

We were out and about during our 2-night stay, so we didn’t dine at Bishop, the hotel’s restaurant. The French Brasserie cuisine is helmed by two award-winning Memphis restaurateurs. The restaurant also offers cooked to order breakfast.

Eight & Sand bar features locally brewed beers, seasonal cocktails and a nice wine list.

Several bar chairs are in front of the hotel bar. Lots of 750 ml liquor bottles are on bar shelves. Neon green sign reads Lower Concourse To Tracks 7-8-9-10. Hotel lobby l-shaped brown leather sofa and 2 olive green chairs separate bar from living room area.

Pet-friendly hotel

Additional hotel details; self-parking is available for an additional fee. This Curio Collection hotel is pet-friendly. The nominal fee even includes dog bowls and a dog bed for your pet to sleep easy in Memphis.

Central Station Memphis Hotel prices start at $195 and up. Our king room rented for $219, not including tax, on a spring visit. Check the website for current pricing, as well as AAA discounts, Hilton Hotel specials or try a booking site like Expedia for better pricing.

Exterior brick facade of the 8-story Central Station Memphis hotel. Black wire holds directional street lights above street intersection, in front of hotel. Three cars are parked on the street, in front of the hotel.

Memphian Tribute Portfolio Hotel in Overton Square

This was our first-time staying in mid-town Memphis, but not our first time to the state of Tennessee. If you prefer newer boutique hotels, the Memphian is ideal.

Since our last visit in 2018, Memphis has become much more sophisticated than I remembered. While the fabulous food hasn’t changed, the Memphis International Airport has gotten a complete overhaul and plenty of upscale hotels have opened. The Memphian, a Tribune Portfolio Hotel, is the newest hotel to open in Overton Square.

All Drama Must Remain on Stage artwork hangs next to baby grand piano in hotel lobby. Two leopard-skin chairs are next to 2 beige leather sofas. Drake brown fabric sofa with 2 floral throw pillows across from leopard upholstered chairs and oval coffee table. Circular light fixture above coffee table. Three pieces of modern art hang on the back wall.

Memphian hotel highlights

This 4-star boutique hotel, with 106 rooms, is too hip to be square. In fact, Overton Square, in mid-town Memphis, has got it going on. The hotel is within walking distance to several live performance venues, fun shopping, a movie theater and plenty of restaurants.

Our last stay in Memphis had us at another hotel with a rooftop lounge. The Memphian, a Marriott brand hotel, is giving the Peabody Hotel a run for their money. There may not be a daily duck march in the hotel lobby, but the Tiger & Peacock rooftop lounge is worth a visit for the decorations alone.

As a new hotel, we appreciated the eco-friendly touches such as the hydrations stations on each floor and the emphasis on sustainability. We also loved the contemporary decor in the expansive hotel lobby – perfect for those Instagram selfies.

Black and white floor tiles connect to oak flooring in hotel lobby. Two pieces of modern art are on the wall. Two blue chairs are across from two light brown, leather chairs, with pink throw pillows, in lobby. Circular light fixture hangs from ceiling.

Memphis mid-town guest rooms

The Memphian hotel is all about relaxation and the bedrooms and suites are no exception. Our standard king room was spacious and comfortable. Our view looked out to the Overton multi-story parking lot and The Memphian self-parking lot below our 6th story room.

The bed and pillows were comfortable, with reading lamps on either side of the bed. We were away from the elevator, in room #610 of the 7-story building. Our room included complimentary WiFi, flatscreen TV and coffee maker.

Rooms on the second and third floors were dog-friendly with a limit of 25 pounds on the dog’s weight. An additional fee is charged for pets.

King bed, white duvet, white pillows. Leather headboard. Blue walls, black and white patterned area rug underneath bed.

Overton Square dining and drinking

There are plenty of drinking and dining options in Overton Square. If you are looking for dining options at The Memphian hotel, Complicated Pilgram is the ground floor option. The Marriott hotel offers eggs benedict dishes, overnight oats and a nice yogurt parfait, among other breakfast items.

Porcelain giraffe head is surrounded by 6 framed pictures of men and women on the wall. An ornate crystal chandelier hangs from chain in giraffe's mouth.

We dined at The Complicated Pilgrim for breakfast, so I can’t speak firsthand to lunch or dinner selections.

If you are looking for cocktail, beer and wine options with a mid-town Memphis view, you’ll want to check out Tiger and Peacock. This is one of several rooftop lounges in Memphis.

Gift shop looks like a dining room in hotel lobby. Wood dining room table has 6 chairs, 3 on either side of table. Two blue lamps are on dining room table. Trinkets and books are displayed on 5 book shelves. A wood and glass sliding door separates gift shop from hotel restaurant.

Memphian hotel gift shop

The first-floor gift shop has fun, kid-friendly items like plush monkeys. There’s also pink and orange Veuve Clicquot decorative pillows, Memphis “Mane” postcards, snacks and essential oil sleep sets for sale.

Hotel rates start at $269, depending on the time of year and room size. Check an online hotel booking site like Hotels.com to see if they offer better rates. There is no resort fee, however, there is a charge for self-service parking. If you are flying into Memphis, the town is accessible with ride-share programs such as Uber. We even took an Uber to nearby Shelby Farms Park to go horseback riding. Shelby Farms Park is one of the largest urban parks in the United States.

Let me know your favorite things to see and do in Memphis.

Seven stories of square, glass windows are on the exterior of the hotel. White building with glass windows photographed at dusk from street level.

Unique places to stay in Memphis article by Oregon-based travel writer Nancy D. Brown. Photos © Nancy D. Brown. My Central Station Memphis and Memphian Hotel stays were organized by Memphis Travel. All opinions are my own.

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