Brown County is named for Gen. Jacob Brown, who fought in the War of 1812 and became commanding general of the United States Army. Nashville's first settlers arrived in 1809 after the land was acquired by the Treaty of Fort Wayne. By 1840, the population was about 2,400. The town, incorporated in 1872, later faced serious erosion issues because of its heavy logging industry.
Today, much of Nashville's economy is focused around its arts scene, with several hotels, inns, and bed-and-breakfasts catering to visitors. The Brown County Art Gallery traces its long history to the 1870 arrival of artist William McKendree Snyder, known for his deeply detailed Indiana landscapes. In 1907, the artistry in Brown County expanded further under American Impressionist painter T.C. Steele.
The Brown County Art Gallery was formally established in 1926, with Carl Graf, another Impressionist painter from Indiana as the first president of the Brown County Art Gallery Artists Association. In 1954, the organization broke into two groups that still operate today: the Brown County Art Guild and the Brown County Art Gallery and Museum.
When should you travel to Nashville, IN?
Nashville has hot, humid summers and cool, mild winters, so take the weather into account when making travel plans. During summer, enjoy a day at Brown County State Park, or hit the links at Salt Creek Golf Retreat. There's always something to do at Bill Monroe's Music Park and Campground in nearby Bean Blossom. Bikerfest, billed as "Southern Indiana's Best Old School Biker Party," is held there in September, and the annual Bean Blossom Bluegrass Fest takes place in August.
Hotel rates can be lower during the chilly winter months, and there's plenty to do inside, too, as the city's website lists 20 art and photography galleries, museums, craft and design studios, and more, including glassmaking studios. Take in a live theater show at the Brown County Playhouse, which also features blues jam sessions, first-run movies, and even panning for gold. Stop by Chateau Thomas Winery downtown, or take a short trip to Oliver Winery in nearby Bloomington. Dining options in town include everything from pizzerias to cafes and coffee shops to a microbrewery/restaurant.
Below is a chart of the current pricing seasonality of hotels and motels in Nashville, IN:
Averate Rates by Star Rating
Below we've posted 3 graphs displaying average nightly cost patterns by star rating class in Nashville, IN. Analyze these charts to calculate the best seasons to make a reservation in Nashville for your upcoming travels.
Does Nashville, IN have any luxury hotel options?
Despite being a small town, Nashville boasts two upscale hotels within its limits, with several others nearby. Located at the edge of Brown County State Park, The Yellowwood is designed for your comfort, starting with a memory foam bed. The private bathrooms in this romantic 15-room guesthouse feature designer toiletries and jetted bathtubs. Amenities include concierge service (featuring assistance with tours and ticketing), free Wi-Fi, a garden, meeting space, and free parking. Traveling families should note that this property is adults only; no guests younger than 18 years of age are permitted. Also, no alcohol is served on the premises.
Artists Colony Inn, a 19th-century style guesthouse with 23 rooms in downtown Nashville, is surrounded by the quaint village's many shops and galleries. Guests are welcomed with homemade pumpkin bread at the inn, which offers executive suites with whirlpool tubs. Amenities include free full breakfast buffet, a banquet hall, free Wi-Fi and parking, and two meeting rooms. All rooms have private bathrooms, and accessible rooms are available. The on-site restaurant has a fireplace for cozy winter dining and outdoor seating for the warmer months. The inn hosts weddings, accommodating up to 80 guests, and rides in a horse-drawn carriage can be arranged.
Just 16 miles east of Nashville in Columbus, stylish and comfortable Hotel Indigo Columbus Architectural Center awaits. Amenities abound at this Art Deco hotel, including plush bedding and signature area rugs, along with Aveda bath products and spa-inspired showers. Relax by the indoor pool and spa tub, or delight in a meal at the bistro-inspired restaurant and bar. Hit the gym or get some work done in the business center, both of which are open 24 hours a day. Traveling with a furry companion? This pet-friendly hotel offers luxury for your dog, too: a welcome biscuit, doggy bed, and canine cocktails.
What are the affordable hotels in Nashville, Indiana?
3 Star Average Prices: £122.96
The Brown County Inn in Nashville features a heated indoor pool, conference spaces, a restaurant and bar, a garden, and a playground. The inn, located just three blocks south of Chateau Thomas Winery downtown, also offers laundry facilities, indoor and outdoor event spaces (along with a generator for guest use), free Wi-Fi and parking, and jogging paths, all on the 12-acre property.
Get some extra hospitality at the Oak Haven Bed & Breakfast, which features free breakfast and self-parking, DVD players, free Wi-Fi, a meeting room, and coffee/tea makers and ironing boards with irons in each room. Located just 7 miles from Brown County State Park, Oak Haven offers a restful space in the country with an easy commute to downtown.
2 Star Average Prices: £95.78
What are the best discounts Near Nashville, Indiana?
Quality Inn, just southeast of downtown Nashville, offers AAA, senior, and military/government discounts. Guests can enjoy an unusual feature in an arcade/game room, along with amenities including an indoor pool, free Wi-Fi and newspapers, complimentary hot/cold buffet breakfast on weekends, fitness and business centers, and a garden. Children 18 years of age and younger stay free with an accompanying parent, and connecting/adjoining rooms are available upon request.
AAA members can save 9 percent at Days Inn in Bloomington, home of Indiana University, located 17 miles west of Nashville. Rooms feature refrigerators and microwaves, so travelers can save even more by staying in for a meal or two. Complimentary breakfasts include healthy options, such as yogurt and fruit, along with bread, cereal, oatmeal, coffee, and juice. RV, truck, and bus parking is available at the hotel, which offers free self-parking.
Where are the best value hotels in the Nashville, IN area?
Looking for value but want to avoid the hotel chains? Allison House Inn, within walking distance of Big Woods Brewery, puts you in the center of the arts in downtown Nashville. Each of the inn's seven suites, each with a smart TV and private bathroom, is distinct: There's a three-room honeymoon suite with a private entrance, a "girls' getaway" room with three beds and two makeup areas with chandeliers, the king-size Alonzo room (named after the man who built the home in 1867) equipped with a kitchenette, and more. Animal lovers, be sure to check out the innkeepers' nearby farm, Donkeytown, just 8 miles away.
Another mid-range choice is Lil Black Bear Inn, located a few miles east of downtown Nashville. The six-room inn, built in 1966, has a cozy fireplace in the lobby and offers amenities such as free parking and Wi-Fi, concierge service (including assistance with tickets and tours), complimentary breakfast and baked goods, a hot tub, and a library. Guests can walk their dogs around the pond at this pet-friendly hotel, which also offers spa treatments and in-room massage.
Comfort Inn in Edinburgh, 15 miles northeast of downtown Nashville, offers receptions where guests can mingle on select days. Amenities at the hotel, which is a one-minute drive from Edinburgh Premium Outlets, include fitness and business centers, free Wi-Fi and newspapers, complimentary breakfast buffet, express check-in, laundry facilities, and a fireplace in the lobby. Rooms feature refrigerators and microwaves, and children 18 and younger stay free with accompanying parent or guardian.
Why will art-lovers enjoy visiting Nashville, IN?
Instrumental in the roots of the Brown County Art Gallery, painter T.C. Steele built his home, House of the Singing Winds, in 1907 in Nashville with his wife, Selma. Today, it's the site of the 211-acre T.C. Steele State Historic Site, which offers tours, workshops, and art programs and invites visitors to set up places to paint. Guests can stroll through the gardens or enjoy the five hiking trails to see the southern Indiana landscapes that inspired Steele's work. Fifty paintings are on display in the house and studio.
Contemporary artists in Nashville include Anne Ryan Miller, a glassmaker who pioneered the copper overlay technique in 1978. She maintains a studio downtown and invites visitors to see her work. The Brown County Art Guild displays works by about 40 local artists in its two floors of gallery space. Lory Williams Winsford works in pastels, specializing in winter scenes, at her studio, called Hereshome. Painter and jeweler Monique Cagle may have the most unique workspace of all: a converted grain bin called Sleepy Cat Studio, where she teaches workshops.
Want to get in on the art action? Classes and workshops are offered in Nashville throughout the year. Consider Nashville for a great arts vacation to view the work of local artists and learn from some of them.
FAQs about hotels in Nashville
Recent traveler reviews of Nashville, IN
Below are reviews of the city of Nashville, IN from an actual visitor's perspective.
"Lots of nice shops with many hand crafted items."
Score
5.0 / 5
Lots of nice shops with many hand crafted items.
Randy B., from 29-Feb-2024
"Brown Co. Music Center & the Antique Mall"
Score
5.0 / 5
We went to Nashville for a concert at Brown Co. Music Center which was a very nice, huge building. Antique Mall a couple of miles outside of town was very nice and we enjoyed looking around.
Roberta S., from 28-Jan-2024
"Shops!"
Score
5.0 / 5
The shops in the town!
Robert V., from 27-Nov-2023
"Nashville, Indiana is a nice place to visit!"
Score
5.0 / 5
Nashville, Indiana is a nice place to visit!
Daniel P., from 23-Oct-2023
"We love everything about Nashville!"
Score
4.0 / 5
We love everything about Nashville!
Keith T., from 22-Oct-2023
"Wonderful Shops, Eateries & Near Brown County State Park!"
Score
4.0 / 5
We love Bronzinnis, Hob Nob Corner, Big Woods Pizza, mining for gems, Nashville Fudge Kitchen, Michael's, Antique Alley, Bathology, breakfast at Brown County Inn! Horseback riding at Brown County SP, Nature Center! Mens Toy Shop. I know there are others but don't know the names. Oh Trolley's BarBQ!
Keith T., from 18-Oct-2023
"Like an English Village!"
Score
4.0 / 5
More like an English Village!
Stan H., from 18-Oct-2023
"Nice & Peaceful"
Score
5.0 / 5
Nice and peaceful. People were friendly.
Tracy R., from 17-Jul-2023
"Shops!!!"
Score
4.0 / 5
All the shops!
Kevin A., from 28-May-2023
"The room was clean."
Score
4.0 / 5
The room was clean. Hard Truth restaurant.
Don S., from 16-May-2023
"Fall Foliage!"
Score
4.0 / 5
All the shops, restaurants, people, coloring of the trees.
Dalevina L., from 23-Oct-2022
"Charming"
Score
5.0 / 5
Charming
Connie G., from 18-Oct-2022
"Charming"
Score
4.0 / 5
Charming
Connie G., from 15-Oct-2022
"The crafts and shopping opportunities!"
Score
4.0 / 5
The crafts and shopping opportunities!
Michael C., from 11-Oct-2022
"Fun Activities!"
Score
5.0 / 5
Fun things to do!
Vicky B., from 19-Aug-2022
"Love Nashville, Indiana! "
Score
4.0 / 5
I love everything about Nashville, Indiana! The small town feel with the small downtown area with all of the original, quaint, mom and pop shops, unique restaurants you won't find anywhere else, and the countless choices of cabins, resorts, bed and breakfasts and hotels you can think of. There is a lot of hustle and bustle during the morning through early evening, then there is complete peace in this mostly primitive landscape. They don't call it the Little Smokies for nothing.
Vanessa C., from 15-Feb-2022
The average traveler rating of the city of Nashville, IN shown above is
4.4 out of 5 based on 16 reviews