avlff

Last summer we stayed at the ES on Broadway and the Hampton Inn & Suites near Vanderbilt.

The ES is a typical ES...Long Island Iced Tea during the evening reception was good and the folks working at breakfast were great. On our final day there they actually packed a 'snack' for us for the road with fresh fruit and some pastries! We took advantage of their shuttle for rides to downtown, it was very convenient.

As far as the room goes, I preferred the Hampton Inn & Suites tho'. We had a suite which was more apartment-like. Large living room, full kitchen and big bathroom. Living room and bedroom were on outside wall...with windows...overlooking Centennial park and the Parthenon. It seemed much quieter than the ES with less road noise (& Vanderbilt hospital traffic). As posted earlier...there are two Hamptons within a couple blocks of each other...the Inn & Suites is on Elliston Place.

loomis

Stayed at the Hickory Hollow Hampton Inn last week. Although not a full-blown business center, they did have a computer in lobby w/printer and high speed internet access. Older Hampton Inn, by the way.

suzieq

Friday Afternoon Check in Hilton Suites Downtown Nashville. Check in quick for me and appeared to be so for the several guests in front of me. Room overlooked street activities. Smelled a bit musty, candle solved that. Had water bottles in refrig. Called for additional towels and they were delivered right away. Breakfast Buffet very complete. (Had to ask for the coupons). Check out the printer didn't work; clerk asked somebody and was told that if a "point stay" the couputer would not be able to print anything confirming the stay. I requested it be tried again, and fairly quickly the young lady did get it to print out. Left luggage with bellman, along with items to be refrigerated. When picked all up about 7 hrs later, the cold was cold and everything retrieved promptly. Other than the printer problem, all questions answered with a smile.

Hampton Inn Suites Saturday Evening. @ check in was advised as a Diamond would not need to show any credit card. Room would qualify as a time share. Complete kitchen, living room, bedrm, hallway, separate bath. Very clean. No water or amenity; @ front desk was told to obtain water bottles from cooler, complimentary. Breakfast standart fare, but more than enough. Airport shuttle every half hour beginning at 0400. Our departure at 0900 very prompt. Wireless internet access code for rooms; computer available downstairs with free printing. All people very friendly.

BamaVol

I'm thinking of taking my teenage son to Memphis next weekend to visit Graceland (where I have reason to believe we both will be received ).
Also plan on a rib dinner and maybe Sun Studios or Beale ST or ???

There are a couple properties with point stretcher awards (15,000 a night) a DT and a Hilton, neither downtown. It's a weekend, so no lounge, I'm guessing. The 2 downtown properties are possibly available if I call the Diamond Desk. There's also a host of Hamptons on the outskirts, some are even Opportunity level and category 1. (I don't want to blow a whole lot of points. I'm saving for something else).

What's the best deal in Memphis, and what's most convenient to what I want to see and do?

Jeeves

This thread has some good Memphis suggestions.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...hlight=memphis

I would also look at the Memphis hotel reviews in Tripadvisor.

Biddingfortravel shows some consistent Priceline pricing of $42 for East Memphis and $65 for downtown.

I'm taking the family to Memphis later this year and based on what I've read and the likely pricing, I am leaning towards the DT in East Memphis or just doing a Priceline stay.

Good luck and let us know what you end up doing.

kevinjet

I'm a part-time meeting planner and downtown Memphis is almost always happening due to a lack of large hotel space in and around the Beale Street area for conventions & conferences. The historic Peabody hotel is home to most conv's and it is connected to the "most expensive" Hampton Inn in the chain I'm told but it is "really nice" from what I saw in the lobby as I strolled through it this past Dec. This HI is also owned by the Peabody and acts as overflow lodging when the hotel is full and has a cool mall/food court between the 2 properties.

There is also a large Marriott down the street (still downtown) directly opposite the Memphis ConvCenter and it is on the Trolley Route.

Memphis is coming of age as an entertainment/meeting/culture desitnation and the downtown trolley is cheap-n-cool. Be sure to also take in the National Civil Rights Museum on the site of the Lorraine Motel where Dr. MLK Jr. was killed - it is super impressive. Additionally, STAX has a cool museum of the soul music history complete with Issac Hayes' caddy!

I often refer to Beale Street as a clean/safe version of the New Orleans French Quarter (but that was pre-Hurricane of course) and there are MANY gift stores around Graceland and the tour w/ audio tape is cool too!

BamaVol

Thanks,

That thread came up when I searched but seemed to focus on the "suburban" Hilton property and dealt more with business stays. I guess I should have asked more specific questions.

1. Is there a HH property close to Graceland? Would I want to stay there?
Would it be convenient to Beale St as well (I realize they're miles apart)?

2. There are several sub-suburban Hamptons. One is Olive Springs MS. Another is West Memphis AR. There are others closer by. Some are points bargains (Opportunity & Category 1). Other than satisfying my cheap-a$$ leanings, is there any other reason to consider them?

3. If my choice is between the suburban DT, the suburban Hilton both at 30,000 points for Fri-Sat stay or the Hamptons at 15,000-20,000, is there an obvious winner?

I'll let you know what I do. It all hinges now on his recovery from food poisoning yesterday. I'd like him to have his appetite back for Memphis.

BamaVol

Thanks for the Memphis tips, kevinjet. So you're saying Beale St is family-friendly? Any problems with gaining admittance to the clubs? He's a musician and would love a taste of the blues - but only 15.

BHAMFlyer

I was in MEM in July and really enjoyed the Hampton Inn by Peabody Place. It is right behind Beale St.

If I remember correctly I had no problem getting into several of the places on Beale Street while in High school. Of course it was early in the evening when most of the places seem a little more open to the idea.

Duckman

Go early! Many of the Beale St clubs are restaurants by day/clubs by night. Underagers are kept out of Beale St after 8 or 9ish on busy nights (they set up ID checkpoints at each end of the street).

Blues City Cafe is a restaurant on Beale Street with a music venue in the easternmost part of their building. You can sit in the east part of the restaurant and see the stage/hear the music 'next door.' Note if you sit in the main restaurant room where the kitchen is, then you wont be able to see or hear the band.

Duckman

[QUOTE=BamaVol]Thanks,

That thread came up when I searched but seemed to focus on the "suburban" Hilton property and dealt more with business stays. I guess I should have asked more specific questions.

1. Is there a HH property close to Graceland? Would I want to stay there? NO, thats a dumpy part of town!
Would it be convenient to Beale St as well (I realize they're miles apart)?
NO

2. There are several sub-suburban Hamptons. One is Olive Springs MS. Another is West Memphis AR. There are others closer by. Some are points bargains (Opportunity & Category 1). Other than satisfying my cheap-a$$ leanings, is there any other reason to consider them?
NO, THESE ARE NOT CONVENIENT TO ANY OF THE "SITES" ABOUT 20 MINS DRIVE FROM BEALE ST.

3. If my choice is between the suburban DT, the suburban Hilton both at 30,000 points for Fri-Sat stay or the Hamptons at 15,000-20,000, is there an obvious winner?

IF YOU CAN GET THE HAMPTON DOWNTOWN, TAKE IT. IF NOT TRY THE DT DOWNTOWN.

troyintn

[QUOTE=Duckman] I have to agree. The DT is ok. I usually stay in germentown. It is a haul from downtown, but a nice part of town with Hampton, ES, Homewood, and Hilton all next to each other.

general45

I agree with the HI Downtown. It is walking distance to a lot of things, especially Beale Street and Sun Studios. The Rendevous Restaurant is across the street from the Peabody Hotel(don't miss the "Duck March" mornings and evenings in the hotel lobby) for what many consider to be the best ribs in town. Consider renting a car to get to Graceland. I have seen rates as low as $15.00/fullsize and Memphis area is fairly easy to navigate with a good roadmap. GPS is invaluable if you can get it. If you don't want to drive, do one of the many tours available. I agree with kevinjet on the Civil Rights Museum. The self-guided tour leads you to the area and a view of the hotel rooms and balcony where Martin Luther King was shot. The room is shown as it was that day, frozen in time. Solemn music is played in the background. I can honestly say that I was emotionally drained after I left this part of the exhibit, almost as if I had been at a funeral for a friend or family member. It is easily reached as one of the stops on the trolley route. I don't think you will have a problem with gaining admittance to some of the clubs on Beale Street as long as you start early in the evening. There is also a Gibson Guitar Factory Store and Manufacturing area. If he's a musician, he can sample all the instruments he cares to try in private rooms complete with amplifier and the staff is super friendly.

BamaVol

Good advice. Thanks. Actually, we can drive up from AL - I have an Avis free weekend coupon burning a hole in my pocket - or DL has a $108 fare Sat-Mon (have to see how late he'd be for school Monday).

On the one hand, a visit to the Gibson store would be appreciated. On the other hand, I'd be leaving with another dadgum guitar, I'm sure.

I hadn't thought about the civil rights museum until I saw it mentioned here, but that would be a definite. I wonder if they play solemn music in the bathroom at Graceland?

mrladewig

I've been working in Memphis for the last six months. I stay at the Hilton Memphis on Poplar Blvd. It has its ups and downs. Poplar is kinda the main drag, and it will take you directly into downtown. It takes about 20-30 minutes. The hotel is directly next to I-240, which you would take to graceland. It is also in a safe/nice part of town. I've not been out to graceland but have been down to Beale st (downtown) a number of times. There might be better locations downtown, but my client is in east Memphis.