BabuSoge

We hadn’t really thought about going to Nashville until we stumbled upon this amazing Capital One offer back in November. They had this offer on their travel portal for premier collection hotels –this deal gives a $200 off for each booking. What sweetened the deal even more was that these “premier collection” hotels came with extras like free breakfast and a $100 credit for food and beverage.

Choosing our Getaway

With two Capital One cards among us and upon seeing this amazing deal, we started looking for a place to go during the year-end holidays in 2023. Since our travel budget for the year was almost used up, we needed to pick a destination carefully. After some searching, we landed on Nashville – a bit far, but doable as a road-trip with a stop in St. Louis. Both cities were new to us. We also needed a pet-friendly spot without crazy pet fees.

Virgin Hotels Nashville: A Pet-Friendly Paradise

Nashville has a couple of premier collection hotels, and Virgin Hotels Nashville caught our eye with rooms under $200 per night, including taxes. Plus, it was pet-friendly without any additional pet fees. The free breakfast and $100 credit took care of all our food expenses during our stay. Using both our cards, we booked one night each, making both nights practically free. Considering the room cost of $200, a $100 credit, and a free breakfast for the two of us worth $60, this deal gave us a total of $720 in “free money” for two nights in a comfy, modern hotel that was totally Instagram-worthy.

We ate at the Commons Club for brunch and dinner, and had drinks at the Roof-top bar.

Worry-Free Travel: Budgeting for everything else

What about getting to Nashville and fuel costs? – you ask. We had free supercharging miles from a recent referral, covering our “fuel” costs. Of course, we did pay for coffee, parking, and $130 for our stay in St. Louis at a pet-friendly airbnb. We had some business in Chicago on the way to Nashville and stayed one night locally at the Kimpton Hotel Monaco near the Chicago Riverwalk. Food for the rest of the trip cost us around 200 USD.

Exploring Nashville

A road-trip with Nishu is all about hitting up dog-friendly places. We arrived in Nashville from Chicago around 7 pm. On the way, we made a pit stop in Louisville, Kentucky to check out the Kentucky Derby stadium and museum. Once we got to Nashville, we grabbed some grub, caught some live music at the hotel, and hit the hay early. The next morning, we fueled up with brunch and then spent a good couple of hours exploring the Shelby Bottoms Greenway and Trails. After that, we chilled out at the hotel’s rooftop pool, and caught up with friends and family over phone calls. Around 4 pm, we snagged a tasty acai bowl from E+Rose before heading to Love Circle for lovely views of Nashville. From there, we made our way to the riverfront area, parking near the Nissan stadium and strolling along the pedestrian bridge. The views from the bridge and riverside were absolutely gorgeous on that lovely, sunny winter evening with temperatures in the high 50s (perfect for us Minnesotans) and a stunning sunset. We then crossed over to the other side and walked to the Broadway area to check out some bars and live music. The street was buzzing with loads of people, action, and noise. We hung out for some time at The Stage on Broadway, which is a pet-friendly bar! Nishu wasn’t a fan of all the loud music, so we made our way back across the pedestrian bridge and back to the hotel. Once there, we grabbed cocktails and appetizers at the rooftop bar (decked out in cozy Christmas decorations) before having a light dinner at the restaurant downstairs.

The next morning, after another scrumptious brunch, we hit up the Walk of Fame Park to check out all the legends who shaped the music culture in the music city. We also snapped a pic of Nishu at the “What Lifts you” mural in The Gulch – totally Instagram-worthy! We swung by the Tennessee state capitol to take some pictures. They offer a 45-minute tour on the hour, and self-guided tours are available too. We passed on the tours because we had Nishu with us. She posed for some photos (with treats!) outside the Capitol as seen in the pictures below.

We checked out of our hotel around 1 pm (thanks to the complimentary late checkout benefit of the Capital One Premier Collection) and drove to St.Louis. We hung out at the Arch Bridge National Park for about an hour or so before picking up a delicious vegan dinner from the Tree House which we enjoyed in the warmth and comfort of our tiny home airbnb.

A Budget-Friendly Adventure: The Final Tally

In the end, the whole trip – 5 days, 4 nights (one night in Chicago, two in Nashville, one in St. Louis) – cost us $600, including everything – travel, food, parking, stay, coffee, – for two people and our dog, Nishu. We drove through seven Midwestern states, enjoying podcasts, audiobooks, and music, and commenting on the flatness of the Midwestern landscape. We could have stayed home and had a cozy break, but this trip was just what we needed to end 2023 on a perfect note. Nishu had a blast too, meeting other pets at superchargers and dog parks, and exploring pet-friendly spots in Nashville and St. Louis. It turned out to be a memorable and fairly budget-friendly yet luxurious adventure.

If we hadn’t snagged that travel offer, the same trip would’ve cost us $1400 instead of the $600 we shelled out. We probably wouldn’t have gone if that was the case.