dive motel, nashville
Location: Nashville, Tennessee
Room Rate: $309.00
Book Site: Hotel Website
Rating: 9/10
Why I Love It:
The Dive Motel has been on my list for almost a year when they first opened last summer. The hotel is designed, owned and operated by the gorgeous Jersey Banks (black) and her spouse Lyon Porter (white). I was going to promote this hotel as Black Owned but since it’s not fully owned by a black person (and their lack of diversity within their properties) most people does not consider this to be “Black Owned”.
Located in Nashville, this small gem is designed and inspired by the 70s decade. The décor, disco balls and radio party switches (with infamous sex and drug themed songs) will definitely bring out your inner funk! The hotel offers 23 total rooms, each offering a different theme—cabin, vampire, boogie nights, red elvis and many more. I decided to splurge a little and stay in the Penthouse Honeymoon Suite during this stay. The room featured a private balcony, deep soaking tub, custom made robes, wooden panels and platform bed. This was honestly the best choice out of the bunch—I was a big fan of the colors and wooden panels. While I loved mostly everything about the room, I am not a fan of low/platform beds, I always think something is going to crawl up on me in my sleep... weird. The bathroom was also not a favorite for me—the design and colors were totally different from the room and not in a good way. You almost forget that you’re inside a fancy renovated motel until you reach the bathroom—the setup and design took away from the retro aesthetic. However, their standard rooms have better bathrooms than the suites; so if bathrooms are a deal breaker for you, avoid the suites. Everything else? Loved it—the room design reminded me much of “That 70s Show” so I was excited to temporary be in that time zone. I really enjoyed the disco ball and party switches—you won’t get this vibe anywhere else.
This hotel is advertised for adults only so there’s not much activities/amenities you will typically find at other family-friendly hotels beside the lounge pool and bar. The pool is definitely the main attraction as they rent out memberships to locals—the pool features a hot tub, locker-room area and coolers to keep drinks cold. The neighborhood is very quiet, so if you’re the person to walk around and explore, this is not the best location—nothing is there. Everywhere I went off-site to explore was a short Uber ride away.
Please note my visit and experience was during COVID-19 so I didn’t get to experience the property at its full potential. The in-door restaurant/bar and other amenities were temporary suspended but I still got to the enjoy the room and poolside area.
As far as service, this was the first hotel I stayed at that texted me prior to arrival to “prepare” for my arrival. At the time I thought it was cool and a nice way to greet guests but after arriving it seemed like the guy working the desk just wanted to know so he can chill with his buddies at the pool.. I get it though, I’ve done worst back in my hotel days (ha). All other communications and questions I had about the property were also done via text, as there was no front desk person available overnight or early morning. Everyone I encountered were pretty nice and laid back though.
If you want a lil funk and fun—in addition to a disco ball, soaking tub and pool-side drinks, The Dive Motel is the best place for you. The hotel is fun, very instagram-able and offers a unique retro experience that all adults can appreciate.
Three Key Highlights:
Cool Retro Design
Outdoor Pool
Laid Back Environment
