Memphis hotels rock

When you think of Memphis, Tennessee, you think Elvis, Graceland, Sun Studio, blues, gospel, soul, rock‘n’roll, the Mississippi River, the writings of Mark Twain, mean barbecues . . . but luxury boutique hotels?

Actually, it’s a no-brainer. Just look at these four hotels which have opened during the years when Australians were unable to visit this vibrant city. They all serve as cultural nodes for their neighbourhoods, partaking of local history and culture while contributing stylish statements of their own.

The Central Station is a perfect example of being embedded in Memphis tradition. Literally in one sense: it’s a converted 1914 rail hub in downtown Memphis’ Central Station. Not only does it offer rail links to New Orleans and Chicago; it’s an easy walk to the National Rights Museum and Beale Street, which is famous for its colourful past and party atmosphere.

But as a spokesperson writes, there’s another card up Central Station’s sleeve: it “offers a listening room with daily curated playlists and podcasts as well as a record wall with 3500 vinyls, an in-house DJ, and room speakers to transmit the hotel’s mixes”. What else would you expect from a hotel in the birthplace of rock‘n’roll?

Speaking of Beale Street — and this is a surprise — there’s only one hotel there and that’s Hyatt Centric Beale Street Memphis, with its rooms overlooking the city skyline or the Mississippi River on which banks it sits.

The big drawcard here is the Memphis-style barbecue. There are also a Latin American-inspired restaurant, CIMAS, which features an alfresco area with views of Memphis’ beautiful Hernando de Soto Bridge; and the Beck & Call Rooftop Lounge for just sitting back and watching the action of Beale Street go by.

For pure style The Memphian takes first prize. (Actually, that’s not fair: these hotels are all super-stylish.) Opened just last year on Cooper Street in Overton Square, Memphis’ “heart of the arts”, this boutique hotel pays homage, according to a spokesperson, “to the culture of its neighbourhood, seamlessly blending eclectic styling with exceptional service”.

Somewhat cheekily, The Memphian suggests that its two restaurants and a rooftop bar — somewhat de rigueur in Memphis hotels, it seems — mean “guests would be forgiven for wanting to spend as much time as possible in the hotel despite being in one of the most vibrant cities in the world”.

The arts — visual and culinary — are at the heart of the 62-room boutique hotel in the South Main Arts District, Arrive Memphis. I can do no better than to again quote a hotel spokesman:

“The in-house bakery Hustle & Dough bakes up bread and pastries every day, whilst the lobby bar Bar Hustle crafts cocktails and the downstairs restaurant, Longshot is famed for its house-made sausages and the city’s most competitive shuffleboard matches.”

All of which is music to my ears.

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You can find out more about exploring Memphis at memphistravel.com

For more on the hotels, visit:

centralstationmemphis.com

hyatt.com/en-US/hotel/tennessee/hyatt-centric-beale-street-memphis

marriott.com/en-us/hotels/memtd-the-memphian-a-tribute-portfolio-hotel

arrivehotels.com/memphis