NASHVILLE, TENN.—Last week, hospitality tech company Cvent released its annual lists of top meeting destinations based on data compiled from its RFP platform—and it reaffirmed something event professionals have realized in recent years: Nashville is booming. Not only was the Tennessee city ranked third on the list of top meeting destinations, but it's also home to four of the five top meetings hotels sourced in the Cvent platform last year.
So, clearly, Music City made for an appropriate location for Hilton's recent "Art of the Hilton Brand" press trip, which hosted seven trade journalists May 6-7. In addition to exploring some of the hotel brand's most event-friendly properties around town, BizBash and the other reporters had the chance to tour the LivSmart Studios Showroom, a pop-up brand showroom that creatively showcases all the brands in Hilton’s portfolio. 
In addition to enjoying lunch with Hilton executives, the group was able to explore the many brands that fall under Hilton's portfolio.Photo: Claire Hoffman/BizBash
As we explored Hilton's offerings and chatted with several of the brand's top executives, a few emerging themes stood out to us. Here are some trends we see taking over the hotel world in 2024. (And don't miss Hilton's own 2024 trends report, available here!)
1. A focus on storytelling
Hilton's Curio Collection is a series of hotels known for their distinct character, personalities, and storytelling—and the Nashville location is no different. Hotel Fraye sits just nine minutes from where the final vote that led to the ratification of the 19th Amendment was cast, winning American women the right to vote—and that legacy is celebrated at the hotel through "Lady Fraye," a fictional woman who relocated from a horse farm in rural America to Nashville in search of a fresh start. The property's various spaces evoke Lady Fraye's story through things like horse-head door knockers and more than 20 unique pieces of artwork commissioned for the hotel in mural, painting, and even sculpture form.
At Hotel Fraye, one hard-to-miss piece of art is a pair of oversize antlers that top the lobby’s Cafe Antler and serve as a visual nod to how children often recall things as larger than they really are.Photo: Courtesy of HiltonThe storytelling aspect continues at other Hilton properties in the area. The new Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown features meeting rooms named after women songwriters, while artwork and photographs in the hotel hallways tell the story of fictional pop star Mary Louise. And at the new Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal, meeting rooms spotlight the stories of famous aviators like Charles Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart, the Wright Brothers, and more.
2. Interesting artwork and lighting fixtures
Along the same lines, Hilton's Nashville properties are leaning into unique artwork that evokes the surrounding city or utilizes local artists. At the Tempo hotel, for example, one unique piece is made from the sound waves of the song "Crazy" by Patsy Cline, while the Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal’s art has playful nods to the world of aviation; the hotel's ballroom, for example, features a light fixture that evokes the feeling of planes soaring through the night sky.At Hotel Fraye, meanwhile, leather patches form a wall that represents excerpts of Lady Fraye’s journal; there's also a 13-foot-tall architectural drape made of aluminum chain with an image of a woman that becomes more vivid and colorful as you walk by. And at the stunning Conrad Nashville—the only luxury Hilton hotel in the city—there's an art collection valued at over $1 million, all from local artists. 
Conrad Nashville's 6,000-square-foot ballroom is a multipurpose space with high ceilings and eye-catching chandeliers.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
3. More capabilities for small and medium groups
Hilton also used the trip to showcase its offering for small and medium meetings, a group size various executives noted is increasingly popular with the rise of virtual and hybrid work. Hilton Garden Inn Nashville Downtown/Convention Center, for example, offers about 6,200 square feet of tech-forward meeting space spread across six rooms, making it ideal for groups of 125 or fewer.The Hilton Garden Inn is one of about 2,000 Hilton hotels to participate in the brand's Meetings Simplified program, which allows groups of 35 or fewer people to instantly go online and book meeting rooms and room blocks. Hilton is also leaning into small groups with the Hilton for Business program, a digital-forward initiative that launched in January 2024 that empowers professionals running small- and medium-sized businesses to simplify travel booking and management. 
Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown features boardrooms named after women songwriters—including the Folklore room (pictured) named after Taylor Swift's 2020 album.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
4. Creative mocktails
One of the contest winners—the nonalcoholic "Noquila Fizz"—was created by Jose Pereira, general manager of the Embassy Suites by Hilton Birmingham. It's available at all Embassy Suites by Hilton locations in the United States through May 31.Photo: Courtesy of HiltonThe Embassy Suites brand has leaned into a similar concept. To celebrate the brand's 40th anniversary this month, all U.S. locations are offering two limited-time-only beverages designed by team members, a first in the brand’s history. All Embassy Suites by Hilton staffers had the chance to craft a signature cocktail or spirit-free mocktail; in the end, two drink recipes—one alcoholic and one nonalcoholic—were chosen.
5. More options for incentive trips
Hilton executives also observed that incentive trips have come roaring back, reaching and likely surpassing pre-COVID levels. To simplify the booking process, the brand has launched the Hilton Incentive Collaborative. The program, which currently has about 50 participating hotels, provides a streamlined way to book through a centralized platform, where incentive planners can find simplified contracting that allows them to book for multiple years across multiple properties; the hotels also share information with each other, leading to a more personalized experience from year to year. Also through the collaborative, properties build out a preset, curated activity list offering cultural experiences relevant to each location.6. Loyalty programs that reward event professionals
The Hilton Honors program has long offered tie-ins with Lyft, Amazon, and more, plus access to various musical and culinary experiences that can be redeemed with points. And now, Hilton is doubling down on its Hilton Honors Event Planner Program, a loyalty program that allows planners to earn points for any money they contract, whether it's for meeting rooms, room blocks, or something else. Previously, they earned one point for every dollar spent—but as of April 15, 2024, planners now earn two points for every dollar. This program has no minimum spend and is open to planners of events of all sizes. The Hilton team notes that 99% of Hilton Hotels choose to participate in the program.Bonus: Scroll down to see inside some of Hilton's standout properties in Nashville. 
Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal, the first on-site hotel at Nashville International Airport, opened in March. The property offers 298 guest rooms, including six suites, and over 14,200 square feet of meeting and event space that includes an 8,000-square-foot grand ballroom. Design-wise, the property is a celebration of its location, with artwork and props offering playful nods to the worlds of aviation and music.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
Hilton BNA Nashville Airport Terminal’s meeting and event areas all pay homage to aviation pioneers, with options ranging from the Wright Room, celebrating the brothers who first took to the skies, to the Cayley Room, honoring the “father of aviation,” George Cayley. There's also a rooftop, complete with views of the airport runways, that can hold as many as 400 people.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
Open since February 2024 is the 306-room Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown, the second property nationally to open from Hilton’s new contemporary lifestyle brand. The venue is located in the heart of downtown Nashville, just half a block from Broadway.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
Tempo by Hilton Nashville Downtown features more than 9,500 square feet of flexible indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, a 1,000-square-foot fitness center, a rooftop outdoor bar and pool area, an outdoor event terrace, and a fifth-floor sky lobby with expansive views of downtown Nashville and Nashville Yards. The hotel also offers the city’s first Topgolf Swing Suites.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
Conrad Nashville, the Conrad Hotels & Resorts brand's debut in Music City, opened in 2022. Located in the heart of Midtown just steps from Music Row, the 234-key hotel includes 24 suites, five wellness rooms, an expansive fitness center, three curated dining experiences conceptualized by Blau & Associates, and a chic poolside retreat. There's also 17,000 square feet of meeting and event space designed with floor-to-ceiling windows and a light, contemporary palette.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
The Conrad Ballroom, at 6,370 square feet, and its adjacent 4,000-square-foot outdoor terrace, are standout venues within the eight event spaces at Conrad Nashville.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
Hotel Fraye Nashville Midtown, Curio Collection, opened in 2022. The new-build hotel offers 5,290 square feet of flexible event space, including the 3,000-square-foot Friesian Ballroom, a 12-seat boardroom, and a meeting room that holds 50. There's also a ground-floor restaurant, a swanky rooftop bar and lounge, a cabana-clad pool, and a fitness center that features the latest Peloton technology and a yoga studio.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
Located next to Music City Center and Bridgestone Arena, the 506-suite Embassy Suites by Hilton Nashville Downtown, open since 2022, boasts the city’s highest rooftop restaurant and bar, a rooftop pool, a veranda, and more than 32,000 square feet of unique indoor and outdoor meeting and event space. Sustainable attributes are at the core of the hotel’s design from its use of reclaimed wood, stone, and iron to local building materials. Daily operational practices continue the hotel’s commitment to sustainability and include a glass recycling program, low mercury lighting, and reduced water-use programs. The property also features subtle nods to Nashville’s musical roots, including exterior windows mimicking frets on a guitar, the pitch of the roof resembling the lid of a baby grand piano, and artwork in guest rooms paying homage to the city’s renowned music history.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
Hilton Garden Inn Nashville Downtown/Convention Center is just blocks from key attractions like Music City Center, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and Bridgestone Arena. Guests can enjoy the seasonal rooftop pool, a fitness center, and a variety of dining options on site—including Hoppy Bird, which serves Nashville hot chicken and local brews. For small and medium meetings, there's 6,297 square feet of event space spread across six rooms.Photo: Courtesy of Hilton
