Inside Music City’s Living, Breathing Luxury Stay
During a recent visit to 1 Hotel Nashville, the meeting services team at LEO experienced firsthand how sustainability can be carefully woven into every detail of upscale hospitality. They explored a space that combines comfort with environmental responsibility. As Nashville’s first luxury, eco-conscious hotel, it has become a model for environmentally conscious design blended with luxurious comfort.
Setting a New Standard for Hospitality
Conveniently located downtown, 1 Hotel Nashville integrates environmentally conscious design at every level, from the outside facade to guest room touches. The exterior of the hotel is blanketed in 56,000 live plants growing along a custom-designed ivy facade. These plants are watered by a sensor irrigation system that reduces water usage by 78 percent with the greenery actively purifying the surrounding air, mitigating heat, and even reducing noise from the surrounding streets.
Inside, the use of natural elements continues with reclaimed wood, local stone, and organic materials incorporated throughout the space. Design details reflect the Cumberland River Valley with visual nods to flood lines, riverbanks, and traditional Tennessee architecture. Guest rooms include water filtration in each faucet, recycled glass water bottles, and organic mattresses made from locally sourced, non-toxic materials.
Why It Matters
LEO Events is committed to sourcing venues that prioritize environmental impact. The visit to 1 Hotel Nashville provided the team with valuable insight into how purposeful design can positively influence the event experience.
Lori Hulet, senior meeting planner at LEO, said the visit revealed how easily sustainability can be integrated into high-end venues. The team left with applicable ideas for future programs, such as identifying food waste reduction partners, continuing to support local vendors, and recommending donation opportunities for unused items.
These initiatives expand on what our teams are already doing in the way of sustainability. In cities in which LEO produces events, we actively partner with local sustainability organizations, composting services, and socially responsible vendors in effort to minimize the environmental impact of each program.
Sustainability Woven Into Every Detail
The culture and operations of 1 Hotel are deeply rooted in sustainability. All staff receive training on composting, waste sorting, and food donation, ensuring alignment with the brand’s environmental values. Unserved food is donated, food scraps are composted, and leftover herbs are repurposed at the hotel bar for zero-waste cocktails. The hotel venue and restaurants offer seasonal, locally sourced menus that support regional farmers and minimize environmental impact.
Guests are even invited to participate through thoughtful in-room features. “One Less Thing” donation blocks encourage guests to leave unwanted clothing for People Loving Nashville, a local nonprofit. Five-minute sand timers placed in bathrooms promote mindful water use and repurposed glassware eliminates the need for plastic bottles. A comprehensive recycling system tracks waste by weight, yielding measurable insight into the hotel’s environmental impact.
Rooted in Community and Culture
1 Hotel reflects the spirit of Nashville through its design, partnerships and local engagement. Salvaged barn doors from a building in the 2010 flood serve as a powerful tribute to the city’s resilience, while natural elements throughout the space highlight the Tennessee landscape. The hotel’s gift shop displays local brands like Able, which supports domestic violence survivors, alongside other vendors focused on community empowerment and sustainability.
An Ideal Venue for Events
The property also shares a conference floor with Embassy Suites, making it easy to organize mixed-tier events. The event space is modern, flexible and professionally managed, offering a smooth experience for planners and all attendees.
Moving Forward with Purpose
As the events industry continues to evolve, 1 Hotel Nashville stands as a beacon for what’s possible when sustainability is built in. While many hotel properties’ sustainability efforts end at incorporating a few green features, the 1 Hotel Nashville is a full-scope concept that brings nature, luxury, and wellness into alignment with eco-conscious practices. They have demonstrated that purpose-driven design can support both the environment and the guest experience in equal measure.
LEO’s meeting services and sustainability teams continue to explore similar opportunities with vendors and venues across the country, applying lessons learned from this visit to create events that further reflect intentional care for guest experience as well as the environment. If your brand is ready to create an unforgettable guest experience with purpose, start a conversation with our team today!
