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When you travel to the same area more than once, eventually you find those places you know you can depend on.
For us, one of those places is the Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin in Franklin, Tennessee.
We have stayed here multiple times, and honestly, we stay here almost every time we’re in the Franklin area.
That probably tells you more about how we feel about this hotel than any star rating ever could.
There are plenty of hotels around Franklin and Nashville, but when we’ve already found somewhere comfortable, convenient, and consistently enjoyable, I don’t feel the need to reinvent the wheel every time we visit.
If you’re planning a trip to Franklin, Tennessee, visiting the Nashville area, traveling through Middle Tennessee, or simply looking for a comfortable place to stop along I-65, here’s why the Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin continues to be one of our go-to places to stay.
Location, Location, Location
One of the biggest reasons we like staying here is the location.
The Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin is located at 1874 West McEwen Drive in Franklin, just off I-65 near the Cool Springs area.
That makes it convenient when you’re traveling through Tennessee, but it’s also a great home base when Franklin itself is your destination.
Historic downtown Franklin is only a few miles away, and popular Franklin attractions such as Carter House, Carnton, Lotz House and The Factory at Franklin are nearby.
The hotel is also close to CoolSprings Galleria and plenty of shopping and dining options.
And if your trip includes Nashville, you can stay outside the heart of downtown while still being within driving distance of Nashville attractions.
For us, that combination works really well.
We can enjoy Franklin, get where we need to go, and still have access to the Nashville area without necessarily staying right in downtown Nashville.
Why We Keep Coming Back
I think repeat stays are one of the best ways to judge a hotel.
You can stay somewhere once and have a good experience.
But when you voluntarily return?
And then return again?
That says something.
Whenever we’re in this area and need a hotel, the Drury in Franklin is one of the first places that comes to mind.
We know what to expect.
We know the location works for us.
We know there are amenities we actually use.
And when you’re traveling, having one less thing to worry about is worth a lot.
Travel can already involve packing, driving, figuring out where you’re eating, deciding what you’re doing, navigating unfamiliar roads, and inevitably realizing you forgot something approximately 100 miles after leaving home.
The hotel shouldn’t be another source of stress.
That’s one of the reasons I appreciate having a familiar place we can return to.
The Free Hot Breakfast Is a Big Plus
Breakfast is one of those hotel amenities that can actually save you money, especially if you’re traveling with more than one person.
The Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin includes a free hot breakfast for guests.
And we’re not talking about being handed a granola bar and being told, “Good luck out there.”
Drury currently lists breakfast choices including scrambled eggs, sausage, fresh fruit, oatmeal, biscuits and gravy, coffee and other options.
That’s a real breakfast.
When you’re traveling, being able to eat before leaving the hotel makes the morning so much easier.
You don’t have to immediately start searching for a restaurant.
You don’t have to spend another $30, $40 or more feeding everyone breakfast.
You can get ready, go downstairs, eat, grab some coffee and start your day.
Those little conveniences add up quickly on a trip.
The 5:30 Kickback Is One of My Favorite Drury Perks
If you’ve never stayed at a Drury hotel before, you may not know about their 5:30 Kickback.
This is one of the amenities that really helps Drury stand out.
Every evening, the Franklin location offers complimentary hot food and beverages during the 5:30 Kickback.
The menu rotates, so the exact food can vary.
Depending on your plans and appetite, it can also mean you don’t necessarily have to go back out and buy a full restaurant dinner every evening.
Think about what that can mean for a family.
Hotel.
Breakfast.
Dinner.
Those food costs can add up fast.
Getting breakfast and evening food included with your stay can make a noticeable difference in your overall travel budget.
And after you’ve spent an entire day sightseeing, driving, shopping or running around Franklin and Nashville, sometimes the last thing you want to do is figure out another restaurant.
Sometimes you just want to eat something and relax.
There’s Even Popcorn and Soda
This is a smaller perk, but it’s one of those fun Drury touches.
The hotel offers complimentary popcorn and soda in the afternoon and evening.
Is free popcorn going to determine where I spend an entire vacation?
Probably not.
Am I going to happily eat the free popcorn when it’s sitting there?
Absolutely. 😂
These little extras make the hotel feel welcoming, particularly if you’re traveling with children or you’ve just gotten back from a long day exploring.
The Pool Is Another Nice Feature
The Franklin Drury has an indoor/outdoor pool and whirlpool.
That’s another amenity that can be especially valuable for families.
Sometimes the hotel pool ends up being one of the children’s favorite parts of an entire vacation.
You can spend hundreds of dollars taking them to attractions and they’ll come home talking about swimming at the hotel.
Children are excellent financial planners like that. 😂
Even for adults, having access to a pool or whirlpool can be a nice way to relax after you’ve been walking around all day.
Free Parking Matters More Than People Think
Another thing I appreciate about this location is free parking during your stay.
If you’ve stayed in larger cities or downtown hotels lately, you already know parking can become an unexpected part of your travel budget.
You find what appears to be a good hotel rate and then discover you’re paying another substantial amount every night just to let your vehicle exist near the building.
At the Franklin Drury, parking during your stay is currently complimentary.
It’s simple, but it’s another expense you don’t have to add to your trip.
The Rooms Have the Things We Actually Need
Drury lists amenities such as a microwave, refrigerator, television and free Wi-Fi in its guestrooms.
I particularly like having a refrigerator and microwave when we’re traveling.
If we bring drinks back to the room, have restaurant leftovers, or want snacks available, having a refrigerator is incredibly useful.
A microwave can also save you from throwing away perfectly good leftovers.
They’re not glamorous hotel features, but they’re practical ones.
And I’ll take practical over having some decorative pillow I’m terrified to touch any day.
Franklin Is Worth Exploring
If you’re staying here, don’t treat Franklin as simply somewhere to sleep while visiting Nashville.
Franklin deserves some time of its own.
Historic downtown Franklin has shops, restaurants and beautiful historic surroundings. Nearby attractions include Carter House, Carnton and Lotz House, and The Factory at Franklin is also just a few miles from the hotel.
Franklin has a completely different feel from downtown Nashville.
You can enjoy the energy and attractions of Nashville and then spend time exploring the history and charm of Franklin.
That’s another reason I like this hotel as a base for visiting the area.
A Good Choice for a Nashville-Area Trip
If Nashville is part of your vacation but you don’t necessarily want to stay downtown, Franklin is worth considering.
Downtown Nashville hotels can sometimes come with higher prices, parking charges and the general busyness that comes with staying directly in a major tourist district.
Franklin gives you another option.
You can drive into Nashville when you want the Nashville experience and return to Franklin afterward.
Depending on your itinerary, that arrangement can be much more comfortable.
Just remember that Nashville traffic is Nashville traffic.
No hotel can fix traffic.
If somebody invents one that can, I’ll happily review it next. 😂
Who I Think Would Enjoy Staying Here
Based on our own repeated stays, I think the Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin is particularly worth considering for:
Families visiting Franklin or Nashville who will make use of the breakfast, evening food and pool.
Road-trippers traveling along I-65 who want a comfortable stop with easy highway access.
Couples visiting Franklin who want to explore downtown Franklin while remaining within driving distance of Nashville.
Travelers watching their vacation budget who appreciate included breakfast, evening food, Wi-Fi and parking.
Anyone visiting the Franklin/Cool Springs area who wants a convenient hotel near shopping, restaurants and local attractions.
One Current Note Before You Visit
One thing I always recommend with any hotel is checking the latest information before your trip.
Amenities, schedules and policies can change.
At the time I’m writing this, Drury notes that the hotel’s on-site restaurant is temporarily closed.
However, the complimentary hot breakfast and 5:30 Kickback are still listed among the hotel’s amenities.
Always check your reservation details and current hotel information before traveling, especially if a particular amenity is important to you.
Would We Stay at the Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin Again?
Yes.
And considering we’ve already stayed there multiple times, that’s not exactly a hypothetical answer.
We stay at the Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin almost every time we’re in the area.
For me, that’s the real review.
There are hundreds of hotel reviews online where someone stayed somewhere for one night.
Returning to the same property again and again says something different.
We like the location.
We appreciate the included breakfast.
We enjoy the 5:30 Kickback.
Free parking is a plus.
The pool is nice to have.
And most importantly, it has become somewhere familiar that we feel comfortable choosing when we’re back in the Franklin area.
No hotel is going to be perfect for every traveler, and everyone’s priorities are different.
But when friends or readers ask where they should consider staying around Franklin, Tennessee, this is definitely one of the hotels I can tell them we’ve personally returned to.
Planning a Trip to Franklin, Tennessee?
If Franklin or Nashville is on your travel list, take some time to explore the area instead of rushing through it.
Spend a day walking around historic Franklin.
Visit some of the area’s historic sites.
Explore the shops.
Take a trip into Nashville.
And leave yourself enough time to actually enjoy Tennessee instead of creating an itinerary so packed that you need three business days to recover from your vacation.
If you’d like to compare hotel availability and travel options for your trip, you can use my Expedia link below.
Book or compare your Franklin and Nashville-area stay through Expedia:
If you’re considering the Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin, it’s a place we’ve chosen repeatedly, and one we plan to continue considering whenever we’re back in the area.
Sometimes finding a hotel you genuinely like is the best travel hack of all.
You stop wondering where you’re going to stay.
You already know. 💛
Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains an Expedia affiliate link. If you click my link and make a qualifying booking, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. This review reflects my personal experience and opinion from our stays at the Drury Plaza Hotel Nashville Franklin.