Bristol’s new Sessions Hotel celebrates the birthplace of country music.
Bristol’s new Hotel Sessions celebrates the town’s musical history.
Mostly known for arguably the most influential country music recordings in history, Bristol already attracts thousands of tourists every year. But now, music enthusiasts can also lodge in style at the new Sessions Hotel. It is named after the 1927 Bristol Sessions, which included the first recordings of the legendary Carter Family and earned the city the moniker Birthplace of Country Music.
Every room has a distinct feeling to customize your experience.
Located in downtown Bristol on iconic State Street—one side of the street is located in Virginia and the other side in Tennessee—the Sessions Hotel is a member of the Marriott Tribute portfolio. It offers 70 high-end guest rooms, the Southern Craft restaurant and bar, Vision Salon and Day Spa, a barbershop, a rooftop bar, the Simply Grand music and event venue, and the outdoor Music Lawn featuring a performance stage. The hotel complex comprises several historic buildings, including the 1920s Jobbers Candy Factory, the 1915 Bristol Grocery building, and the 1922 Service Granary Mill. It opened to the public in June after six years of planning and construction. The buildings feature brick walls, wood beams, historic industrial sliding doors, and granary shoots, and some of the guest rooms are located in the actual granary silo. “This project has been a labor of love, and like most historic repurposed buildings, sometimes comes with frustrating delays,” says Todd Morgan, partner in the project and president of MB Contractors.
And fans of country music will rejoice that the entire property is centered around their favorite musical genre. “Every selection is intentional,” says Kimberly Christner, president of Cornerstone Hospitality, another partner in the project. “We’ve taken our time, and as such we’ve perfected the overall guest experience with curated art, repurposed items from the buildings into functional pieces, designed creative, and high-end amenities that tell the story of the buildings and Bristol.”
The Sessions Hotel, says Christner, is “absolutely stunning and a real showstopper for the Bristol community, Southwest Virginia, and Eastern Tennessee.” SessionsHotel.com
This article originally appeared in the December 2020 issue.
