FRANKLIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — For years historic downtown Franklin has remained the same, but now a large-scale development and hotel has come to town.
As the general manager of the Harpeth Hotel, Justin Foster said the owner worked diligently with the city to incorporate the quaint feel of Franklin into the design. His favorite room in the hotel is the library which is filled with books by local writers.
"In this great room here Landmark booksellers Joel and Carol helped outfit every book in here so we try to have a tie to anything Franklin, or at least middle Tennessee," Foster said.
The hotel's restaurant has a prohibition theme. The center of the restaurant encompasses a whiskey barrel, and the carpet mimics an empty cocktail glass. The floor of the restaurant is made from Tennessee barn wood.
Foster said, "We wanted to create a community hotel, and so far I think we’ve done that."
Foster said their goal was to make southern hospitality come to life in all 119 hotel rooms, which are pet friendly. There's also a coffee shop called McGavock's Coffee and Provisions on site.
The ballroom's inspiration comes from the Battle of Franklin.
"As you come down here you get into the Riverside Ballroom... what I like about this space is it flows out into Main Street, and out into the courtyard, so you have a lot of different options," Foster said, "The wavy chandeliers resemble the ballroom dresses, the coats in the 1800's."
The Harpeth Square mixed-use project fills up a city block. The Harpeth Square Apartments adjoining the hotel just started leasing their units. Renters have a secret door that takes them to the hotel's restaurant. They can charge drinks to their rooms and enjoy the hotel's amenities.
You can learn more about the hotel here.
