The Oliver Hotel

Just off Market Square in downtown Knoxville, Tennessee is the kind of boutique hotel we’ve long maintained every city in the world could use at least one of. The Oliver Hotel makes its home in a handsome 1876-vintage building, and while it’s historically informed, it’s as contemporary as they come, with 28 rooms that mix period architectural details with a focused, contemporary color palette and a well-chosen collection of mid-century modern furnishings.

The atmosphere is elegant enough, but at the same time playful, never taking itself all that seriously. Double Queen rooms are perfect for friends traveling together, while the Kings get romantic, and the suites begin to stretch out to 600 square feet or more.

In a hotel like this the social spaces are at least as important as the rooms, and the Oliver has those covered: Oliver Royale is the upscale new American restaurant, serving dishes crafted from local ingredients alongside a drink menu that’s particularly deep in the area of whiskeys and bourbons. Peter Kern Library is the dedicated cocktail bar, with a speakeasy vibe and a menu of drinks named for literary figures. And Tupelo Honey Cafe is the most casual of the three, a modern Southern comfort-food establishment that’s open from brunch on into the night.