Hampton Inn & Suites on Beale Street is located in the heart of the Memphis Entertainment District, ideal for a visit to Graceland and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, and more.
Selecting a Hotel in the Beale Street Location
Planning our trip to Memphis was more than just to visit Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley. We scheduled three days to see all that Memphis had to offer from music and history to the amazing Memphis barbecue-style food so we made a strategic travel plan including picking a convenient hotel.
After consideration, we decided that it would be more fun to stay within walking distance of Beale Street rather than pay for a higher priced hotel near Graceland. In reality, we would only be taking a tour of Graceland as a day trip but we’d be spending more time sightseeing in the downtown area.
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Beale Street is a popular Memphis travel destination, three long blocks of live music, restaurants, clubs, and shops. You will get to enjoy music of many genres from rock ‘n’ roll and jazz to delta blues, R&B, and gospel music.
Location of the Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Beale Street
We flew into the Memphis International Airport, rented a car, and drove 17 miles to the Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Beale Street. It’s located just blocks from the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum and the FedExForum, home of the Memphis Grizzlies NBA team. Nearby is also the Orpheum Theatre, AutoZone Park, Victorian Village, Sun Studio, and the National Civil Rights Museum. Graceland was an easy, 8.7 mile drive from the hotel.
Hampton Inn’s Simple Amenities and Accommodations
Making Graceland and the Memphis attractions the star of this trip, we were not expecting much from the Hampton Inn accommodations. However, as it turns out, this hotel blends the perfect mix of modern comfort and Southern charm. Our guest room’s modern décor … the large windows with a downtown view … and a decent amount of room space … the Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Beale Street was nicer than expected.
As you would expect, the room selections at the Hampton Inn are standard, 144 rooms available with either a single king bed or double queen beds. Suites, rooms with balconies, connecting rooms, and accessible rooms are available. And it’s pet friendly. We were pleased with how comfortable the beds were and the convenient location made this a great hotel experience.
The Beale Street location is great, but it can get a bit noisy at night as the hotel is close to the downtown bars and clubs. We requested a higher floor due to potential noise and was given a room with an amazing view.
The housekeeping staff was very friendly and our room was meticulously clean. The free breakfast was consistently very good each morning. We appreciated the free Wi-Fi as well. Coffee, tea and hot chocolate were always available in the lobby area. There were also lemonade and cookies when we arrived. The onsite little market sold snacks, beverages, and other travel necessities.
Since we had our three days planned out very strategically, we did not have time in our itinerary to use the indoor heated pool or fitness center. But the pool looked inviting and the gym had decent equipment. Since it’s a hotel downtown we expected the parking would not be cheap so we had no issue with paying $26.00 per day to self-park onsite.
Memphis Day One: Visiting Graceland, the Home of Elvis Presley
This was our first time visiting Graceland, the iconic home of Elvis Presley. We took the Elvis Entourage VIP Tour that cost us $148 each and allowed us to skip the lines with a VIP shuttle to the mansion and some exclusive perks like admission to the VIP exhibit and VIP lanyard that made a great souvenir. There are higher and lower priced tour options so take your pick. Graceland is a journey through the life of Elvis from his humble beginning through his rise to fame.
Schedule your tour online ahead of time and when you arrive, you simply pick up your ticket at the “Will Call” area. The ticket gives you a specific time that your tour will begin. The tour includes the mansion and 10 extensive and fascinating exhibits including his career, cars, planes, wardrobe, gold records, and more. You’ll need two to three hours for the guided tour but there is so much extra to see after the tour at the complex.
There are two restaurants onsite. Vernon’s Smokehouse (Memphis BBQ) or Gladys’ Diner (American food) where you can try Elvis’ favorite Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich. Of course, our visit to Graceland would not be complete without a visit to The Enesco Gift Shop and Gallery. The gift shop has a HUGE collection of Elvis-related giftware and collectibles.
I can’t even pinpoint the best and favorite parts of Graceland as we loved every minute of the visit. From the rare Elvis memorabilia to his legendary jumpsuits, his pink car, family and career photos, sunglasses, furniture, and other personal items, it was both impressive and a bit sad when thinking about what could have been if Elvis had lived out his full life.
Cameras are allowed, but no flash photography. Video cameras may not be taken inside the mansion or inside any gift shops or attractions.
Memphis Day Two: $1 Trolley Ride With Stops at Nostalgic Attractions
Although so much of Downtown Memphis history is about music, even after visiting a showstopper like iconic Graceland, there are plenty more downtown attractions, just a short walk or trolley ride away from Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Beale Street.
The downtown Memphis trolley rides down Main Street past notable attractions. Best of all, trolley fares are just $1.00 per ride and daily passes can be purchased for $2.00. From the hotel, you can take a short walk to pick up the trolley on Beale Street and then the 2.5 mile Riverfront Loop route offers a lovely view of the Mississippi River. Other stops include National Civil Rights Museum, The South Main Historic Arts District, Renasant Convention Center, Orpheum Theatre, downtown hotels, and many restaurants.
The National Civil Rights Museum is located inside the Lorraine Motel, site of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so the self-guided tour of museum was fascinating. The tour lasted about two hours and included both traditional exhibits along with interactive screens.
Memphis Day Three: Music, Art, and Shopping
Day three of our Memphis visit included a visit to Sun Studio, where many musicians launched successful music careers such as Elvis, B.B. King, Roy Orbison and Johnny Cash. We took the guided tour and learned a lot about music history, listened to unreleased tracks, and appreciated seeing memorabilia from way back when.
The Stax Museum of American Soul Music was also an amazing visit. This museum pays tribute to American soul legends through a collection of 2,000+ artifacts, interactive exhibits, films and galleries. The memorabilia and the introductory film screened at the beginning of the self-guided tour was really good. You’ll even get to see Isaac Hayes’ custom Cadillac Eldorado that was purchased as part of his renegotiated deal with Stax Studios back in the seventies. This vehicle has a television, refrigerated minibar, and pure 24-carat gold exterior trim.
Winding down our 3 day trip to Memphis, we took a leisurely stroll around the South Main Historic Arts District. We popped in and out of multiple fascinating art galleries, unique shops, and boutiques.
Filling Up on the Famous Memphis Barbecue
While we enjoyed three complimentary breakfasts at the hotel, we were thrilled for the opportunity to enjoy multiple lunches and dinners while exploring Memphis. The local restaurants were fantastic and each lived up to the “best barbecue in Memphis.”
Lunches:
Day 1: At Graceland, we passed on the “peanut butter and bananas” favorite of Elvis and instead enjoyed authentic Memphis BBQ at Vernon’s Smokehouse. The BBQ Sampler was a real treat as it featured Pork Rib, Beef Brisket, Rotisserie Chicken, and Chopped BBQ Pork!
Day 2: At the award-winning Central BBQ restaurant, we ate delicious ribs (secret combo of dry-rub spices), beef brisket, home-cooked potato chips, and mac-n-cheese.
Day 3: At Dyer’s Burgers, we enjoyed the double burgers, wings, onion rings, and chocolate milkshakes.
Dinner:
Day 1: At the Cozy Corner, we had the Cornish Hen with Cole Slaw and the BBQ Spaghetti sides.
Day 2: Babalu features both Southern cuisine with Latin flair and the Baked Queso with tortilla chips, George’s Spicy Honey Chicken Sandwich, fried plantains, was finished off with cinnamon bread pudding for dessert.
Day 3: Dinner, music, and dancing at B.B. King’s Blues Club in Memphis, was truly special as the classic blues, soul, and rock and roll music was as impressive as the “fall off the bone” pork ribs and meatloaf.
Key Takeaways
- Fantastic downtown Beale Street location
- 17 miles from Memphis International Airport
- Free hot breakfast and free Wi-Fi
- Indoor pool and fitness center onsite
- Coffee, tea, and hot chocolate available in lobby
- Self-parking at this downtown hotel is $26.00 per day
- Ideal hotel to watch Memphis Grizzlies NBA team at the FedExForum
- Spend the day at Graceland, just a short 8.7 miles away
- $1 Downtown Memphis trolley ride features many local stops
- Enjoy Memphis barbecue and music at many restaurants and clubs
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is this a good hotel for families with kids?
Yes! There is an indoor heated pool for family fun and the hotel offers free daily breakfast. Even better, children under the age of 17 stay at the Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Beale Street for free.
- Are there suites at this hotel?
Yes, you can book a suite with and without a balcony that offers park views. Suites feature a kitchenette (stove top, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator), desk and office chair, and two queen beds or one king-sized bed. The living room area features a television and sleeper sofa.
- How far is this hotel from Graceland and other attractions?
The hotel is located on Beale Street within walking distance to the AutoZone Park, FedEx Memphis Forum, and the National Civil Rights Museum. Graceland is less than 9 miles away.
- Is this hotel pet-friendly?
Yes, up to two pets per room are allowed. There is a $75.00 non-refundable fee. Pets have a 75 pounds maximum.
- Does this downtown hotel offer parking?
Yes, this downtown Memphis hotel offers self-parking for $26.00 per day. Valet, EV, and covered parking are not available on premise.
- What is the closest major airport to the hotel?
Memphis International Airport is a 17 mile ride to Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Beale Street. While the hotel does not offer any shuttle service, with a rental car, it’s a convenient drive on the interstate from the airport to the hotel.
Final Thoughts
From the moment we arrived at the Hampton Inn & Suites Memphis-Beale Street until the moment that we checked out, we experienced nothing but fantastic service from the sweetest front desk staff and housekeeping team. We loved the hotel for the amazing location just off Beale Street, walking distance to so many fun Memphis attractions and 15 minute drive to Graceland. This hotel is highly recommended.
Author Bio: Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Wright now calls Deland, Florida her home. An avid traveler, she has journeyed by air, land, and sea, to many cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean to exciting destinations like California, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Diego, Myrtle Beach, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and more.This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered travel or consumer advice. Hotel amenities, prices, policies, and availability may change. Readers should verify all details independently and use their own judgment when planning trav