Downtown Memphis · Short-Term Stays
Downtown Memphis Airbnb & Short-Term Rentals: What to Know
Planning a trip and weighing a downtown Memphis Airbnb against a hotel — or a short-term rental against a furnished apartment? This guide covers the downtown short-term scene, the best areas to stay, the fees nobody puts in big print, and the events that send prices soaring. And if your visit turns into something longer, The Exchange Building leases direct on Court Square Park, in the heart of everything you came to see.
A local visitor and stays guide from The Exchange Building · 9 N 2nd Street, Memphis, TN 38103
The downtown Memphis Airbnb scene
Downtown is where most visitors want to be, and the short-term rental market reflects it. You will find everything from compact studios above Main Street to historic lofts with tall windows and skyline or river views, scattered through the Core, South Main, and the riverfront blocks. The draw is the same one that brings people to live here: within a few walkable blocks you have live music on Beale Street, the Mississippi riverfront, ballgames, basketball, and a dining scene that keeps improving. Start your trip planning with our things to do downtown guide and the official Memphis Tourism site.
One practical note on short term rentals in Memphis: like most cities, Memphis regulates short-term rentals, so availability and quality vary by building and by host. The upside of staying downtown is that you trade a rental car for your own two feet — the Main Street trolley and the riverfront walk connect most of what you will want to do.
For a few nights, a downtown Airbnb or hotel near Court Square keeps you walking distance to Beale, the river, and the arenas. For a week or more, a furnished apartment or a direct lease usually wins on price and space. Either way, watch the cleaning and service fees — and book early around peak events. The Exchange leases direct, no broker fees, at 9 N 2nd Street.
Best areas to stay
"Downtown" is a handful of distinct pockets, and where you book changes the whole trip:
- The Core / Court Square — the historic civic center around Court Square Park and Main Street. The most central place to stay, steps from the trolley, the Convention Center, and a flat walk to Beale.
- South Main Arts District — galleries, restaurants, and the Civil Rights Museum along a walkable, trolley-served stretch; see the South Main guide.
- Riverfront & Mud Island — west toward the Mississippi and the River Garden, prized for views and green space.
- Beale Street area — closest to the late-night energy; lively, and loud on weekends. Our Beale Street guide has the lay of the land.
If walkability is the goal, aim for the Court Square core — it keeps a car optional and puts you in the middle of the map.
Airbnb vs. hotel vs. furnished apartment
The right choice depends almost entirely on how long you are staying:
- Airbnb / short-term rental — a whole home with a kitchen, good for groups and a local feel. Watch for cleaning and service fees, variable hosts, and self check-in logistics.
- Hotel — daily housekeeping, a front desk, and loyalty points, but a smaller footprint and no real kitchen.
- Furnished apartment — built for longer visits, with a monthly rate that undercuts nightly pricing once you pass a week or two; see furnished apartments downtown.
For a true side-by-side on cost and comfort, read downtown hotels vs. apartments. And if your trip is really a month or more — a contract, a relocation, a project — skip nightly pricing entirely and look at an extended stay or a monthly rental.
What to know before you book
The headline nightly rate is rarely the real number. Before you reserve a short-term or vacation rental in downtown Memphis, check:
- Cleaning and service fees — these can add a lot to a short stay; always view the all-in total for your exact dates.
- Taxes — lodging taxes apply to short stays and are added on top.
- Minimum nights — minimums often jump during big events and holidays.
- Cancellation policy — strict policies are common; know the terms before you pay.
- Parking — confirm whether parking is included, a nearby garage, or up to you.
- Check-in and access — self check-in, key codes, and how to reach the host if something goes wrong.
- Reviews and accuracy — recent reviews, exact location, and honest photos.
Events that spike demand
Downtown is event central, and the calendar drives both prices and minimum-night requirements. Plan around the busiest stretches:
- St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend — a December surge tied to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital; downtown fills up fast. See where to stay in our St. Jude Marathon guide.
- Conventions and trade shows — events at the Renasant Convention Center can book out nearby stays.
- Games and concerts — Memphis Grizzlies nights and shows at FedExForum, plus Memphis Redbirds baseball at AutoZone Park; more in our downtown sports guide.
- Memphis in May and the rest of the festival season — the city's biggest month for visitors; see downtown events & festivals.
The rule of thumb: if your dates overlap a marquee event, book early and expect higher rates and longer minimum stays.
The Exchange Building: partner short-stays and direct leasing
The Exchange Building rose in 1910 as the home of the Memphis Cotton and Merchants Exchanges — the trading floor of the "cotton capital of the world." Today the Beaux-Arts landmark lives on as downtown residences, and its location is the one thing no booking filter can replicate: Court Square Park at 9 North Second Street, an easy walk to Beale Street, the riverfront, AutoZone Park, FedExForum, the trolley, and the Convention Center. It is exactly where a visitor wants to be.
If you are in town for a short visit, the on-site team can point you toward authorized partner short-stays so you still get a trusted address in the heart of downtown rather than rolling the dice on an unknown listing. And when a trip turns into a move — a contract extended, a relocation confirmed, a city you did not expect to love — the Exchange leases direct, no broker fees, with a fast, self-serve process: submit a quick inquiry, get a private portal, tour, apply, and message the office from your phone. The full story is in our Exchange Building apartments guide.
Find your place in the heart of downtown
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll send you a private portal in minutes — tour, apply, and chat with the on-site leasing office. Leased direct on Court Square, no broker fees.
Booking tips
A few habits make downtown short-term stays smoother and cheaper:
- Book early for events. Check the calendar first; if your dates touch a big weekend, reserve well ahead.
- Compare the all-in total. Add cleaning, service fees, and taxes before you judge a nightly rate.
- Match the stay to the length. Nights, go short-term; weeks or months, go furnished or lease direct.
- Prioritize a central, walkable address. It saves you parking and rideshare costs all trip.
- Plan how you will get around. Downtown rewards walking and the trolley — see getting around downtown Memphis.
Already sensing this trip might become a stay? Tell us your dates and we will send your private portal in minutes — and you can decide between a partner short-stay and a direct lease once you see your options.