EXHIBIT 10.6(a)

                                 FIRST AMENDMENT
                         REVOLVING CREDIT LOAN AGREEMENT



         THIS FIRST  AMENDMENT  TO REVOLVING  CREDIT LOAN  AGREEMENT is made and
entered  into as of the 10th day of August,  1998,  by EQUITY INNS  PARTNERSHIP,
L.P.,  a  Tennessee   limited   partnership,   and  EQUITY  INNS/WEST   VIRGINIA
PARTNERSHIP,  L.P., a Tennessee  limited  partnership  (together  herein  called
"Borrower"),  EQUITY INNS, INC., a Tennessee corporation, and EQUITY INNS TRUST,
a Maryland real estate  investment trust (together  herein called  "Guarantor"),
and NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE, Memphis, Tennessee ("Bank").

         WHEREAS, the parties executed that Revolving Credit Loan Agreement (the
"Loan  Agreement"),  dated as of November 14,  1997,  which Loan  Agreement  was
executed  simultaneously with a Revolving Credit Promissory Note (the "Note") in
the principal amount of $5,000,000.00, payable to Bank.

         WHEREAS,  the parties  desire to increase the  principal  amount of the
Note  to  $10,000,000.00,   amend  the  maturity  date  of  the  Note  and  make
corresponding amendments to the Loan Agreement.

                              W I T N E S S E T H :


         For mutual considerations,  receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby
acknowledged, it is agreed as follows:

         The  definition  of  "Termination  Date" in Section 1.01 is modified to
change the Termination Date to December 31, 1998.

         Section 2.01 is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following
paragraph:

         SECTION 2.01 Revolving Credit.  Bank agrees on the terms and conditions
hereinafter set forth, to make advances  ("Revolving  Credit Loans") to Borrower
from time to time  during the period from the date of this  Agreement  up to but
not including the Termination  Date in an aggregate  amount not to exceed at any
time  outstanding  TEN MILLION and No/100 DOLLARS  ($10,000,000.00).  Within the
limits of the Commitment,  Borrower may borrow, prepay pursuant to Section 2.06,
and reborrow under this Section 2.01

         Section 2.05 is deleted in its entirety and replaced with the following
paragraph:

         SECTION 2.05 Revolving  Credit Note. All revolving Credit Loans made by
Bank under this  Agreement  shall be evidenced  by, and repaid with  interest in
accordance with, a single  promissory note of Borrower in substantially the form
of Exhibit B attached  hereto  duly  completed  in the  principal  amount of TEN
MILLION and No/100 DOLLARS ($10,000,000.00), payable to Bank, and maturing as to
principal on the  Termination  Date (the "Revolving  Credit Note").  The amounts
reflected  on  Bank's  internal  records  shall be deemed  conclusive  as to the
outstanding balance of principal and interest of the Revolving Credit Loans from
time to time absent  Borrower  furnishing  to Bank  conclusive  and  irrefutable
evidence of an error made by Bank with respect to such records.





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         Section 5.02 is Amended to change the address at the Bank to:

                          77770 Poplar Avenue
                          P.O. Box 381197
                          Germantown, TN  38138-1197
                          Attention:  Kim Hamner
                          Fax Number:  (901) 757-4883





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                                       GUARANTOR:

                                       EQUITY INNS, INC.,
                                       a Tennessee corporation



                                       By:      /s/ Howard  A. Silver
                                                ---------------------

                                       Title:   President
                                                ---------------------



                                       EQUITY INNS TRUST, a
                                       Maryland real estate investment trust



                                       By:      /s/ Howard  A. Silver
                                                ---------------------

                                       Title:   President
                                                ---------------------



                                       BANK:

                                       NATIONAL BANK OF COMMERCE



                                       By:      /s/ Billy Frank
                                                ---------------

                                       Title:   Vice President
                                                ---------------