Gaylord Opryland
"Why book? Gaylord Opryland thematically celebrates Nashville’s country music traditions from the city’s only resort, complete with everything a resort offers: lots of restaurants, bars, pools, shops, entertainment, and even an indoor light show. Set the scene Gaylord Opryland is one of the largest hotel complexes without a casino anywhere in the world. Its size and family-friendly and convention-friendly vibe, give it a buzzy energy all year. The hotel is centered around a giant atrium—the complex has its own nursery to fill it with plants—so it is always warm and sunny inside, even when it is winter outside. You can dine by a waterfall or take an indoor boat ride and take an indoor stroll. The backstory Gaylord Opryland was once the hotel next to the Opryland U.S.A. theme park. The parks closed in 1997, and the hotel has continued to expand, adding more performance spaces, convention and meeting rooms, restaurants, pools, a golf course, and attractions. The resort was closed for renovation for several months after the 2010 flood. The rooms Renovated rooms are updated with a clean, minimal but comfortable design. The classic simplicity of the rooms allows you to appreciate all of the extra vibe throughout the hotel without having sensory overload. Pay the extra for a room that opens to the atrium. Those rooms have balconies and views of all the indoor plants, the light shows, and the whole Gaylord vibe. You’ll likely hear music and even the rush of the indoor waterfall. Rooms are spacious enough for extra rollaway cots or cribs. Some suites also have extra Murphy beds. Food and drink The resort has an extraordinary number of restaurants under its glass roof, ranging from casual pizza and burgers to the Old Hickory Steakhouse which grows some of its herbs inside the atrium. Fuse Sports Bar has more than 100 TVs to catch whichever game is your thing. Ravello serves Italian food with views inside the garden conservatory while Falls Bar & Lounge is nestled next to the indoor waterfall. Room service is available 24-7 and poolside drinks and dining are available both at the traditional swimming pools and in the SoundWaves water park. The spa Relache Spa offers the standard spa and salon treatments from a quiet oasis of the active resort, ranging from massages to facials to manicures and pedicures. There are a few specialty offerings, such as CBD-infused massages, but the emphasis is on classic relaxation. The spa includes a relaxation room and steam room. The spa is open to non-hotel guests and the session also gives access to the fitness room and one of the swimming pools. The neighborhood/area Called Music Valley, Opryland is the cornerstone of the area, which is also home to the Grand Ole Opry, the Opry Mills mall, and a collection of small, but groovy boutiques, antique stores and music venues. It doesn’t have a neighborhood feel in that Music Valley isn’t residential and there are not charming blocks to stroll. The Opryland complex, with its parking lot, takes up a lot of the area. The service Gaylord staff have a phrase: “Consider it done,” and for the most part, any request can be accommodated. The concierge is particularly helpful with other Gaylord properties, such as the Ryman Auditorium, General Jackson, and the Grand Ole Opry, but can assist with tickets and information on other Nashville attractions. Because of the resort’s mammoth size, it may take a few minutes for something to be delivered to your room. Service is polite and accommodating, and the staff is well-trained, but Gaylord Opryland isn’t a luxury resort, so don’t expect the red-carpet treatment unless you are a V.I.P. or have Marriott Rewards status. The resort is also home to a convention center. That area tends to have its own staff and conventions don’t cause service back-ups in the rest of the hotel. For families The entire ethos of Gaylord Opryland is to be family friendly. One all-ages highlight is SoundWaves, a massive indoor-outdoor waterpark with slides, a wave pool, a lazy river, cabanas and its own restaurants. Packages with Soundwaves included should be best purchased when making room reservations. During the winter holidays, Opryland is transformed into a “country Christmas” wonderland with ice sculptures, ice skating, live musical performances, scavenger hunts and more holiday lights than even Santa’s elves could count. Like any resort, there are plenty of poolside activities, menu items, and gift shop distractions for kids. Accessibility The resort’s large size can make it hard to walk for people with limited mobility, but Gaylord provides a full-service accessibility guide, including a resort map with accessibility routes, wheelchair and scooter rental, accessible shuttle transportation, plus ADA-standards on accessible rooms, restaurants, pools, and other attractions. Anything left to mention? Check out the recording booth for WSM radio near the Delta lobby. Download the resort app to help navigate between the different sections of the hotel." - Margaret Littman
