Frommer's Review
What Graceland is to Memphis, Opryland is to Nashville. In other words, whether you're an Elvis fan or not, you owe it to yourself to visit the mansion at least once. Ditto for Gaylord Opryland. Whether you're into country music or not, a tour of this palatial property with its 85-foot water fountains, 9 acres of indoor gardens and lush, tropical foliage, and winding "rivers," has become almost obligatory. The resort also added a 27,000-square-foot luxurious spa and new fitness center in July 2005. The Opryland has the look and feel of a massive theme park and it does attract thousands of visitors daily (on top of the numbers who are actually staying at this massive hotel). The most impressive of the hotel's numerous areas is the 2-acre Cascade Conservatory, whose roof is a full acre in size and made up of 2,700 glass panes. Waterfalls splash across rocky outcroppings, and fountains dance with colored lights and lasers. Bridges, meandering paths, and a revolving gazebo bar add a certain quaint charm. And during certain hours of the day, you are likely to see acrobats or other performances, if the place weren?t enough to ogle all by itself. Elsewhere at Gaylord Opryland, the Magnolia lobby resembles an elegant antebellum mansion, with its classically proportioned double staircase worthy of Tara itself. Escalators were recently added in the Delta area (one of the three atriums) of the hotel. The 18-hole golf course has had a name change to the Golf Institute at Gaylord Springs Golf Links after the addition of two indoor hitting bays, as well as high-tech golf diagnostic equipment to help Palmer hopefuls improve their swing, among other techniques.
Guest rooms, while modern and comfortable, were about as much in need of a spiffing up as Minnie Pearl?s old hat, and they got it: All the rooms in the Garden Conservatory have been completely overhauled, many with flat-screen LCD televisions and marble accents in the bathrooms. The colonial American decor and floral wallpaper have been replaced by pale, sandy colors for the walls and carpeting that are easy on the eyes, sophisticated dark-wood furniture, and soft post-modern easy chairs. The rooms in the rest of the hotel will each get the same treatment, scheduled to be completed in early 2007. In general, the more expensive rooms are those overlooking the three atriums. While offering a nice view, they are not quiet when musical events or other sporadic entertainment occurs in the lobby below. Food and shops are dotted throughout the Opryland Hotel. Looking to up the ante on their restaurant program, the Old Hickory Steakhouse recently added an impressive artisanal cheese program, which beautifully complements the inspired wine list, and in the Cascades section, a new sushi spot, Wasabi, offers a variety of traditional rolls, as well as sake and Japanese beer. There?s also pub grub, coffee and beignets on the go, a full, sit-down seafood feast?in effect, something for all tastes and budgets.
Facilities: 15 restaurants and lounges; 3 outdoor pools; golf club; exercise room; children's daycare; game/video room; concierge; wedding planner services; tour desk; car-rental desk; business center; 16 retail shops; spa and salon; 24-hr. room service; laundry service; dry cleaning; airport shuttle service
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
