Vacationing in Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort

My wife and I decided we needed to get away for a while. So we threw ideas around, until we finally agreed on a place to go. My wife is afraid of flying and she likes to have control over when and where we wanted to go. We limited ourselves to eight hours from home as our maximum driving distance, the farther the better. Needless to say, Nashville was well within that range and neither of us had ever really been there. I drove through Nashville once, but that does not count as a visit.

We found the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort online. The price was a little steep at $275 a night, but the amenities offered in the hotel seemed to make that price respectable. We just got back from our vacation yesterday, so I wanted to share a recap of our weekend getaway with the folks here at Associated Content.
The Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort was open for business in 2003. It is separated into several different areas: Cascades, Deltas, Gardens, and Magnolias. The hotel has 2,881 guest rooms, 165 suites, and 741 atrium view rooms with balconies. Our room was a normal guest room, which was rather unremarkable. There were two double beds, a coffee pot, a microwave, a refrigerator, a bathroom with a bathtub and showerhead, a television situated within a closet/drawer, a desk with computer accessibility, and two telephones. This sounds like a lot, but it was actually pretty disappointing when you consider the space available.

There is room service, but the menu is extremely limited and expensive. For two slices of pie and a 12 inch pizza, it cost us $64. If you included a coke, that was an additional $3.35. Everyone loves to play with their little gadgets and gizmo's, but you had better beware it could cost you. If something says free preview and your time runs out, you will automatically get charged. For example, they had a radio/video station preview running. It was 4 minutes of free time. As soon as the freebie ran out we were charged $16 for two hours of viewing time. I definitely do not recommend doing anything extraneous in your rooms.

*I should also mention sales tax in Tennessee is 9.3% across the board. Another important fact is that they automatically charge an additional $15 for room service.

Just to park yourself was $12, however they also offer valet service for $20. They also charge you $10 a day for access to the rest of the amenities within the resort.

Do not let that be a deterrent, because the actual interior of the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort is spectacular. I definitely recommend going out at night to visit everyplace, since the lighting is amazing. When you decide to head to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort, you have to take a trip to the Delta. The Delta area alone is worth the price of your stay. You can get a delta river tour around the hotel, which is an unbelievable experience. They take you through the indoor lake, rivers, and waterfalls, tell you about the plant and aquatic life living within their waters, and give you a glimpse at some of the finest dining experiences you could ever get.

RESTAURANTS

Old Hickory Steakhouse, Ristorant Volare, Cascades Seafood, Wasabi's, Rusty's Bar and Grill, Findley's Irish Pub, Paisano's, Jack Daniel's Saloon, Stax, Conservatory Cafe, Cascades Terrace Lounge, Relache and Magnolia Pool Bar and Grill, Library Lounge at the Old Hickory Steakhouse, Haagen-Daaz Ice Cream, Christy's Cookies, Godiva's Chocolatier, Java Coast, and Water's Edge Marketplace are all located within the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort.

Of the previously mentioned restaurants, you have got to visit the Water's Edge Marketplace. It is a buffet style restaurant with top notch chefs at every station. The food here will absolutely blow you away and the prices cannot be beat. $15 for breakfast and $25 for lunch and dinner. Where else can you find prime rib for $25. Those prices include drinks and desserts, except alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is an additional cost. I should also add that the meals are fantastic. There was not one item that we did not like. They served swordfish, veal shanks, prime rib, tiramisu, diet cheesecake(you have to try this), and much more. I would never have known the cheesecake was diet, had the waitress not told us about it.

Speaking of our hospitality, this is one place that proves southern hospitality true. The employees at Gaylord's Opryland Hotel and Resort were the real gems of our stay. They were so helpful and respectful, we would not recommend anyplace else for someone to stay.

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort had so much for my wife and I to do that we know we didn't see everything the hotel had to offer in just one weekend. We could have gone out and caught a show at the Grand Ole Opry, but we were really tired after walking around the hotel so much. Of course, we also went to Opry Mills right across the road. Opry Mills is a 1.2 million square foot shopping facility, that also provides tourists with a lot to do. All in all, the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort is an ideal getaway for the family.

The Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort also features a golf course and several ideal wedding locations, a fantastic workout room and spa, I believe they also had 4 pools-3 outdoor and one in. Their convention center is another amazing area to visit and they have many shops for tourists to troup through.

If I had to rate my stay at the Opryland Hotel and Resort, on a scale of 1 to 5. I would have to rate it a 4.8. The Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Resort is a must see for any tourist visiting Nashville.