John had a work conference in Nashville, TN in November and I tagged along. I was SO excited. I had never been to Nashville and it has been one of those places on my list for years. In late 2020 John had to go for work and I just wasn’t comfortable traveling at that time, so I missed out on all the fun then, but I wasn’t about to this time!
The first few days of our trip were for work so we had the chance to stay at the world famous Gaylord Opryland Hotel. Whoa! If you have never had the chance to stay there and are looking for Nashville TN hotels, let me tell you a little about it and why you should add it to your list if you find yourself in Nashville with the family.
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Getting to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel
The Gaylord Opryland Hotel is a super quick and easy trip from the Nashville airport. It only took about 10 minutes for us to make the drive after picking up the rental car. Located on the northeast side of town, it’s also a quick 15 minute drive to all the downtown attractions.
About the Property
Where do I even start with describing the property at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel? This Nashville TN hotel is an attraction itself. It is massive!! The resort features more than 750,000 sq ft of flexible meeting space and 2,888 guest rooms, all housed within a giant atrium that encompasses nine acres. It is truly a mini city with themed Disneyland style villages, a river where you can take boat rides, waterfalls, tons shops, restaurants, a fitness center, spa, water park, multiple starbucks locations, a golf course, pools, kid’s activities…the list is never ending!
Gaylord Opryland Hotel Rooms
The hotel has 2888 guest rooms including 171 suites and 5 themed presidential suites. I think it’s important to note that this is a convention hotel. It’s not what you would necessarily think of as a luxury hotel, but the rooms are very comfortable and have all the amenities you might need in order to stay for a few days with the family and be comfortable, including a mini fridge. We stayed in a double queen room with a balcony that faced in toward one of the atriums. It was fun to be able to open the french doors and listen to the waterfalls and watch the happenings downstairs and nighttime shows. When the windows are open it is quite loud like you are at a tropical resort.
Dining at Opryland Hotel Restaurants
There are SO many restaurants at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel, everything from a very high end steak houses to Starbucks. Quick service options like Auntie Anne’s pretzels, Cinnabon, Stax (a build your own burger place), Paisano’s Pizzeria, sports bars, Jack Daniel’s, Carvel, a gelato place…you get the idea. LOTS to eat!
I had a few opportunities to eat at some of the quick service hotel restaurants for sandwiches and such, which were all yummy. Because I was there for a convention, most of our meals were provided through catering, but I did eat one night late at Jack Daniels…get the honey butter and rolls! Great options for the whole family.
Things to do At The Gaylord Opryland Hotel
Truth be told, you could spend several days at the Gaylord Opryland with the family and never need to leave. While the entire city of Nashville is home to lots of fun things to see and do, (I’ll cover that in another post of its own) here are a few things to do at the Opryland Hotel.
The Opryland Hotel Waterpark, SoundWaves, is a 111,000 square foot indoor/outdoor water resort with slides, lazy rivers, flow riders, splash pads…all kept at a comfortable 84 degrees year round.
Grand Ole Opry – Located just steps from the hotel is the Grand Ole Opry, home to Country music’s biggest stage. For nearly 100 years it’s been home to country music’s biggest talent. Book a night with the stars during your stay. Catch the hotel shuttle on show nights.
Opry Mills- If you like shopping you’re in luck. Check out the Opryland Mall, Opry Mills again, just a few minutes walk from the doors of the hotel for more shopping and dining options. There’s a shuttle service offered by the hotel that will take you right to the front door if you don’t want to walk.
Gaylord Springs Golf Links – Along the banks of the Cumberland River, just 5 minutes from the hotel, is this beautiful 18-hole golf course bordered by limestone bluffs and federally protected wetlands in Nashville. The hotel offers a shuttle to and from the course.
Good Things to Know about the Gaylord Opryland Hotel
Keep in mind this is a HUGE resort. It kind of makes you feel almost like you are on a cruise ship…on land. Massive convention facilities and nearly 3000 hotel rooms mean this place is hopping all the time. Busloads of people are coming and going. It’s very theme-y. I loved it. I thought it was a really cool experience, but if you’re looking for a quiet, romantic getaway this may not be the right choice for you. See my post about the Conrad in Nashville. 😉 If you have the kids and are looking for some fun or just want to go have a lively experience as a couple that involves shows and waterparks and indoor riverboat rides…then this is the place for you!
Opryland Hotel Christmas – because our convention was the first week of November we were lucky enough to catch the beginnings of the decor and festivities that the Opryland Hotel sets up for Christmas. It is quite a sight and seeing the amount of work that went into decorating this massive hotel was impressive. Live shows, ice skating, amazing displays, festive treats, ice tubing, gingerbread decorating, character breakfasts…the list is long and FUN! It would be a fun time to be there with the family.
Final Thoughts
I think everyone should experience this place once in their lifetime. It’s unlike any other hotel experience I’ve ever had…similar to Las Vegas, but much more family friendly and frankly, fun…especially if you don’t like gambling or smelling like a cigarette everywhere you go.
Hotel Info:
Hotel: The Gaylord Opryland Hotel
Location: Nashville, TN
Accommodation: Resort
Price Range: $$$
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If you stay or have stayed at Thyme, I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
Happy Travels!
Tammy
Tammy
Creative Director at Pink Peppermint Design
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