Nashville: Where to Stay when Away

I have two places to recommend when staying in Nashville, one is downtown in the heart of all the action, the other is a resort about twenty minutes away but is a destination unto itself.

The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention center is the flagship property of Gaylord Hotels.  The nine-acre complex includes three lush indoor gardens and atria one with a breathtaking cascading waterfall.  There are numerous restaurants, shops, night time entertainment, lounges and meeting space to explore, so guests never have to leave the facility if they like.  They also have a world class gym and spa which I visited several times.  The workout facilities rivals some of the best gyms I have seen and it overlooks an indoor Olympic size pool and outdoor, heated and oversized Jacuzzi.  Alongside the gym, is the Relâche Spa & Salon offers signature massages, facials, body treatments and so much more to soothe and invigorate.  Spa guests have access to a variety of amenities, including the steam room, sauna, locker rooms and a co-ed Tea/ Relaxation lounge

For the shopper, there are plenty of ways to spend your money both on property and off, especially since the hotel is adjacent to Opry Mills, which is Tennessee’s largest outlet, value retail, shopping, and dining and entertainment destination. With approximately 200 stores including; Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH, Forever 21, J. Crew Outlet, Vera Bradley Outlet and Bass Pro Shops, the retailers range from jewelry to women’s apparel to sporting goods. There dining options are Aquarium Restaurant, Rainforest Cafe, and Chuy’s Mexican Food, as well as quick and fast options such as Johnny Rockets, Subway and many more in their food court area.  In addition they also offer fun entertainment choices such as Regal Cinema 20 and IMAX Theater, and Dave & Buster’s.  Music and shopping all within the same area is a vacation paradise to me.

The restaurants in the hotel I tried were Wasabi Sushi Bar, Fuse Sports Bar, Paisano’s Pizzeria and Vino, and Cascades American Café.  All were great dining experiences, although my favorite was Cascades.  But there were still many more I did not get a chance to try such as Old Hickory Steakhouse, which is located in a replica of an old Antebellum home, Solario and Revllo (Mexican and Italian cuisine respectively).  You will also find Jack Daniel’s and Findley’s Irish Pub.  The Falls Bar and Lounge is an ideal place to have a few cocktails in the entrance atrium surrounded by flowing waterfalls. 

The cascading water makes for a relaxing and tranquil setting with the natural light (or darkness depending on the time of day) adding to the atmosphere. I also suggest taking the little boat tour through their river they have flowing through one of the atria, which is ¼ mile long and is an informative narrative about the hotel and the flora that abounds on the property.

The rooms are quite spacious with many having balconies that open onto the atria, which is wonderful for morning coffee, a late night drink or just to read a book.  The hotels run shuttles to various locations for guests such as the Grand Ole Opry and certain locations downtown which you can purchase tickets, either for the day or multi-day packages.  Or it is a short $20 cab ride distance, which I find easier to maneuver.

That brings us to my second recommendation the newly opened Omni Nashville Hotel.  Across from the new Music City Center, this downtown Nashville hotel is a one-of-a-kind experience, fully integrated with an expansion of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum on three levels. 

Being near so many attractions and lots of meeting space, this new hotel is great for the business and leisure traveler alike.  Located on Fifth Avenue between Demonbreun and Korean Veterans Boulevard, the Omni Nashville Hotel design is a modern expression of the city’s distinct character, incorporating natural materials, exposed steel and regional limestone. The multi-story hotel and expanded museum share meeting and entertainment space and bring additional restaurants and retail venues to downtown Nashville.  Some of the dining options are Bob’s Steak and Chop House, Kitchen Notes and their live music venue Barlines.  Their amenities also include a state of the art gym and signature Mokara Spa.

For more information on either property, go to www.omnihotels.com or www.marriott.com.

• About
• Latest Posts

Tony Leggio

Tony Leggio is a born and raised New Orleanian. He has over 20 years of event management experience having produced over 5,000 events locally and nationally. Tony has received numerous awards for his outstanding achievements in the hospitality industry. Besides his professional career, Anthony has played an active role in the community.He has served Event Chair of Art Against AIDS for the No/Aids Task Force for the past ten years and was honored as Humanitarian of the Year in 2010 by the organization. He is also a freelance writer who has written for USA Today, as well as several local publications.He also writes a column regularly In Ambush Magazine, plus is part of Gambit’s Big Easy Theatre Committee.Tony is a social butterfly of New Orleans that not only knows how to put on a great event but also knows how to enjoy one.

Latest posts by Tony Leggio (see all)

• Festively Gay Things to Do April 9 – 15, 2018 - April 8, 2018