Nashville, TennesseeDonelson
Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
Indoor atrium playground
Donelson Nashville, Tennessee
Renovated
2010
Price
$$
Rated for
Resort Design LocalOutside the door
The house
MarriottIndoor atrium playground
A glass-roofed botanical world runs like a self-contained city, complete with flatboat cruises along an indoor river.
What it’s good at
Exceptional
SoundWaves water resort spans multi-slide towers, wave pools, and indoor lazy rivers.
Listed
Nine acres of glass-topped atriums enclose waterfalls, walking bridges, and thousands of plants.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler.
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.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
The Grand Ole Opry sits right next door, along a quiet bend of the Cumberland River in Music Valley.
The rooms
Atrium-view rooms open onto balconies looking straight out over the indoor river and tropical gardens.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
A FlowRider simulator brings indoor surfing to the water park, and neat hedges ring the outdoor Cascades pool.
The spa and gym
The 24-hour gym lines treadmills against full-height windows, and the spa houses an aromatic steam room and tea lounge.
Foundry Fieldhouse Sports Bar & Taproom
A two-story LED video screen overlooks the bar, which pours an exclusive lager brewed by Tennessee Brew Works.
At the table
Dining spans the indoor gardens, from cocktails beside twin waterfalls at The Falls to tequila at Solario Cantina.
How it began
The complex began in 1977 to house country music fans after the Grand Ole Opry moved from downtown's Ryman Auditorium.
Nashville
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.