After checking in at the Opryland, I asked the hotel reservations clerk for my luggage, which had arrived before me. I was instructed to walk (hobble) over to the bellman's desk. There I was told that all the luggage was stored down a long hallway. Throwing myself on the mercy of an earnest young hotel bellhop, I asked him to retrieve it.
I gave him a description of the piece: "Green, wheeled duffel bag, parachute nylon, Amelia Earhart."
Taking a Flyer
The Opryland Hotel bellhop dutifully made his way down the hallway. A few minutes later he returned, proudly announcing, "Ah found your luggage, Miss Earhart."
It was the first, but not the last fiasco of my stay at the Opryland Hotel. Rolling my duffel down a long, long, long corridor, I realized the hotel room was too far from the elevator for comfort. I called the front desk to ask for a room with a better location, handicap-accessible if possible.
Half an hour later, the Opryland front desk called back and told me what room to go to. (Were this a Ritz-Carlton or a Four Seasons hotel, I'm certain someone would have come to assist me.) Feeling sorry for myself, I got back on my crutches, walked back down the long hallway, and made my way to the new room. Another bellman met me there, handed me a key, and left.
Tired, cranky, and stressed, I pulled out the desk chair and sat down -- and it gave way beneath me and broke apart. I started to cry, and then my tears became laughter. What else could possibly go wrong at the Opryland Hotel? The answer turned out to be: Nothing.
All About the Opryland Hotel
Opened in 1977, Tennessee's Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center is the largest non-gaming in-hotel facility in the world. It contains 2,881 guest rooms and 200 suites, all of which have been renovated as part of an $80 million makeover. That means the Opryland Hotel is huge -- so if you're looking for something quiet, romantic, and intimate, this isn't for you.
But as you might expect of a mega property, the Opryland Hotel features a considerable number of amenities, including 2 outdoor pools, a variety of shops, several restaurants and lounges, room service, and even wedding services. Unique to The Opryland Hotel is the Delta, a landscaped indoor river and acres of indoor gardens.
If you're planning a visit to the Grand Ole Opry, this location is quite convenient.
Just hold onto your luggage.
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