Arrival/Check-In: The Hermitage Hotel is Tennessee’s only 5-diamond, 5-star property, and guests definitely feel the historic grandeur immediately upon entering the hotel. As my car pulled to the curb, attentive doormen whisked me and my luggage in the door and up the steps into the large, stately lobby. Brightly lit with seating options galore, the lobby is spacious, welcoming and luxurious. While many of the staffers offered to help me with my bag, I opted to take it to my guestroom myself as I had just arrived from an early-morning flight and was eager to shower and check emails as soon as I settled in. Thankfully, check-in via the friendly front desk attendants was quick, and I was on my way in no time. Guest Quarters: The hotel is an icon in the city of Nashville, with a history dating to 1908. There was not much left to be desired from my deluxe guestroom at The Hermitage Hotel. For my three-night, four-day stay, I had everything I needed and then some, including a pillow menu and an on-call bath concierge, if desired. The room opened into a small foyer with a spacious closet to the left. The large bathroom, straight ahead, featured a double sink/vanity, a separate shower, a deep soaking tub and a separate water closet. The Molton Brown amenities included a scented candle. In the bedroom area, two nightstands with lamps flanked my comfortable king-sized bed. To the left of the bed sat a desk and, at the foot of the bed, a bench. The room also boasted a small table and chairs, giving the feel of a suite with separate living and sleeping areas in the standard guestroom. Nightly turn-down service included water, cookies and sweets. Services/Amenities: While I did not have an in-room coffeemaker, the hotel makes complimentary coffee and tea available each morning in the lower-level Capitol Grille. I had early mornings each day of my Nashville stay, and I very much appreciated the to-go coffee station. Capitol Grille remains a place to dine and be seen in Nashville, and the cream of onion soup is a must. In addition to on-site and in-room dining, the pet-friendly Hermitage Hotel offers all the other amenities a luxury traveler craves, including valet parking, laundry services, on-site shoe-shining services, Rachel’s Boutique gift shop, a business center, a fitness center and spa, and meeting and event space. The Experience: From beginning to end, Nashville, its people, its attractions and its accommodations impressed me. With a perfect location walkable to the heart of downtown Nashville, The Hermitage Hotel provided the perfect base for my visit, and its history proved a definite bonus.

GT CHECKLIST

[checklist] [item check=yes]Doorman/valet[/item] [item check=yes]Less than 10 minutes for check-in[/item] [item check=yes]Separate tub and shower[/item] [item check=yes]Large vanity[/item] [item check=yes]High-quality towels[/item] [item check=yes]Powerful, unattached hair dryer[/item] [item check=yes]High-quality bed linens[/item] [item check=yes]Large, flat-screen television[/item] [item check=yes]Large desk with convenient outlets[/item] [item check=yes]Large, complimentary laptop safe[/item] [item check=yes]Complimentary in-room WiFi[/item] [item check=yes]Complimentary bottled water[/item] [item]Stocked minibar[/item] [item check=yes]Ample lighting[/item] [item check=yes]In-room coffeemaker[/item] [item check=yes]Iron and ironing board[/item] [item check=yes]On-site restaurant[/item] [item check=yes]24-hour room service[/item] [item check=yes]24-hour state-of-the-art fitness center[/item] [item check=yes]Turn-down service[/item] [/checklist]

The Hermitage Hotel

231 Sixth Ave. N. Nashville, TN 37219 tel 615 244 3121 thehermitagehotel.com