Hampton Inn & Suites Nashville @ Opryland in Nashville, TN

When I found out the cast of Nashville was performing a farewell show at the Grand Ole Opry, I figured it was an excellent way to knock two things off my bucket list at once (I wanted to see a show there and Tennessee was a state I hadn't yet been to). With my vacation request approved and my ticket ordered, I needed a hotel. I first considered Gaylord Opryland, where I did end up spending a lot of time (the free fountain show is amazing), but decided to instead stay at the nearby Hampton. The Hampton at Opryland had a few advantages over the Marriott property. I have gold status there (and could use points to pay) plus the Hampton offers free breakfast and a free shuttle that goes on request to both the airport (7am-9pm) and Opryland (7:30am-9:30pm). There's also shuttle service to downtown through a third party which I believe was $10/roundtrip. I didn't use the pay shuttle, but it would've been a good price considering what I would've paid for the ride share service I used had I not had a discount code.

I took the red-eye into Nashville in order to maximize my time in the city which meant I arrived at the hotel well before the normal check-in time of 4pm. The staff was very accommodating though. It took no time for the shuttle driver to arrive at the airport and I was able to check my bag at the front desk while I headed to The Hermitage. I was able to get into a room when I returned about 2pm.

The lobby was cute with a music theme that continued throughout the hotel.

My room--a standard king--was very spacious and included a microwave and mini-fridge. I don't always use those amenities, but this time it was great to have because one of the shuttle drivers made an excellent restaurant recommendation. Caney Fork was a short walk from the hotel (on the way to Opryland), but the portion size was a little large and I was glad to have the microwave and fridge for the leftovers. (If you're looking for something a bit quicker than a sit-down restaurant, there's a McDonald's across the hotel parking lot.)

Additionally, the room had a desk with office chair plus one more chair (without arms) and a bench at the end of the bed. There were two nightstands with lamps--one nightstand had an alarm clock while the other had a phone and chargepoint with two outlets, one standard USB, and one tablet USB connection.

In the bathroom there was a large shower and a vanity with adequate counter space for two people. In addition to the standard shampoo/conditioner/lotion/soap, there was a makeup remover wipe and hair dryer. Across from the vanity was the coffeemaker with packets of coffee and tea (more variety was available in the breakfast area).

The morning breakfast features the make-your-own waffles setup and other hot options like eggs and oatmeal plus single-serve boxes of cereal, fruit, and yogurt. For those who want something as they head out, Hampton properties have On the Run breakfast bags. I love these because there's a bottle of water, fruit (usually an apple), muffin, and a snack bar.

Parking is free and there's ample room. The hotel has a small fitness center, a small business center, and a pool (which was closed for the winter). I very much enjoyed my stay and the hospitality of the staff.