The Hermitage Hotel — Hotel in Nashville-Davidson

The Hermitage Hotel - Nashville, TN

There are few elegant hotels in United States that go far beyond the call of customer service. Opened, 17 September, 1910.

(This was highly recommended to me by Michael Johnston, Director of Operations at “AJL International”)

Upon arrival, you’re greeted, elegantly and old-fashionably by Valet or Doorman, as you enter large beautiful historic doors.

You’re instantly transformed into early 1900’s as you walk inside. You’re greeted by the large, open-spaced lobby and your eyes immediately gravitate up at the carefully crafted ceiling and Stained Glass Arboretum.

That’s only the beginning into your transformation.

As you look around, the elegant design of walls, furnishings and paintings take your breath away how majestic the lobby is. The Check-In counter is crafted out of beautiful large marble stone designs. All around you is marble carefully crafted. You begin to appreciate your surroundings on entirely different level.

Each seating arrangement offers crystal-like table lamp, with tables, creating warm ambiance for casual or business conversations. In the lobby they offer specialty alcoholic beverages during certain times so be sure to inquire within, when you’re enjoying your stay in the lobby.

If you’re someone that prefers to sit in the lobby and enjoy the simpler things life offers, perhaps, allow me to recommend you “The Pink Hermit.” It’s part of the hotel near the entrance, offering indoor and outdoor seating. “The Pink Hermit” offers great selection of hot teas, coffees, fresh baked goods and pastries.

I didn’t get a chance this time, to stay in their elegant rooms, but because it was raining outside in mid-afternoon, I came inside for few hours to admire their lobby and basement. (Keep reading to find out why I admired their basement).

While waiting out the rain, I spent an hour, sitting in the lobby, drinking hot tea with my two delicious pastries from “The Pink Hermit.”

At one point I stepped away from my sitting area to go admire more of the lobby history and when I returned, one of my untouched pastry and half drunken, pink cup, hot tea was gone. When guests services came back and asked, “Would you like anything else we can assist with?” I replied politely, “Yes please. I had hot tea and unfinished pastry that I stepped away from to admire your lobby history.”

He apologized, “I’m so sorry, I cleared that because I thought you were done.” “It’s alright, it’s no big deal,” I replied. “What was it that you ordered, let me get that for you?” I was reluctant but he politely insisted. I replied with a smile, “If you want to you can bring me my order, but I promise I’m not needing it.” Few minutes later, he brings me a tray with freshly steeped hot tea, and not one, but two fresh pastries, “Please enjoy on the house.” Later, we continued our conversation for about ten minutes.

This type of old-fashioned, customer service I crave in bigger chain, modern hotels. For this reason I highly recommend, “The Hermitage Hotel,” located in downtown Nashville.

The basement of this elegant building has impressive design of its own. Something I highly recommend to see in person that words can’t describe. Unlike anything you’d expect. Basement offers several great, elegantly designed, fine dining options.

Most hotel lobby restrooms are generally same, boring and with no class.

Men’s restroom, I personally have never seen anywhere in all the world of traveling I’ve done, thus far. You step into a past where you can imagine having a butler holding a towel for you as you finish washing your hands.

You could make a personal phone call as well, if you need to, with their old-fashioned phone. Need to get your shoes shined? They offer several chairs to get that done, before you go back to your evening events.

Overall, I’m looking forward to returning here and enjoying great comfortable ambience in the lobby but enjoying their comfortable room, as well. Thank you, Michael for great recommendation.

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In town for the Garth concert- 10th row seats and ended up standing outside in the pouring rain and lightning. We wanted to put it behind us. So, after that atrocity we were excited to switch from the hotel in walking distance to the stadium to our usual style hotel. My husband was on a business call as we walked in the lobby and, being a business owner, couldn't ignore the call. We were standing in line to check-in; they hadn't even addressed our existence, yet. But they made us feel like we couldn't use our cell phones inside their lobby. We were disappointed the spa and restaurant were closed- we always book at least 1 hour massages each with the hotel we stay with. Even more frustrating was not being able to just order room service after the horrible night Nissan Stadium put us through. And then to learn that our mini fridge was locked and, after calling the front desk, being told we were not "allowed" access to it and there were no waters in our room. Still trying to make the best of our trip, we changed and set out to make our dinner reservations. But when we returned, I wanted to get a better look at the lobby's architecture. Having a photography and studio business, being an Interior Design major, and having studied Italian Renaissance Architecture in Italy, I always photograph our hotel lobby. I snapped a few photos before we were approached by assumedly the female manager on duty the night of Sunday, August 1st. Despite my wearing a dress to dinner, I was in fact in cowgirl boots. However, my $350 boots were apparently not acceptable to her. She asked if she could help us with anything. And when I excitedly told her I was admiring the architecture and history of the very room we were standing in, she smugly smiled. At which point she asked, "Are you staying with us?" Feeling pressured, I explained we had been watching the video in our room earlier about the historic passing of the 19th Amendment in that very spot. (The irony of being judged as a female by a female.) And at that moment I realized her intention was not at all to attentively help her customers, but to kick out what she must consider to be "riff-raff stragglers from Broadway." And which is, proudly, the whole heart of Nashville. We dismissed ourselves to our room. At check out, we again felt on surveillance by "the suits" in the lobby. Walking outside, the valet asked us what we were driving. We said an Infiniti. He asked, "Sedan?" as if we couldn't afford anything bigger. We said, "No. SUV." He said, "Blue?" I said. "Yes!" And then he said no, that was one of his regulars. I said, "Light blue. Not navy." At which time our car pulled up. He said, "Oh! The smaller one!" Getting more and more irritated I said, "No. The medium one." All the while thinking, "What does it matter?" I assume my Hard Rock Cafe t-shirt and cowgirl boots again offended and the staff care far too much about judging appearances. My husband tipped them well anyway and we left, never to return. We are bringing our daughter back for a week in December. However, we have booked at The Fairlane. I was not treated like this at the Prince De Galle in Paris or at the Francis-Marion in Charleston. You know back in the day of Patsy Cline and the judgmental stiffs of Nashville, Outlaws like Willie Nelson rebelled against the uppity attitude downtown Nashville gave off. But The Hermitage is stuck in its ways. Johnny Cash and Elvis certainly would not have appreciated that kind of behavior. So before you brag about the famous people you have had stay at your hotel, think of where they started. I will pull out my strand of pearls and Chanel when I wish. And wear Levi's and boots when I wish. And expect the same service regardless. What a blemish to the very personification of Nashville. Nashville is a rags to riches story. About the working man, starting a business and now owning 28 acres, like my husband. Well, "Blame it all on my roots. I showed...

I had very high expectations for 600$ a night. The price is over 400 a night for room and then they add 45 a night for valet, and over an additional 100$ state fees. Service fees, and taxes. We chose this hotel because it was voted the #1 hotel in Nashville. We usually stay at Marriott or Hilton family hotels, but we wanted to get the experience of one of Nashvilles more traditional and highly recommended hotels. We booked to AMEX travel fine hotels and resorts platform.

The other hotels to consider in this tier are the Jospeh, the W, Union station and Opryland….all significantly better than this hotel for the same price range or cheaper.

Let me just preface what im about to say with, this will be the worst review of a hotel I’ve ever given. I can not recommend anyone stay here, if the price was $100 a night I might perhaps recommend it as a budget option for travelers, but that would come with a “book at your own risk” warning.

The problems started right away. We were not given a room upgrade with our amex preffered package even though there was an available suite and even though we called and spoke to the hotel staff after the reservation was made and they assured us they had availability for an upgrade. ( complimentary room upgrades are given when booked through amex travel, if they hotel has availability.

We went down to restuarant and gave our order for dinner, after 50 minutes, no updates and no food, we decided to tell them just to bring the food upstairs when ready. 3 entre’s was 140$.

we recieved the food 20 minutes later in our room.. I orderd a tbone peppered steak medium, my wife the waygu brisket and salmon for our daughter, it looked and sounded delicious on the menu…..but when I received my steak I i swear to god this steak was cooked 30 seconds on each side and gushing blood as soon as you cut it....i couldnt not eat it as much as i tried.... my wife also took one or two bites of the brisket and could not continue, since we both cook often, and we do not throw food away, its easy to tell when a meal was cooked 2-3 days ago, and thE WAYGU brisket was 100% a few days old, it had the stale crunchy chewy on the top, that one that happens when meat has been out a couple days. Times ... our 17 month old daughter eats salmon 3 times a week and she would not go near the salmon that was brought to the room.. she took a bite and spit it out, .i took a bite and it tasted awful, like spoiled fish…

On top of all this , we had a maid walk into our room at 1130pm at night.... as soon as i confronted her when she opened the door...she stuttered and tried to put together a sentence explaining what she was doing....she finally said " do you need your window closed" ,...i said no and then i called the staff to let them know to please let everyone know we are in our room and not to barge in the middle of the night...of course this woke up our daughter and we had to spend time rocking her back to sleep in the middle of the night.

finally, do not use the baby crib, your child has a very high risk of getting hurt with the crib they provide...we had our daughter sleep with us in the bed that night. This is the type of crib that is so bad and dangerous,. you would be afraid to give your enemy. I wish I could say I’m overreacting and exaggerating, but im not.

i stay in hotels for a living with my job… I’ve stayed over 100's of hotels , this is one of the worst experiences i've ever had.... 1 out of 5 final ranking..

*the staff did comp the dinner at checkout, which we appreciated. (the bill for 3...