Description: It is hard to imagine as you stand in the magnificently revamped Cascades Lobby that less than 6 months ago it was under 10 feet of water. I will give Gaylord credit for making the best of a really terrible situation. This lobby was nice the last time I was where but now it is better organized and easier to maneuver. There is a great sitting area with a phenomenal glass sculpture ala Dale Chihuly in the center. Check in happens on both sides of the lobby and a new and expanded guests (VIP) services is on the left side as you enter the lobby. Since I was here on a press trip, I was a VIP, don’t you love it!
In the case of my particular room I have a slight complaint about the fact that it was not ready at 3pm in the afternoon for me to check in which was mighty inconvenient. I was not able to check in until I got back after a very long afternoon and evening out and I was not amused. The room when I did get in however, was everything and more than I expected. I love the interior rooms, there is nothing better than that little balcony and table overlooking the tropical wonderland. The bedding is beautiful, the beds are comfortable and the Internet access was flawless if a little slow at times because there were so many people using it I assume.
The rest of the Cascades section has been reorganized as well. There is a new bar area and restaurant. The coffee shop is new and larger but still not capable of dealing with the number of people who are looking for coffee in the morning. The good news is, the rooms have a coffee maker so really, you can make yourself a cup and avoid the lines. The coffee maker is in the small vanity in the hall outside the bathroom. You do need to look for it to find it.
The hotel did an amazing job during the flood of getting all the guest out of the hotel before any of the water got here. They took this opportunity to accelerate their room updating process and funnel the money that would have gone into the updates over the next few years into updating everything now. It looks wonderful. You really would never know that there had ever been an issue here. There are some new restaurants that have opened since the grand re-opening and everything is spic and span and shiny.
Some old favorites are still around and the Christmas decorations that were is all the areas look very similar to what I have seen there before on previous trips.
There are still a few service issues that need to be worked out but everyone is trying hard to make sure that the guest experience is everything and more than you are expecting. I still have never had time to use the spa, I was hoping to sneak in a pedicure or a scrub but there are so many things to do in Nashville that I never had a spare minute. I guess I am just going to have to come again, soon I hope.
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