There are six Gaylord resorts situated throughout the U.S. within the following locations: Nashville; Kissimmee, Florida; Aurora, Colorado; Grapevine, Texas; Nationwide Harbor, Maryland; and Chula Vista, California.
Every location has the requisite visitor rooms, swimming pools and health facilities that you simply’d count on, however a Gaylord resort is greater than a lodge — it is a vacation spot.
I’ve visited a number of Gaylord areas through the years, and I can attest that there’s a lot meals and enjoyable that I’ve spent whole weekends exploring the resort with out ever leaving the property.
There are some belongings you’ll wish to know earlier than you go so you possibly can profit from your go to, save somewhat cash and totally embrace the Gaylord expertise.
Listed below are six tricks to preserve prime of thoughts when planning a keep at a Gaylord resort.
It is greater than a lodge: It is a vacation spot
Gaylord resorts are designed to have fun the tradition, heritage and pure panorama of their location.
For instance, at Gaylord Palms Resort & Conference Heart in Kissimmee, Florida, you possibly can observe native natural world — together with gators — within the resort’s 4.5-acre glass atrium and dine on recent seafood in a life-size sailboat.
In the meantime, at Gaylord Texan Resort & Conference Heart in Grapevine, Texas, the resort’s huge atrium options replicas of Lone Star State landmarks, together with the Alamo and the San Antonio River Stroll.
Every resort options distinct theming, however there’s one factor all of the resorts have in widespread: You possibly can spend hours strolling the meandering paths within the enchanting signature atriums when you discover caves, waterfalls and gardens.
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In and round these atriums, you may additionally discover so many procuring, eating and leisure choices that you could be neglect to depart the lodge throughout your keep.
Every Gaylord resort has a number of eating places, together with pizza joints, sports activities bars and fine-dining institutions for date night time. You too can get your morning caffeine repair on the on-site Cocoa Bean espresso store, which serves a full Starbucks menu.
Between meals, you possibly can store for souvenirs with native aptitude, go to the full-service spa, go for a swim on the pool or water park, or take part in seasonal vacation actions.
You possibly can ebook with (or earn) Marriott Bonvoy factors
Gaylord resorts fall below the Marriott umbrella of manufacturers and, due to this fact, take part within the Marriott Bonvoy loyalty program. Which means you possibly can earn and redeem Marriott Bonvoy factors for stays at any Gaylord lodge.
Simply as in case you paid with money, factors pricing varies primarily based on the date and room kind. Normally, pricing at Gaylord lodges begins at round $300 or 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy factors per night time. You possibly can typically discover pricing nearer to $200 or 32,000 factors per night time in case your dates are versatile, however nightly charges can climb above $500 or 60,000 factors throughout holidays and particular occasions.
Associated: Greatest Marriott bank cards
Marriott Bonvoy members additionally obtain further perks at Gaylord lodges. Silver Elite members and above obtain a factors bonus and late checkout, and Gold Elite members and above additionally obtain a complimentary room improve (topic to availability).
If you go to throughout considered one of Gaylord’s seasonal occasions, Marriott Bonvoy members typically have entry to unique gives that embody bonus factors and room and ticket reductions. Test the lodge’s “Particular Affords” web page to view the present offers.
Associated: The entire information to incomes Marriott elite standing with bank cards
Incomes Marriott elite standing requires no less than 10 qualifying stays per yr, however you possibly can fast-track your strategy to Marriott elite standing to reap a few of the aforementioned advantages with sure playing cards. For instance, playing cards just like the American Categorical Platinum Card® and the Marriott Bonvoy Bevy® American Categorical® Card will internet you computerized elite standing (enrollment is required).
Rooms with an atrium view are definitely worth the added price
Most Gaylord lodges function rooms with balconies that overlook the atrium. The one exception is Gaylord Rockies Resort & Conference Heart, which gives choose rooms with mountain views as a substitute.
You will want to order an atrium-view room on the time of reserving to ensure you get up to views of the serene indoor gardens beneath.
Atrium-view rooms usually price between $70 and $100 extra per night time than commonplace rooms; nonetheless, that is the place the complimentary room improve for Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite members and above comes into play.
There isn’t any assure that an improve shall be accessible, however if you’re keen to take the chance, you possibly can ebook a normal room and cross your fingers and toes for an improve to an atrium-view room. It could be useful to name a day or two earlier than check-in to make the request by cellphone and have a customer support agent add a word to your reservation.
There are particular gives to make the most of
If you’re on the lookout for further perks or discounted charges, be sure you test the lodge’s web site and social media pages for particular gives. These gives differ by location and time of yr, however you might even see reductions of as much as 50% off packages with rooms and tickets to particular occasions (like Gaylord’s signature vacation occasion, “Ice!”).
Different specials might embody complimentary breakfast, each day resort credit, spa remedies or water park entry (the latter is just relevant at Gaylord Opryland Resort & Conference Heart, the place water park entry will not be included in the price of your keep).
Every resort has a year-round water park or pool
Talking of water parks, every Gaylord resort has an on-site pool or water park that’s open year-round.
Gaylord Texan Resort & Conference Heart and Gaylord Palms Resort & Conference Heart have outside water parks, whereas Gaylord lodges that are not situated in states the place the temperatures are conducive to being exterior any time of yr have indoor-outdoor water parks or swimming pools that may be loved regardless of the season.
Associated: Motels with the perfect lazy rivers to beat the warmth and float away
Except for Gaylord Nationwide Resort & Conference Heart, which has solely an indoor pool and an outside sundeck, Gaylord water parks are a few of the greatest lodge water parks round. You will discover massive splash buildings for youths, lazy rivers, slides, swimming pools and extra.
Solely Gaylord Opryland’s water park has a separate entrance payment. At this resort, you may have to ebook a bundle that features water park admission to keep away from paying the extra payment upon arrival. Water park admission is included in the price of your keep at each different Gaylord property.
Holidays are particularly enjoyable instances to go to
In case your schedule permits, you may get probably the most out of your time at a Gaylord lodge whenever you go to throughout one of many model’s seasonal occasions.
Through the winter vacation season, you possibly can construct gingerbread homes, take images with Santa, discover the Christmas timber and decor within the atrium, take part in wintertime actions like ice skating and snow tubing, and go to a festive walk-through expertise made fully of ice that is aptly named “Ice!”
“Ice!” brings your favourite vacation tales to life utilizing greater than 6,000 blocks of ice expertly carved into beloved scenes and characters from “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Elf” and extra. Every location has a number of rooms depicting completely different scenes and consists of interactive components for memorable photograph ops and a two-story slide made from ice.
Halloween ushers in a number of spooky (however kid-appropriate) actions, together with trick-or-treating and monster dance events. And round Easter, you possibly can meet the Easter bunny, enhance cookies and take part in a spring-themed scavenger hunt.
Summer season can also be a very enjoyable time, because the Gaylord properties host a “Pirates & Princesses” occasion that includes adventure-oriented actions for youths.
Even if you cannot make it throughout considered one of these particular occasions, there’s at all times a schedule of actions across the resort like atrium mild reveals, film nights, animal encounters, scavenger hunts and extra. You possibly can request an actions schedule on the entrance desk, however you may possible discover a QR code within the foyer or your visitor room with a hyperlink to view the calendar in your go to.
Backside line
We have shared nearly every thing you might want to know to plan an ideal Gaylord resort keep, however there’s one factor we will not present: the enjoyable. That half is as much as you, however fortunately, Gaylord makes it simple with ample actions, scrumptious eating and exquisite surroundings. The one factor that is lacking is you.
