Photography courtesy of Gaylord Opryland Hotel
If you're heading to Music City this holiday season—whether to take in a show at the Grand Ole Opry, visit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum or the National Museum of African American Music, or try some of the new and noteworthy restaurants—there are a host of festive places to stay that will make your trip even more memorable.
Photography courtesy of Gaylord Opryland Hotel
ICE! at Gaylord Opryland Hotel
After a two-year hiatus during the pandemic, ICE! returns to Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Hotel from November 11–January 1. This year, the holiday pop-up brings to life the classic animated TV special Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, featuring Yukon Cornelius, Hermey the Elf, Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, the Island of Misfit Toys, and a certain red-nosed reindeer. Guests don blue parkas while walking through the immersive 19,000-square-foot exhibit, featuring more than 2 million pounds of brightly colored ice. And beyond ICE!, the sprawling hotel offers a host of other holiday happenings, including breakfast with Rudolph, photos with Santa, a gingerbread decorating corner, snowballs games and Rudolph-themed scavenger hunt, bumper cars, a 15-foot-high tubing hill, ice skating, carriage rides, a Christmas-themed cruise on the Delta Riverboat, and the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas in Tennessee dinner show.
Located at Bobby Hotel’s rooftop lounge, Camp Bobby sits 10 stories above Nashville’s Arts District and transports guests into a 1970s-inspired oasis for an evening. The design mimics a cozy campsite, complete with rustic décor, wintery lights, and a retrofitted 1956 Seniccruiser trailer-turned-lounge. The trailer is furnished to maintain the 1970s design aesthetic and to create a place for guests to slow down and relax. Outside the trailer lounge, guests settle in around personal campfires in lawn chairs or inside stylized igloos that provide privacy and warmth. Eclectic chairs, tables, and couches fill the inside of the igloos, with a small burning fire and plenty of blankets to go around on colder evenings. Last year, Camp Bobby also featured a small ice rink (yes, on the roof). Camp Bobby is open from November 12–February 2023. Snacks and themed drinks, such as spiked hot cocoa, are available for purchase. Reservations should be made in advance for entry to the event, access to the private igloos, and more.
Chalet 27 at The Westin Nashville
If you’d rather enjoy a winter-themed escape from the comfort of the indoors, check out Chalet 27. Chalet 27 is a dressed-up version of L27, the hotel’s chic rooftop lounge 27 stories above downtown Nashville. The space is transformed with alpine accents and faux fur to emulate the luxury and decor of the French Alps. A fully furnished and heated tent is constructed on the outdoor deck for people to gather and enjoy the views out over downtown Nashville. Patrons enjoy festive cocktails and decadent fondues as they spend the evening at the cozy Chalet 27, often with a backdrop of live music. Chalet 27 opens November 16 and lasts through the end of winter. Specifically, the ski chalet-inspired pop-up opens from 4 p.m.–midnight between Sundays and Thursdays and from 3 p.m.– 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.
