There’s something pleasant about being invited into the home of an acquaintance you have known for years, but have never really visited their space or neighborhood. The experience not only includes a warm smile and greeting upon entering, but the “ohhh and awe” of how they furnished the home. You get a window into who they are. The details, the stories behind them, the smells, the shared meal, conversations exchanged, and ultimately, how your acquaintance treated you. By the end of it, this acquaintance becomes a friend you want to tell everyone about.
This is the Hermitage Hotel.
Anthony and I took a quick drive to our sister city to the south, Nashville, to visit the historic Hermitage Hotel. Pulling around 6th Ave, up to the classic front awning, The Hermitage Hotel shone bright.
We were greeted by the kindness of the valet and bellhop. As we entered the hotel and climbed the staircase, our “Ohhs and Ahhs” were audible.
Established in 1910, The Hermitage Hotel felt present and modern.
The beauty of the grand lobby and its Beaux Arts Style, beautifully crafted archways, intricate glass ceiling, soft and elegant furnishings, and that signature Hermitage Hotel scent captivated us from the start.
The front desk staff were ever so kind upon our arrival as well, offering us bottled water labeled in the hotel’s signature yellow. We were intrigued by the display of items behind the desk, and the staff explained were significant to the history of the hotel.
In our room, rosé champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries were there as a welcome gift. The room was spacious and calming. The linens are luxe, and the bed, cloud-like. Beautiful jade lamps adorned each side of the bed.
We were especially in awe of the spacious soaker tub and mirror TV in the bathroom and couldn’t wait to try it. And we loved the fluffy robe and hotel slippers with the hotel’s initials. Tiny but clever, the “Please do not disturb door hanger is the signature yellow with one side saying “Yes, Please” while the flip side says, “No, Thanks.” The details here are unmatched, and I love a good detail. The Hermitage is the perfect hotel for a retreat or romance, or whatever your occasion may be.
A Hermitage History & Tour
As a visitor to the hotel, you can’t ignore the memorabilia behind the front desk to the historic pictures that hang in the lobby of poignant moments in the hotel’s life since 1910.
Just like the home of an acquaintance, you want to learn more.
We were able to flip through our room’s coffee table book, “The Hermitage at One Hundred.” It’s an ode to the hotel’s history and the people who created that legacy. Starting with the hotel’s visionary architect, local James Edwin Ruthven Carpenter, who later became known for his resume of Park Avenue, NYC apartment buildings. Another Tennessee musician, Francis Craig, who led the Francis Craig Orchestra, performed at the hotel and wrote Nashville’s first hit record, “Near You.”
We had the opportunity to meet The Hermitage Hotel historian, Tom Vikstrom.
He graciously took the time to tour and share what he thinks makes the Hermitage the hotel it is today: preservation, musical legacy, political heritage, architecture, and service.
All of these things, we enjoyed as well.
He shared stories of Gene Autry’s visit with his horse, Elvis playing in the grand lobby, and multiple Presidential campaign stops held in the Grand Ballroom. The mezzanine level provided another architectural view of the grand lobby, not to mention the hotel’s gym with views of the state capital building. Tom showed us the brightness of the Veranda, which seems a beautiful backdrop for the countless weddings at the hotel.
The hotel was the center for Tennessee women fighting for the right to vote. It hosted the Women’s Suffrage movement, which used a yellow rose as its symbol, versus the anti-suffragists, who wore red roses. The hotel’s signature bright yellow is a brand nod to the Women’s Suffragists’ connection to the hotel.
Tom was polite enough to show us a refreshed, spacious, and furnished suite where he told us legislators and lobbyists met during this historic time in American history.
Dinner at The Hermitage
Just as The Hermitage is steeped in history, the restaurant is enjoying its own renown under the guidance of Michelin star Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Named after a former hotel manager’s two children, Drusie & Darr, the setting is refined, and the staff approachable. Both the Maître D and our server gave us great recommendations. The rathskeller architecture in the basement restaurant is as stunning as the lobby. The buttressed ceilings are indicative of the architectural style. With chandeliers and soft dining furnishings, the restaurant captured the feel throughout the hotel.
Just outside the restaurant are two of the most unique Art Deco restrooms. Well worth the potty break!
For our first taste, I tried the cucumber martini, which was smooth and refreshing. A stunning-looking drink with a skewered ribboned cucumber. Anthony opted for a nonalcoholic tea spritz presented in a delicate flute glass.
We both were feeling seafood, so we started with the crispy sushi, a satisfying crunch with a little bit of heat from the chipotle emulsion. For dinner, I had the Black Sea Bass with delicious fava beans and artichokes. The server poured a garlicky broth into the delicious dish.
Anthony had an equally delicious dish, the mushroom-crusted salmon with a lemon emulsion.
We truly could have stopped with dinner and been happy with the meal, but dessert was irresistible.
Bravo to the pastry chef because we wiped our plates clean. A mini cherry tart with pistachio ice cream was Anthony’s guilty pleasure. I had art on my plate with the strawberry sorbet pavlova with lemon olive oil sorbet and mint. Divine!
Overall, the dining experience was a visual and tasty experience we’ll remember long after this trip.
The Hermitage Experience
The Hermitage Hotel is opulent and welcoming. The team at The Hermitage Hotel has a reputation for hospitality and haute cuisine, but also deep knowledge of the hotel’s history. The experience we shared was not just a stay but a warm tale worth sharing. We highly recommend staying here. We told our friends and family upon return to Louisville, “Meet me at The Hermitage!”
Gemma and Anthony love travel, food, and good design.
