Bonnie Brunson Carroll sure knows her Hermitage Hotel history

The Hermitage Hotel has been a Nashville staple for nearly 100 years and in that time, the hotel was part of a lot of fascinating things.  To honor the hotel’s expansive history, we recently ran a trivia contest on The Hermitage Hotel’s Facebook Fan Page.  The winner of the contest (and recipient of a free night’s stay for two at The Hermitage Hotel and Ridley Wills II’s book “The Hermitage at One Hundred”) was Bonnie Brunson Carroll.

Here are some sample questions.  For answers, scroll down.

1.  What was the final cost after Historic Hotels of Nashville, LLC bought the hotel and land in June 2000, and paid for extensive interior and exterior renovations?

A. $27 million

B. $31 million

C. $36 million

2.  What is interesting about the chandelier fixtures in the Hermitage Hotel’s ballroom?

A. They were temporarily removed when billiards legend Minnesota Fats held pool tournaments.

B. The ornate fixtures are the 1910 originals and are still in use today.

C. President Lyndon Johnson was so impressed with the chandeliers he had a replica placed in the White House library.

3.  The Hermitage’s Francis Craig did what for his beloved Vanderbilt Commodores in 1938?

If that wasn’t enough, we are about to unveil the biggest contest yet.  So if you aren’t a fan, now’s the time!  To join the Hermitage Hotel’s fan page, search “The Hermitage Hotel – Nashville” on Facebook and click the “Become a Fan” tab.

Take care,

Janet Kurtz

Director, Sales & Marketing

The Hermitage Hotel

P.S.—The Hermitage Hotel is on Twitter, too!  For up-to-date information, latest news, contests and giveaways, search @hermitagehotel and send us a tweet!

Answers:

1.  The correct answer is B – The final cost was $31 million—$14 million for the building and .54 acres of land, and $17 million for the renovations.  And worth every penny according to Judy Veeneman’s facebook post.

2.  The correct answer is B – The chandelier fixtures are the 1910 originals and are still in use today.

3. Craig wrote Vanderbilt’s fight song, “Dynamite,” a few days before the Commodore football team was set to take on the University of Tennessee. On Saturday mornings before Vanderbilt games, WSM broadcast a pregame show from the Hermitage Grill that featured the Francis Craig Orchestra playing the fight song.

Flood Updates from The Hermitage Hotel

Hello from Nashville! I am sure many of you have seen the devastating images of Nashville after the flooding this weekend. It is heartbreaking to hear the stories of our team members, friends, and neighbors throughout the city who have lost so much through this event. Fortunately, help and rescue efforts began immediately and relief is pouring in from all over the state. (Which is why we are called the Volunteer State.)

That said, we do want to reassure you that Nashville, and The Hermitage Hotel, are ready to welcome you to the city. The airport is open, flights are landing, and the roads leading to downtown Nashville are clear. Of course The Hermitage Hotel is open and fully operational, as is the award winning Capitol Grille. To date we have had no damage to any part of the hotel.  Finally, our entertainment venues are still making the music that has made Nashville what it is today.  In fact, venues that were booked with entertainment but have been affected by the flooding have relocated those shows to other venues in the city. Many of them are right across the street from The Hermitage Hotel.

Please let us know how we can make your stay more special. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Warm Regards,
Janet

Janet Kurtz
Director of Sales & Marketing
The Hermitage Hotel
231 Sixth Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37219
Direct: 615-345-7120
Fax: 615-242-8715
jkurtz@thehermitagehotel.com
http://www.thehermitagehotel.com
http://www.capitolgrillenashville.com
Tennessee’s only AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five Star award winning hotel.