Today I am so pleased to welcome A.F. Henley to Joyfully Jay. A.F. Henley has come to talk to us about Road Trip. A.F. has also brought along a great tour wide giveaway. Please join me in giving A.F. a big welcome!
Let’s Take a Road Trip
The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center
On any road trip (vacation/day out/etc.) there’s that ‘one place’ that feels like it’s the pinnacle moment of your trip. It’s not always something you know before you get there—you don’t expect it to be the big event or anything—but it’s that special thing that just ties everything else up into a nice little bundle and adds a big satin bow on top. For Boyd and Oliver in my new novel Road Trip, that spot is the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Tennessee.
It was a friend of mine that brought this resort to my attention and, while the name of the property had me intrigued to all hell, I couldn’t imagine why my two guys might end up there. They’re hardly businessmen or country music enthusiasts. When I researched it however, I knew that Boyd wouldn’t miss a place like that for the life of him. As hard as Boyd might try and make himself seem, the heart that beats inside his chest is one of a true romantic, and his appreciation for natural beauty (even gardens and waters tended by man) is strong.
Let me share with you a few of the things that I found interesting about the property:
- The resort is owned by Gaylord Hotels, a division of Ryman Hospitality Properties (formerly known as Gaylord Entertainment Company), and operated by Marriott International.
- It is the largest non-casino hotel in the Continental United States outside of Las Vegas and also ranking as the 29th in the List of largest hotels in the world.
- The hotel was originally built to support the Grand Ole Opry, a Nashville country music institution, and has an amphitheatre on the property.
- It has nine acres of indoor gardens, complete with multiple waterfalls, restaurants, Shrek’s house (yes, the ogre), and an indoor river.
- The resort is maintained at 68 degree (year round) temperature.
- There are various attractions inside the facility including the Delta Riverboat Tour, the Aqua Fountain Show and the International Waters Fountain Show in the Delta Atrium.
- The atrium is covered in an area equivalent to seven football fields of glass panels. The glass panels are rated to wind speeds of 140 miles an hour and are able to withstand golf ball sized hail without failure.
- There is an entire water section wherein jets of water jump from one rock to another.
- ‘Delta Island’ is a shop area that has boutiques, home decor, and even a necessities store. It is designed with an Italian villa feel, complete with village type storefronts that have balconies overlooking the shops. This entire area is surrounded by water.
- The atmosphere is so realistic, many visitors say that they forget they’re inside a building.
- It is completely free for visitors to walk around and enjoy the scenery, regardless of whether they are guests of the resort or not.
Super-quick fun facts… There are:
- 2,883 guest rooms in hotel
- 600,000 square feet of meeting space
- 21 public elevators
- 105 ice machines
- 269 coolers and freezers
- 650 tons of glass in the Delta Atrium
- 394,474 gallons of water in the Delta River
- 30,000 plants in the Delta
- 50,000 plants in the three gardens
- 280,620 dozen eggs prepared each year
- 08 million slices of bacon prepared each year
- 27,056 gallons of orange juice served each year
- 50,261 gallons of milk served each year
- 12 miles of walking in a Bellman’s average day
- 249,600 miles walked by Bellmen per year
- 76,800 suitcases handled by Bellmen during the busiest month of year (November)
- 351,196 guests assisted per year
- 150,000 100-watt light bulbs and electricity generated a year (or enough for 4,313 homes)
- 10,581 cruises onboard the river tour since 1985
- 7 million passengers who have travelled aboard the showboat
- 138,972 miles traveled by the showboat
Check out a video tour that I found on YouTube … http://youtu.be/0JkKLlO6x20
In a place as beautiful and magical as this resort, I have to imagine it would be hard not to fall in love. I know it would be for me. 🙂
Until next time!
Blurb
For as long as Boyd can remember, he’s been pushing pins into a map. Carson City, Las Vegas, Albuquerque—all places he wants to see, for a dozen different reasons that wouldn’t mean a thing to anyone else. When he finally gets a chance to purchase the ’69 Road Runner of his dreams, at a price that even he can manage, Boyd jumps at the opportunity.
Oliver seems like just another kid with a broken dream when their paths cross in Vegas. Against Boyd’s better judgment, he offers to let Oliver hitch along for the ride when Oliver confides the need to get out and get gone.
But it’s not long before Boyd realizes Oliver’s reasons for running are more complicated—and more dangerous—than Oliver let on. But Boyd doesn’t like people who play hardball, and he definitely doesn’t like people messing with a man who’s managed to light a fuse that Boyd forgot he had.
Bio
Henley was born with a full-blown passion for run-on sentences, a zealous indulgence in all words descriptive, and the endearing tendency to overuse punctuation. Since the early years Henley has been an enthusiastic writer, from the first few I-love-my-dog stories to the current leap into erotica.
A self-professed Google genius, Henley lives for the hours spent digging through the Internet for ‘research purposes’ which, more often than not, lead seven thousand miles away from first intentions but bring Henley to new discoveries and ideas that, once seeded, tend to flourish.
Henley has been proudly working with LT3 since 2012, and has been writing like mad ever since—an indentured servant to the belief that romance and true love can mend the most broken soul. Even when presented in prose.
Find more here:
- Website: http://afhenley.com/
- Amazon Page: http://www.amazon.com/A.-F.-Henley/e/B00FIODWSK/
- Publisher’s Page: http://www.lessthanthreepress.com/author-a-f-henley/
- Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AFHenley
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/AFHenley
Giveaway
A.F. Henley is offering a tour-wide giveaway.  One winner will receive (1) $20 Gift Certificate to LT3 (1) ‘Chrome’ and Leather Official Road Runner Key Fob (1) Signed, print copy of ‘Road Trip’.  Follow the Rafflecopter link below to enter.
Rafflecopter giveaway
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- By entering you are agreeing to the Terms and Conditions set out by Rafflecopter for entries.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Thanks for sharing this post! I didn’t know all those fun-facts! And I liked the video.
You’re very welcome, thank YOU for reading and commenting! Glad you enjoyed 😀
8 million slices of bacon… *turns green*… Okay, no more bacon for a few months for this household. I feel queasy. O.O
The video didn’t really catch my attention much, probably because it looks like they built it to look like the tropics. I grew up in the tropics. There are a couple of high end hotels in Penang, Malaysia that look a lot like that, and I’ve lived there. Thing is, there is no artificial roof like in the video, most likely because… well, there’s only 1 season there: summer. There is no roof since most tourists – European, Australian, American, and Canadian alike – go there to get tanned, supposedly, which I never understood since some of them can only ever sport 2 colors – white & red. XD
I swear half of them were at high risk of spontaneous combustion into a pile of ash because they were all asleep under the sun with no cover whatsoever. XD
That sounds like a beautiful place to live — you were blessed! 😀
Great post I love the name “The Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center” sounds like an amzing place.
ShirleyAnn(at)speakman40(dot)freeserve(dot)co(dot)uk
I thought so too! I’m hoping to spend some time there in the next few weeks, so I’ll be sure to post some pics if I get down there! <3
I think that just landed on my list of places I have to go before I die. Just… whoa.
That’s very cool, I’m glad I could bring it to your attention 😀
I’d love to see some pics if/when you make it!
Love the facts
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed 😀
Thanks for the post! Â The indoor gardens sound really neat.
You’re very welcome, thank you for reading and commenting! I couldn’t agree more about the gardens. What a cool place to wander through when the weather is as nasty as it’s been lately. 😀
Thanks for your post and the link to the YouTube video. It’s a really beautiful place with all of the water fountains and lush greenery. I liked that we got to peak inside one of the rooms too.
You’re very welcome, thank you for reading and commenting! By all means, please leave kudos for the creator of the video if you’d care to. I’m sure they’d be thrilled. 😀
Spectacular. We have the “Gaylord Texan” close to my home, and it’s  special,  but  the Gaylord Opryland  would probably make ours look tiny.  🙂
The company seems to have some pretty smart taste, so I’d have to bet that the Texan location would be awesome as well. Thank you for stopping in and commenting! <3
8 million slices of bacon, huh? So, if I go there, what’s everybody else going to eat? 🙂
LOL! That’s perfect 😀  So you mean to tell me that you wouldn’t get sick of it after the first million slices or so? Because that’s some impressive dedication then!
Thank you very much for stopping by and commenting! <3
Love the post! All that glass sounds beautiful! Unless you are a window washer!
That would not be a job I’d be thrilled to take in the least. *shudder*
I remember thinking as I wrote the post that no matter how safe they say it is, I most likely wouldn’t want to be standing under in it in any kind of nasty weather. XD
Wow, a lot of fun facts for this one. I’ve never heard of the hotel before. Thank you for providing the youtube video!
You’re very welcome! Thank YOU for continuing to follow the tour and offering your support. It’s most appreciated! <3
Sounds like a fun and relaxing place to be. Â If I ever make it to Nashville, it would be on the list of things to see.
The resort really does look amazing, I couldn’t agree with you more. 😀
And the fact that one doesn’t have to go outside to experience outdoorish delights is one of the best part in my opinion. 😉
I cannot believe I haven’t heard more about this place. It sounds amazing.