Marriott International announced that three properties in its Gaylord Hotels portfolio will reopen their doors today: Gaylord Rockies in Colorado, Gaylord Palms in Florida and Gaylord Opryland in Tennessee.
They join the recently reopened Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas. That means four out of five of its properties are now open, while the fifth, Gaylord National in Maryland, remains closed.
The opened resorts will comply with Marriott’s Commitment to Clean protocols, which includes using hospital-grade disinfectants, physical distancing protocols and frequent cleanings of public areas throughout the day. According to a press release, Gaylord Hotels has recruited Vanderbilt University Medical Center as its “official wellness advisor.”
Photo: Front Lobby (physical distancing); Courtesy of Marriott International
“The reopening of the Gaylord Hotels marks a key moment for the industry,” said Mike Stengel, senior vice president of Gaylord Hotels at Marriott International, in a press release. “These remarkable hotels have customized programming for guests, plenty of space and are innovating with technology appropriate for the times.”
What Will Meeting and Convention Spaces Look Like?
Ample meeting and convention space is a given at Gaylord properties—each one has 400,000 square feet or more of it—but how will those spaces operate differently post-shutdown?
According to the press release, hotels are working with groups to incorporate new technology such as live streaming and other contactless options into their programs. Self-service buffets have been eliminated, and the number of attendees per dining table has reduced from 10 to six.
The meeting rooms themselves will instate reduced capacity, more chair space for theater-style set ups and increased sanitation of all meeting room touch points, hard surfaces and chairs.
MPI plans to hold its signature annual event, World Education Congress (WEC), on November 3-6, 2020 (postponed from June) at the Gaylord Texan.
New Summer Offerings
For drive-in meeting goers who want to spend some leisure time at the properties at a program's end, the Gaylord portfolio has a variety of summer offerings for guests.
Gaylord Rockies (Aurora, Colorado)
Kids and adults alike can partake in explorer scavenger hunts and enjoy Arapahoe Springs, which features indoor and outdoor pools, three waterslides and a 720-foot long lazy river.
Photo: Gaylord Rockies Resort
Gaylord Palms (Kissimmee, Florida)
Guests can rent private cabanas that include shaded seating, flat-screen TVs, refrigerators and snacks. And the Cypress Spring Water Park offers a water playground and racing slides.
Photo: Gaylord Palms Resort
Pool seating will be spaced to comply with physical distancing.
Photo: Spaced seating
Gaylord Opryland (Nashville, Tennessee)
The “Music City” resort will offer live music, fountain and light shows, indoor flatboat rides, garden tours and scavenger hunts. Guests can also visit Gaylord Springs Golf Links and the SoundWaves Water Attraction, which features a wave pool, a surf simulator, lazy rivers and more.
Photo: Gaylord Opryland Resort Soundwaves
Gaylord Texan (Grapevine, Texas)
Guests can partake in canvas painting, morning yoga and scavengers hunts. They can also enjoy Paradise Springs, an outdoor pool complex with a lazy river, family lagoon, water playground, ziplining, waterslides and private cabanas for rent.
Photo: Gaylord Texan Resort
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