NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- Nashville's grand hotel officially began a two-year centennial celebration on the first day of its one-hundredth year: Sept. 17, 2009, which was declared "Hermitage Hotel Day" by Nashville Mayor Karl Dean and Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen.

Hermitage Hotel Day festivities included free live music and an ice cream social. A VIP reception drew over 100 of Nashville's business and civic leaders, including Mayor Dean, plus actor David Keith, best known for his role in "An Officer and a Gentleman."

The Hermitage Hotel, the only Mobil Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond hotel in Tennessee and five neighboring states, first opened its doors on Sept. 17, 1910. Today, the hotel is in pristine condition, thanks to a $20 million renovation in 2003 and $5 million in additional upgrades since then.

"The Hermitage Hotel has been Nashville's grand hotel since it opened in 1910, and it's even more impressive today than when it opened as Nashville's first million dollar hotel," Mayor Dean said. "Our city is proud to be home to Tennessee's only five-star and five-diamond hotel, where visitors from throughout the world come to experience the ultimate in Southern hospitality."

Shane O'Flaherty, president and CEO of the Mobil Travel Guide, also sent his congratulations. "We are proud to congratulate The Hermitage Hotel on their one hundredth year. Their commitment to quality and an extraordinary guest experience is why it continues to be one of the finest hotels in the country, and a Mobil Five-Star hotel," he said.

"The centennial story of The Hermitage Hotel is one of a grand debut, a triumphant return to prominence and incredible history in between," said Greg Sligh, managing director of The Hermitage Hotel. "We are thrilled to have played a key role in the history of Tennessee, and as the region's finest hotel, we look forward to even greater things in the next one hundred years."

Through the years, the hotel has served as a national platform for both pro- and anti-suffrage forces, a political headquarters, the birthplace of a national radio program and a frequent stop for some of the nation's most prominent figures, including actors, musicians, war heroes, gangsters and six U.S. presidents.

Centennial festivities over the next two years will include numerous contests and local events, including the publication of "The Hermitage at 100 -- Nashville's first Million Dollar Hotel" by Ridley Wills, the release of a commissioned print by noted artist Phil Ponder and historic room rates for The Hermitage Hotel and The Capitol Grille, the hotel's celebrated and award-winning restaurant.

"The goal of our centennial celebration is to pay homage to the prominent role that The Hermitage played in the history of Nashville, as well as honoring its current status as Nashville's and Tennessee's most luxurious hotel," Sligh said.

For more information about The Hermitage Hotel, visit www.thehermitagehotel.com.

About The Hermitage Hotel

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, The Hermitage Hotel is the only Mobil Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond hotel in Tennessee and five neighboring states - Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Missouri and Arkansas. It is also a member of Historic Hotels of America and Preferred Hotel Group.

The Hermitage Hotel is also home to the historic Capitol Grille and Oak Bar, Nashville's only Mobil Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond restaurant. The Hermitage Hotel's sister properties include The Jefferson Hotel in Richmond, Va., The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort in Charleston, S.C., and Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, S.C.

SOURCE The Hermitage Hotel

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http://www.thehermitagehotel.com