How You Can Sleep in Elvis’ and Dolly Parton’s Bedrooms

There are lodge stays you bear in mind for the cloud-like pillows and palm-fringed swimming pools—after which there are stays the place sleep feels nearly an afterthought. 

On a latest journey by means of Tennessee, I skilled two of the latter: first, I slept in Dolly Parton’s former tour bus within the Nice Smoky Mountains. That was adopted by a keep within the Memphis condo the place Elvis Presley spent his formative teenage years. I have been a fervent fan of each musicians since I used to be a child, and the entire thing felt like I used to be on a greatest-hits tour of Tennessee’s final music sleepovers.

The journey began in Pigeon Forge, the place I tumbled out of Parton’s mattress, able to pour myself a cup of ambition. The famous person singer was born within the Nice Smoky Mountains area of East Tennessee, and in 1961, she opened Dollywood Parks and Resorts theme park not removed from the place she grew up. That is the place you will now discover Suite 1986, her beloved 45-foot motor coach. It served as her home-on-wheels for 15 years whereas she toured the nation (Parton, famously, does not fly).

Entering into Parton’s Coach of Many Colours, you will discover its many cupboards full of the star’s ritzy, sequined stage put on and sky-high wigs. Each floor is embellished with folksy, hand-painted murals and a lavish sprinkling of rhinestones. There’s even a tiny, Parton-sized soaking tub.

Behind the bus, you will discover the spot the place all of the magic occurred. That is the place Parton slept, wrote lots of her hit songs, and ready for exhibits earlier than a mirror framed by dazzling Hollywood-style lights. I settled in for the night time in her plush pink velvet mattress, which is so petite that my toes nearly poked previous the tip—maybe just a little unsurprising provided that Parton is about 5 toes tall. A fold-down prayer desk sits close by, and a small fridge filled with snacks is inside arm’s attain to gasoline late-night songwriting classes.

Although her bejeweled Louboutins are sealed behind a glass show, it felt like I used to be entering into her footwear—and that is all a part of the plan, says Shana Tharan, the final supervisor of Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort.

“Company are given a real glimpse into Dolly’s life on the highway. The bus is simply as Dolly used it, right down to the small gap within the bed room carpet,” she says. The package deal has attracted everybody from prosperous vacationers in search of a big-ticket stick with critical bragging rights to nation music fans. 

“One visitor shared that she had skilled homelessness whereas rising up, and that Dolly’s music was a gradual supply of consolation and motivation all through her childhood,” Tharan says. “She described the second of staying on the bus as ‘full circle.’ These are the reminiscences and moments that make this expertise so particular.”

The 2-night package deal consists of tickets to Dollywood, a non-public eating expertise ready by Parton’s chef, theme park and dinner-show admission, and a tour of the Great Smoky Mountains in a bubble-gum-pink jeep. The coach itself sleeps two, however family and friends can come alongside for the experience with an extra visitor room on the resort accommodating 4 extra. At $10,000, it’s no funds keep, however all income are donated to The Dollywood Basis.

A couple of days later, I swapped rhinestones for rockabilly as I drove six hours west to the Residence of the Blues, Memphis. Tucked away inside a red-brick advanced as soon as often known as Lauderdale Courts is the one Presley-owned dwelling on the earth that permits in a single day friends.

The modest five-room condo is a part of a revitalized residential neighborhood now referred to as Uptown Sq. Flats. That is the place the younger Memphis Flash lived together with his mother and father as a young person, and his signature sound, model, and ambition started to crystallize.

Inside, the house has been restored with cautious consideration to interval element. The lounge is stocked with traditional Elvis movies, finest loved from the classic couch. Within the kitchen, an unique Fifties fridge and skillet stand prepared, excellent for rustling up Presley’s famously indulgent peanut butter, banana, and jelly sandwiches.

The bed room the place Elvis slept is probably the most telling room of all. Bigger than his mother and father’ bed room, its partitions now bear marks of superstardom: traces of lipstick kisses dot the partitions.

However staring up on the identical creamy ceiling Presley as soon as gazed at, years earlier than the relentless touring and the temptations of fame took their toll, you may get a way of the King’s humble beginnings and wide-eyed optimism. In the event you crack open the window, you’ll be able to nonetheless hear the rumble of passing freight trains and the sound of the blues drifting in from close by music joints—it is most likely a soundtrack that is remained comparatively unchanged since Presley referred to as the condo dwelling.

Regardless of the keep being a relative discount at $250 per night time, accommodating as much as 4 friends, it nonetheless flies below the radar, most likely as a result of there’s no on-line reserving platform. As an alternative, curious guests should name or electronic mail the property straight to rearrange a keep.

Nevertheless it’s nicely definitely worth the effort and the prospect to get a glimpse into two icons’ lives. These are two experiences the place the true luxurious isn’t essentially in regards to the thread counts, however within the thrill of stepping, even briefly, into the world of legends.