3677 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116, USA, United States | (901) 332-1000
Conveniently located across from Graceland
Distinctive heart-shaped outdoor pool
In-house bar and lounge offers sandwiches, appetizers, and specialty drinks
Themed rooms are spacious with separate seating and dining areas
Free continental breakfast
Free Wi-Fi throughout
Kitchenette with sink, mini-fridge, microwave, and coffeemaker in all rooms
Free parking
Free shuttle to and from the airport
Elvis memorabilia shop in lobby
Hotel shows signs of wear and tear
Bar serves food but there is no full restaurant on premises
Wall air conditioners are noisy and need updating
Fitness center is cramped
No concierge
No room service
For Elvis Presley fans looking to be near Graceland, the King’s ex-estate turned tourist spot, it’s hard to beat the across-the-street, 128-room mid-range Heartbreak Hotel in Memphis. Almost every inch of the hotel is an Elvis experience, from the nonstop Elvis movies in the lounge to the kitschy “broken” heart outdoor pool. Four themed suites are spacious and inspired by Elvis’s own living spaces, with touches such as gold piped blue drapery and mirrored walls and ceilings. However, the hotel shows wear and tear throughout. It may be worth comparing rates with the nearby Elvis-inspired Days Inn Memphis. An Elvis-themed hotel near Graceland called The Guest House, set to replace The Heartbreak Hotel, is under construction by Elvis’s estate.
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Scene
An Elvis lover’s dream, the retro and kitschy hotel plays its themes to the hilt.
The five-story Heartbreak Hotel serves as a convenient headquarters for visitors of the celebrated Graceland Mansion and its related attractions. The hotel is a mix of 1950s retro chic, with its bright red window treatments in the front entrance that resemble old Hollywood stage curtains, and Elvis-inspired kitsch, with its massive, high-ceiling lobby ablaze with retina-scorching bright red and gold floors, golden yellow walls, and small seating areas with colorful clusters of purple wing chairs, lush ruby-red couches, and, as a nod to Elvis’ Jungle Room at Graceland, faux animal print chairs. The grandeur might feel a little over the top, but that's sort of the point, and it speaks to the history of the Graceland landmark. A home-style breakfast room with a row of windows allows plenty of natural light to bathe the space. The hotel is geared toward Elvis enthusiasts, so guests will probably find only other Elvis fans around the premises.
Long-time fans of this 1980s-era hotel will be saddened by the fact that it is slated for demolition after the new Guest House at Graceland opens in 2016.
Location
Across the street from Graceland in a less exciting area
The hotel is across the street from Graceland, a mecca for Elvis fans. The surrounding neighborhood, filled with empty businesses, vacant lots, and fast-food joints, is somewhat gritty and is not really safe to wander after dark. The hotel is a five-minute walk to a row of Elvis-themed stores and a one-minute walk to Boulevard Souvenirs, a Memphis landmark offering 4,000 square-feet of Elvis memorabilia that die-hard Elvis fans should not pass up. Beale Street, the most famous street in Memphis, is a 15-minute drive away and has a nighttime party vibe fueled by its many clubs, live music, and authentic soul food. The hotel offers a convenient evening shuttle to and from Beale Street for a nominal fee, and Memphis International Airport is a six-minute drive from the hotel.
Rooms
Elvis-themed rooms are fit for a king.
The 128-room hotel features four Elvis-themed suites. The Gold & Platinum Suite, inspired by Elvis's chart toppers, features gold and platinum records on the walls and a dining room table top resembling a vinyl record. Themed rooms are over 1,000 square feet and have separate seating and dining areas -- the upgraded price tag reflects the extra luxuries. All rooms come with blonde wood furnishings that evoke a 1950s vibe, flat-screen TVs, free Wi-Fi, free HBO, a 24/7 Elvis movie TV channel, and kitchenettes equipped with sinks, mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers. Standard rooms are more subdued, accented with only Elvis-framed photos, but the overall feel is more out-of-date than ‘50s fun, with worn carpeting and warped and cracking sections of wall surrounding the air-conditioning units. Themed baths are sizable and stylish, with double sinks and contemporary shower stalls (no tubs). Standard room baths have shower/tub combos but are smaller and feel dated.
Features
Free breakfast in sunny breakfast room and a one-of-a-kind heart-shaped pool
Free daily continental breakfast is served in the airy, home-style breakfast room. The Jungle Room lounge and bar off the lobby offers sandwiches, specialty drinks, and a convivial atmosphere, but the hotel lacks a full on-site restaurant. The heart-shaped pool is the only one of its kind in Memphis and it’s surrounded by a mix of lounge chairs, tables with umbrellas, and a charming gazebo. The lobby has a 24-hour reception desk, an Elvis memorabilia gift shop, and free Wi-Fi throughout the property. The 24-hour fitness center is crammed with a nautilus machine, dumbbells, one treadmill, and one bike, making it inconveniently small for a hotel of this size. The hotel offers free shuttle to and from the airport, and there is plenty of free, security-patrolled self-parking on site.
