Living Like Elvis: My Accessible Stay at The Guest House at Graceland

Every year, my mom and I take a Christmas themed trip in December. It’s just became sort of a tradition for us since our first December getaway a few years ago. With this annual tradition, we’ve been able to see some pretty awesome places and by the end of our trips, we’re always fully in the Christmas spirit. Three years ago, we saw the world-famous Rockettes at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. Two years ago, we experienced the holiday festivities at the Biltmore Estate in Asheville. Last year, we saw the thousands of Christmas lights at Callaway Gardens in Pine Mountain, Georgia. And starting as soon as our Christmas trip ended last December, I’ve been trying to conjure up somewhere that we could go this year. My criteria? It had to be somewhere new for us and it had to be well decorated for Christmas. guest house at graceland hotel review v

About eight months ago, I saw something on Facebook about the new Guest House at Graceland, located in Memphis, Tennessee. It looked beautiful and since I had never been to Memphis, I immediately thought that it would be a nice place to visit for this year’s Christmas trip. Wow, was I right!!

While The Guest House is next door to Graceland, Elvis Presley’s former home, it’s so much more than just a place for Elvis fanatics to stay. I didn’t even really know anything about Elvis before going and still wanted to stay there, and I’m glad I did, but I did learn a lot about him during my fun-filled weekend stay at The Guest House. Here’s why I loved living it up like Elvis at The Guest House at Graceland and why you will enjoy it too –

The Lobby and Festive Decorations

guest house at graceland hotel review

Upon arriving at The Guest House, we were greeted by the friendly staff and one of them escorted us inside to check-in. As soon as my mom and I entered the lobby, our jaws hit the floor. A beautiful Christmas tree was in the center of the lobby welcoming us. It had giant ornaments all over it and was extremely impressive. Even without the tree, the lobby would have been impressive though. It was grandeur and check-in was a breeze. We were given our room key and off to our room we went.

The Accessible Room and Bathroom

Before I enter any hotel room, I get a nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. Will the room actually be accessible for me? Will there really be a roll-in shower? I entered room 306 and quickly realized that it was exactly what I needed. There were two beds, a roll-under desk, flatscreen TV, a full length mirror, and an Elvis inspired picture on the wall. The bed would be a bit high if you’re a wheelchair user that needs to transfer yourself, but it was lower than many beds that I’ve seen in the past. Also, if you use a hoyer lift, it would not be able to roll under the beds. There was no clearance underneath them, but I’m sure if you talk to the hotel’s management they could come up with a solution. They were always friendly and willing to help.

In the bathroom, I had a pull-under sink, a toilet with grab bars, and a spacious roll-in shower. The shower had a fold-down seat positioned next to the handheld shower sprayer, but I brought along my trusty Go Mobility shower and commode chair, which is ideal for traveling. The bathroom was perfectly accessible in every way.

The Various Restaurants

If you’re looking for some great food during your stay, you could order the convenient room service if you feel like having a lazy night in your room or you could dine at one of The Guest House’s on-site restaurants. There is plenty of delicious food to choose from without ever leaving the hotel.

The signature, and more upscale, restaurant at The Guest House is Delta’s Kitchen. Every morning, there is a delectable buffet breakfast here and at night, it turns into a nice restaurant for dinner. Hands down, the breakfast was probably the best buffet breakfast I’ve ever had. There was fresh fruit, pastries, biscuits, and much more. I also visited Delta’s Kitchen for dinner one night and it was fantastic as well. The menu featured classic southern foods such as chicken and waffles, but everything had a special twist on it, which enhanced the food. During your stay, Delta’s Kitchen is a must-do for both breakfast and dinner.

Delicious breakfast

A yummy flatbread starter at dinner

Another great lunch or dinner option inside The Guest House is E.P.’s Bar & Grill. I actually ate here twice during my stay because it’s so good and the prices are very reasonable. On the menu was typical bar food like burgers, pretzel bites, fried green tomatoes, and more. And if you want to try one of Elvis’ favorite foods, order the grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich. I had it and it was delicious!

Peanut butter and banana sandwich with fries

Lastly, just across the hallway from E.P.’s Bar & Grill is Shake, Rattle and Go. Shake, Rattle and Go serves coffee, tea, and even sandwiches and snacks. It’s only open until the early afternoon, but is the perfect spot for your morning pick-me-up or even a light lunch.

The Transportation

While staying at The Guest House, you’re undoubtedly going to want to visit Graceland, which is Elvis Presley’s former home. The Graceland mansion is next door to The Guest House and the ticketing office and other exhibits are just across the street. Instead of driving over there with your own vehicle, just hop in The Guest House’s bus. There is a wheelchair accessible bus if you need it. Just be sure to request it about 30 minutes before you need it. The bus had a lift on it, which worked perfectly for loading me, and the bus dropped us out right in front of the ticketing office. When we were finished with our Graceland tour a few hours later, we called the hotel and requested the accessible bus. Within minutes, it was there to get us and take us back to The Guest House.

Everything Else

In addition to everything already mentioned, The Guest House at Graceland also has an expansive outdoor pool and a movie theater on site. The pool was closed for the winter when I visited so I didn’t get to swim in it. However, I did check it out and noticed that there was a pool lift, so if you’re a wheelchair user that wants to go swimming during your summer stay, you totally can.

One of the coolest things at The Guest House in my opinion was the 464 seat theater. Every night at 7pm, an Elvis movie is shown in the theater for free. I enjoyed watching Elvis’ 1957 movie Jailhouse Rock one night. I’m usually not a fan of older black and white movies, but it was actually really good and captured my attention. It was also a bit surreal to be watching an Elvis movie next door to his house. The theater had wheelchair accessible seating areas just like a regular movie theater and I was amazed that the theater was so large since it was in the hotel.

The Guest House at Graceland ended up being the perfect place to stay for our pre-Christmas getaway to Memphis. From admiring the festive decorations to devouring delicious food and watching a movie in the hotel’s theater, The Guest House surpassed my expectations in many ways and I’m already dreaming of the next time that I get to live like Elvis for a few days.

If you would like to stay at The Guest House at Graceland, check pricing and availability by clicking here.

*Thank you so much to The Guest House at Graceland for making our time in Memphis unforgettable. While this stay was complimentary, all opinions are authentic and my own. This post includes affiliate links. When you click on a link, I may receive a small compensation, which will help this blog grow into a better resource for disabled travelers.