Fontanel Mansion
Fontanel Mansion
4.5
About
Fontanel Mansion is a 27,000 square foot log home formerly owned by Country Music Hall of Fame member Barbara Mandrell, and is Nashville's only country music mansion tour giving visitors a sneak peek into the lives of country music greats. The home, situated on the 200 plus acre property, is nestled in the rolling hills of the Whites Creek Valley and is available for private events. With The Inn at Fontanel, the Woods Amphitheater, Pritchard's Distillery, Natchez Hills Winery, Cafe Fontanella, Music City Ziplines by Adventure Works, The Trails and Metro Parks Greenway, it is easy to see why Fontanel is one of Nashville's premier destinations. We offer a family and dog friendly atmosphere located just minutes from downtown Nashville in Whites Creek.
Duration: More than 3 hours
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
2,054 reviews
Excellent
1,568
Very good
327
Average
107
Poor
28
Terrible
24
Jo M
Spencer, United States14 contributions
Mar 2019 • Friends
Stopped and found out a company bought Fontanel Mansion and no longer gives tours. The Mansion can be rented for weddings/parties etc.
Written April 2, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Deb H
Hager City, WI1 contribution
Mar 2015 • Couples
We made Fontanel Mansion the first stop upon arriving to the Nashville area on 3/30/2015, our first visit to TN. Having always admired Barbara Mandrell and her music I was excited to tour her former home and it more than met my expectations. You are encouraged to feel very much at home on this tour. Guests are permitted to sit on furniture or take a guitar off the wall.
However, the delightful surprise of the tour was our guide, Steven Whitson. What a respectful, talented young man with the ability to remember everyone's name! He shared his gift of music with the guests on the tour singing his original son, "Grandma's Boy". Being a Grandma to two young granddaughters myself his song touched my heart. I was so impressed with Steven that I purchased three of his CD's at the end of the tour and have been listening to them nonstop since arriving home. What a great remembrance of a wonderful first day in Nashville! I highly recommend this stop when in the Nashville area and hope you have the pleasure of meeting Steven!
Deb H
However, the delightful surprise of the tour was our guide, Steven Whitson. What a respectful, talented young man with the ability to remember everyone's name! He shared his gift of music with the guests on the tour singing his original son, "Grandma's Boy". Being a Grandma to two young granddaughters myself his song touched my heart. I was so impressed with Steven that I purchased three of his CD's at the end of the tour and have been listening to them nonstop since arriving home. What a great remembrance of a wonderful first day in Nashville! I highly recommend this stop when in the Nashville area and hope you have the pleasure of meeting Steven!
Deb H
Written April 4, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hey there Grandma! So happy you had a fantastic tour and enjoyed Steven Whitson. We are blessed to have him and also blessed to have you come visit with us. Thanks for the great review.
Written May 18, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
ZephyrSnowBird
10 contributions
Jul 2012 • Friends
My daughter, granddaughter and I toured the mansion with Steve as our guide. The home is fabulous but the personal stories told by Steve really made the tour oh so special. I learned things about Barbara and her family that touched my heart and made me see their home in a very soulful light. Steve sang us a song, his own creation called "The One"; it made me cry, it was that good. I think his bosses should sign him up as a singer and share his talent with all music lovers, not just the country music fans.
Written July 6, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TravelGoalsClub
1 contribution
Mar 2019
Fontanel was bought by a new property management company and they promptly canceled our wedding that we had already fully planned and put down deposits for. We had to re-do the whole thing and had to fight to get our money back sooner so that we could put down deposits on a new venue.
If customer service meant anything to the management company, they would have at least tried to work with us a little...it seems like they're actually going to continue using the mansion for special events, so it really doesn't make any sense that they wouldn't want to keep their planned events and be able to profit from them.
If customer service meant anything to the management company, they would have at least tried to work with us a little...it seems like they're actually going to continue using the mansion for special events, so it really doesn't make any sense that they wouldn't want to keep their planned events and be able to profit from them.
Written February 23, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Beeker84
Memphis, Tennessee1 contribution
Jun 2011 • Friends
We were planning to have our wedding at the mansion in 2012 and after signing a contract we were ensured that no other event would take place on our day. All of a sudden they went under new management and our day apparently slipped through the cracks! The "sales manager" called us to let us know that they want a bigger piece of business than ours so we would have to change our date. They offered compensation but that doesn't take the place of having our special day on the day we want! This has ruined everything we have been planning for months and now we are left to find another venue during prime wedding season (everything is booked!) If you want your day to be special and feel like you will be taken care of I WOULD NOT book your wedding here!!
Written September 7, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
mary anne
Boerne, TX2 contributions
Dec 2013 • Friends
I was looking forward to visiting Mandrell's 27,000 sg.ft. mansion. However, our tour was marred by the tour guide, Steven Whitson. At first, he sang a song about his Grandma and explained he was doing this while others arrived and we got settled. ( all of our group was present - no need to wait.) Then throughout the tour, he sold his CD. We spent at least 30 minutes (if not more) as he took off the plastic wrapper and signed each CD bought. There were several spots where this occurred. Guess he stashed his CD's in various locations throughout the house.
Our tour lasted 30- 45 minutes longer because of this....and we got caught up in traffic the way back to the hotel and my family was late to another event.
THIS WAS CERTAINLY A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.
Our tour lasted 30- 45 minutes longer because of this....and we got caught up in traffic the way back to the hotel and my family was late to another event.
THIS WAS CERTAINLY A CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED.
Written December 10, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We appreciate your input on the tour. We do encourage our employees to promote their musical careers. However, I can understand your frustraition. The overwhelming majority of the tours love the tour guides performing for their groups and most of the guest purchase their cds. I will let Steven and the other guides know your complaint and concerns. We apologize for your tour running late. It is never fun being stuck in traffic.
Written December 17, 2013
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
JanisD962
Penney Farms, Florida, United States6 contributions
Mar 2012 • Friends
Wonderful tour of a very homey and beautiful place built by one of my favorite music stars, Barbara Mandrell. I'm sure all the guides are great, but ours was the best! Steven Whitson. Look for him to make it really big in his country singing career. Wonderful little restaurant, The Fontanelli. Enjoyed this tour more than the Grand Old Opry!
Written May 15, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you so much for your great review of Fontanel! We want people to feel at home there and take great pride in giving you an awesome experience. Thank you for visiting Cafe' Fontanella! We'll tell Steven Whitson that he has a new fan! Come back and visit.
Written May 23, 2012
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
SherriLinville
Clifton, TN2 contributions
Apr 2015 • Friends
The entire visit was great!! Chris and Dennis were excellent. I am one who likes to read and look at every thing so the only negative was I needed more time but then it probably would have taken me all day the way I am. We ate at Cafe Fontanella and the food was wonderful. I give my whole experience 12 out of 10.
Written April 5, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A 12 out of a 10! Wow! Thank you! Thanks for the review and spending time with us.
Written May 18, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Ruth S
Bellevue, WA680 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
The mansion is no longer available for touring...only used for special occasions. We only went to the gift shop but there is a restaurant and a distillery, also a zipline.
Written May 11, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandy B
13 contributions
Jun 2015 • Solo
If you wish to visit beautiful mansions,visit Cheekwood or the Belmont mansion. Those are much more grand and beautiful houses. Fontanel is a big log cabin. I suppose the main reason to visit Fontanel is if you are a Barbara Mandrell fan. The highlight of the tour was actually the tour guide. Each tour guide is a musician who will do a short performance while you are at the home. The home is now owned by two music executives who have a lot of their own memorabilia throughout the house. The property is being developed into a more commercial enterprise. There are now two restaurants, a gift shop and a distillery on site. There is a concert venue in the woods as well.
Written June 23, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We appreciate your review and thank you for taking the time to visit Fontanel.
Written August 6, 2015
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Are tours for groups only or can you drive up, purchase tickets and tour the mansion?
Written November 7, 2018
The Fontanel Mansion is available for private events only at this time. Tours are no longer being given. The Fontanel property on White's Creek Pike is still an amazing place to visit. You can eat in the cafe, tour and taste in the distillery, shop in the boutique, zipline, or walk the trails. There is a beautiful bed and breakfast available as well!
Written February 1, 2019
Approximately how long of a ride would Fontanel be from the Hermitage Hotel?
Written March 18, 2018
It takes approximately 17 to 20 minutes using I-24 west
Written March 19, 2018
checked their website Yes it says open Mondays
Written August 18, 2017
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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