Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa Is Home to One of the Rarest Pieces of Musical History

You can sleep among the items of legends.

Jordi Lippe-McGraw | Jul 16, 2021

For decades now, the Hard Rock brand has been known for its extensive collection of music memorabilia. But the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa might just top them off with the rare piece they have on display in the lobby: Elvis's 24-karat gold leaf piano.

The 1928 Kimball Piano Company Grand Piano is plated with 24K gold leaf and was played by Elvis Presley in the music room of Graceland in Memphis. Presley purchased the piano for his mother in 1955 and moved to his house because it wouldn't fit into her apartment. Priscilla Presley later decided to adorn the piano in 24-karat gold-leaf finish as a gift for the couple's first wedding anniversary.

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In 2015, Hard Rock International became the proud owners of the historic piece, marking the 80,000th piece of memorabilia for the hospitality brand. And now it sits in the lobby of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa. Of course, that's in addition to the more than 500 other pieces of music memorabilia from The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin, and many more.

Since the hotel is home to one of the King's prized possessions, they decided to offer plenty of ways to live like a king. The 800-room property has two towers with a total of 86 suites, which include Gold, Grand, Presidential, Two-story Penthouse, Chairman, Roxy, Apollo, Fillmore and Savoy. If you stay in the Roxy, Apollo, Fillmore or Savoy suites, butler service will take care of your every need (and want). And for the ultimate VIP experience, the top floor of the new hotel tower features a private gaming parlor, with an exclusive check-in and private elevators to rock star suites.

Even the pool area is worthy of legends. The 60,000-square-foot pool and deck area boasts 19 cabanas, 500 loungers and daybeds, two DJ booths and more. Or, go all out with the VIP cabanas, which include access to a private pool and rock star amenities like Evian misting and a dedicated cabana butler. Elvis might not have had that level of service.

Accommodations by:
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
5223 Orient Rd, Tampa, FL 33610
813-627-7625
seminolehardrocktampa.com
800 rooms
Visit our website for pricing and availability.

Published Jul 16, 2021

JORDI LIPPE-MCGRAW

Jordi Lippe-McGraw is a Contributing Editor for SI Swimsuit covering all things lifestyle from travel and beauty to entertainment and wellness. Over her nearly 15-year-long journalism career, her work has appeared in the New York Times, WSJ Magazine, Forbes, and more. Plus, she’s appeared on TV shows such as Wendy Williams, TODAY, E!, and MSNBC for her expertise. Jordi's personal passion for travel has brought her to over 50 countries on all 7 continents, including Antarctica at 5 months pregnant. She's also an avid penguin and truffle lover.