Exhibit 5.1

150 Third Avenue South, Suite 2800

Nashville, TN 37201

(615) 742-6200

August 17, 2012

Granite Hotel Properties, Inc.

One Gaylord Drive

Nashville, Tennessee 37214

Re: Securities Registered under Registration Statement on Form S-4

Ladies and Gentlemen:

We have acted as counsel to you in connection with your filing of a Registration Statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-182352) (as amended or supplemented, the “Registration Statement”) pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), relating to the registration of the offering by Granite Hotel Properties, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) of up to 50,678,341 shares (the “Shares”) of the Company’s Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share, to be issued pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger dated July 27, 2012, by and between the Company and Gaylord Entertainment Company, a Delaware corporation (the “Merger Agreement”), which Merger Agreement is described in the Registration Statement and included as Annex A therein.

In connection with this opinion, we have examined and relied upon such records, documents, certificates, and other instruments as in our judgment are necessary or appropriate in order to express the opinions hereinafter set forth. We have also assumed the legal capacity of all natural persons, the authenticity of all documents submitted to us as originals and the conformity to originals of all documents submitted to us as copies, the genuineness of the signatures of persons signing all documents in connection with which this opinion is rendered, the authority of such persons signing on behalf of the parties thereto and the due authorization, execution and delivery of all documents by the parties thereto.

The opinion expressed below is limited to the Delaware General Corporation Law (which includes reported judicial decisions interpreting the Delaware General Corporation Law).

Based upon and subject to the foregoing qualifications, assumptions and limitations and the further limitations set forth below, we are of the opinion that the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement as described in the Registration Statement, will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable.

August 17, 2012

Page 2

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as Exhibit 5.1 to the Registration Statement and to the references to our firm under the caption “Legal Matters” in the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are in the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act, or the rules and regulations thereunder.

This opinion is furnished to you in connection with the filing of the Registration Statement and may not be rely upon for any other purpose without our prior written consent.

Very truly yours,

/s/ Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

Bass, Berry & Sims PLC

CIRCULAR 230 DISCLOSURE

TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE BY THIS LAW FIRM WITH REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED BY THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, WE INFORM YOU THAT THIS ADVICE WAS NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN TO BE USED, AND CANNOT BE USED BY THE ADDRESSEE OR ANY OTHER PERSON, FOR THE PURPOSE OF (A) AVOIDING UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX PENALTIES, OR (B) PROMOTING, MARKETING OR RECOMMENDING TO ANOTHER PARTY ANY TAX-RELATED MATTER ADDRESSED HEREIN.