The Eureka Springs Treehouses, Castles, Caves and Hobbit Holes

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Eureka Springs is filled with unique hotel options, but none quite like the Eureka Springs Treehouses, Castles, Caves and Hobbit Holes. They take hospitality to a whole other level.

Located on the outskirts of the city, Eureka Springs TCCHH is everything the name promises. ‘Rooms’ are located on a lot scattered with petite castles and tree houses elevated amongst the trees as well as rustic caves and hobbit holes on the ground. Each ‘room’ is uniquely decorated with a corresponding theme. The décor of the treehouses feature different nature elements as do the caves, hobbit holes are more whimsical.

The castles are each unique as well. While I booked a week-long stay in a castle decorated with lions, I managed to sweet-talk my way into peeking around the gargoyle one. It’s probably just as well I didn’t stay there. One of those gargoyles might have followed me home!

But the TCCHH focuses on its take-aways too. A hospitality package was included with the ‘room’ so my husband and I arrived to find a welcome basket with snacks and champagne flutes. A bottle of bubbly was chilling in the refrigerator, along with a cake. Past a secret door and up a flight of stairs where the jacuzzi tub was located, I found another basket with bath supplies. Very nice touch.

The ‘rooms’ are outfitted with a king-sized bed, full kitchen, living room area and a roomy bathroom, making it an ideal location for an extended stay or weekend getaway. After check-in, we picked up some groceries on our first jaunt through town and saved money by cooking many of our meals. The kitchen had everything we needed to make this easy.

The walk-in shower was also very impressive. Fashionably rocked and plumbed with multiple jets, it was an experience in itself. My husband and I took advantage of its size to shower together, and had plenty of space for more.

Not that we are into that kind of thing.

While located in town proper, TCCHH still feels very remote. The grounds are immersed in trees and wildlife. A little cardinal tapped at the back window of the ‘room’ overlooking a wooded revenue every morning shortly after dawn. And while at first our little feathered alarm clock was peculiar and admittedly a little annoying, we warmed up to him.  A pair of fawns and a doe often wandered by as well and seemed perfectly content with letting us observe them from the balcony.

In spite of the number of ‘rooms’ in close proximity of each other, the grounds were very quiet and private. The only time we were ever reminded of other guests was when we encountered them in the parking lot. The same can be said for the staff. We opted for contact-free service so we dropped the laundry and trash outside the door every morning and it was taken away and replaced soon after.   

That isolation does come at a price in more ways than one. Visitors have to be prepared to travel if they wish to visit many of the town’s other attractions and finding and paying for parking downtown can be a challenge. But unless you are ready for the all-terrain hike, you will probably end up doing this at some point anyway. TCCHH is also on the pricier side of hotels in town, but considering its many amenities isn’t too excessive. Plus, if you are looking for a truly unique and memorable experience, it’s definitely worth it.

Seriously, if they don’t have an option that suits you, we can’t be friends. Stick with Super 8.

My advice: while it’s probably a bit over-the-top for an overnight stay, book your next weekend with them.   

Do you have a hotel or inn you would like me to review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Embassy Suites St. Louis

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As much as I have raved about the Cheshire in St. Louis, a reader asked me to check out the Embassy Suites. At first, I turned up my nose. Who wants to go to a hotel that’s like all the rest? But the next time I was in town for an XFL game, I decided to give it a try.

And I have to say, my readers are brilliant.

Parking downtown is a challenge on a good day, and with a professional football game playing right next door, they are even worse. But the valets at the Embassy Suites operated like a team of champions. They were always communicating, strategizing and maneuvering to tackle demand. The service was an extra charge, but well worth it. I never felt my car was out of my reach. I even had Erin use the service when she met me for dinner that night, and the guys comp’ed her time. 

Thanks guys!

Again, the front desk staff was very efficient-almost an extension of the valet team although you could tell they acknowledged the coach was out there parking cars. Which I suppose isn’t the worst thing that could happen, but I imagine this would be a little confusing for people who do not speak English as their first language or have other communication challenges. That being said, guests were spaced very well with families and travelers with pets kept apart from others staying at the hotel. I find that always makes for a better experience. I love dogs and babies, I’m just not crazy about hearing them in the middle of the night unless they are mine.

Apart from the common areas, the hotel itself is very quiet. The room was open and well-organized. The sleeping area was separated from the sitting/TV and the kitchen areas. The layout gave some semblance of order to what can often be a chaotic time for any traveler.

The dining area was spacious and clean with a menu that could accommodate anyone’s taste. And even though the hotel’s amenities catered to families, I could see the efforts made to consider adults as well. Take their happy hour receptions  which served snacks and soft drinks for families with children, but also had an open bar manned by a bartender who was happy to mix your favorite cocktail or serve you a glass of today’s punch of the day.

Shout out to that girl! She was a pro!

The continental breakfast was also one of the best I have ever seen. The buffet took up two separate rooms and had just about anything you could want for breakfast on the road. The dining area was spacious enough to accommodate hungry guests, but many filled their trays and took them up to their rooms. And in spite of this, I noticed the housekeeping staff didn’t leave a single tray outside a room for more than a few minutes. They were magical.

The price was reasonable given the location and the going rates of other hotels nearby. And having a hotel room right next door to the arena was so advantageous!. Located within walking distance of much of downtown STL, it was easy to walk to all of my favorite restaurants and hangouts. Over and over, I found the hotel was the perfect place to act as base for my weekend getaway

My takeaway: Come for the parking, stay for the breakfast.

The Radisson Lackawanna Station

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I don’t often review chains. How interesting is it to describe a run-of-the-mill hotel? But sometimes, no matter what brand it wears, an inn stands out. And that is precisely what the Radisson Lackawanna Station does.

Located in the former Scranton PA train station, the location is visually impressive.  It is easy to see all the efforts made to keep with its history-including a parking lot fit for a bustling train depot-that works very well for a hotel too. I challenge you to be unable to find a parking spot and I am Queen of the parking lot parade.

The amazing architecture carries on inside the building as well with vintage stained glass windows and ceiling features in the dining and common areas. Designers re-used old train furnishings and other design elements as well. The old station benches serve their original purpose with a shabby chic flair. And the re-purposed décor fits as well today as the day it was installed.

The front desk staff is extremely efficient and friendly. They are experts on all the town’s activities and hot spots-so be sure to ask for recommendations. They also space guests very well for added privacy.  

The building itself is very quiet. You will never hear activity from inside your room.  Which is something that I missed with my room’s bathroom overlooking a soccer field next door. While this can’t be avoided (undoubtedly the hotel was there first) I made sure to shut the curtains before getting in the shower. You just never know.

The layout of the room itself was planned very well. The bed was spacious, there was plenty of dresser and closet storage. The separate seating area and kitchen area away from the bed was a nice touch. I don’t like using my bed for a dining area.

The hotel’s bar and restaurant were very convenient and a popular place for hotel staff to unwind. I took it as a good sign, although the waitresses at the bar were a little standoffish. I had to work at getting their attention to order, refill drinks and get my bill-in spite of the fact that I was sitting at the bar only feet away. It was a lot of work for such minor requests.

The price of the room was comparable with other mid-level chains and I didn’t notice anything that would require special adaptations for those with disabilities. But in the event your particular situation throws you a traveling curveball, just mention it to the front desk staff. They will take good care of you.

My takeaway: Stay the night but explore the town when you’re hungry.

Do you have a hotel or inn you would like me to review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Tulsa Club

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Some hotels are distinctive as a brand. Others are distinctive in spite of it. Take the Tulsa Club Hotel. Part of Hilton’s fancy Curio Collection, the hotel is located mere blocks away from several swanky restaurants and the Mayo Hotel. With streetside spaces a commodity, finding parking can be a challenge. There is a parking garage nearby, but with the valet service only a small upcharge, it would certainly be worth it during peak hours.

And that concludes the monetary savings you will find staying at this hotel. The cost of the stay was a little on the pricier side by Tulsa standards, no doubt based on its Deco District location. Dining and room service was also on the finer end, as was the price.  

While the architecture and design of the building are impressive, it was the hotel staff (valet, front desk, waitstaff and housekeeping) that really made my stay feel like a value. They were fantastic, very friendly and approachable.

The establishment felt very secure. I never saw less than three hotel employees within immediate view of the front door even during the late evening hours. With space to accommodate large family meals and traveling business workers alike, it was clearly designed with multi-function in mind. The dining area was incredibly spacious, offering plenty of seating, light and tables. And plenty of electrical outlets, an all-important necessity.

The bar area on the other side of the dining area was equally private and accessible. The bartender was knowledgeable and well-versed in classic cocktails and wines. Her smoked old fashioned was a showstopper! Prepared in a glass display case, the applewood cold smoke filled the drink as well as the other customers’ attention.

The room was spacious and organized well. The bathroom was large enough to accommodate multiple guests or a wheel-chair/walker. The space around furnishings could do the same-without having to be a specially designated handicap room. I really like that. Except for parking tags, no one likes being labeled like that. 

The different lamps and overhead switches were a bit confusing and required a bit of a scavenger hunt for switches and dials. There was a slight learning curve for the shower as well. And the view from rooms on our side of the building were of the exterior wall of the building across the alley-private, but not exactly scenic.

The room was secure, offering two separate door locks. The TV was spaced well for viewing from the bed or other seating. The bed was solid and sturdy.  

The amenities weren’t anything to write home about, a couple travel-sized soaps you would find at any other establishment. The iron and hairdryer were ho-hum and the coffee pot and coffee samples were also not exactly up to an exclusive hotel standard.

Shout out to the Club Quarters: I still dream about your coffee maker.

Perhaps the most interesting amenity was an umbrella left in the closet with a card that read, “We are here for you.” Farther down the card in smaller lettering was a notice alerting guests who chose to actually use the umbrella that they would be charged $28 if they took the umbrella and didn’t return it,

Or returned it wet. Hmmm…

One detail I found peculiar was the noticeable absence of ice buckets in the rooms-which appears to be a hotel policy. In its place was a card instructing guests to call down to the front desk if they required ice and one would be brought up. While visiting the bar, I noticed a stack of ice buckets sitting on a window sill at the bar. They appeared quite average-looking, so I’m not really sure what the added supervision and security were for.

My takeaway: Stay to the Mayo and get an ice bucket.

Do you have a hotel or inn you would like me to review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Moonrise Hotel-St. Louis

Check out the first impressions here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Js7GqF_ipLU

With so many positive experiences at the hotels I’ve reviewed, I am commonly asked if there has ever been one that fails to rise to the occasion. The answer is yes, but not too many. The ones that do usually blow out because they lose their identity. That seems to be the case with the Moonrise Hotel in St. Louis, but you be the judge.

Located on the Delmar Loop in the heart of many of the city’s colleges, the Moonrise Hotel is a glowing jewel of neon.  And that, my friends, is the last place the hotel shines. 

Parking is poorly marked, making it almost impossible not to rely on the valet services. Which brings the question of how you access them? After you check in.  Like many businesses on the Loop, parking meters and tow-away zones are more prevalent than available spaces and the miniscule parking lot next to the building is hardly a solution for incoming guests.  So you are left in the precarious position of abandoning your car and praying it will neither be hit nor towed until you check in and cross that hurdle.

That’s not the way I like to start a trip.

Inside, visitors find a modern lobby, more neon and seating areas expertly decorated with funky space toys and NASA memorabilia. Unfortunately, the private experience is a big letdown. The front desk staff who checked us in were apathetic and disinterested to a level that almost felt personal.

Here’s a riddle: how many front desk staff does it take to check you in? The answer at the Moonrise Hotel? Two, and only after they have done literally everything else they can think of while you wait in line. The two chuckleheads working the desk when we arrived chatted with each other, checked vending supplies, looked at things on their phones, and checked on their upcoming their work schedules before waiting on the person in line ahead of us. 

With his little dog squirming in his arms, the gentleman told us he was waiting to get another room key so he could take the dog for a walk. Unfortunately, the dog’s bladder wasn’t large enough to accommodate the front desk’s ineptitude and he eventually left the line. Even that wasn’t enough to prod them back to work.  

Again, not the kind of treatment I would expect from a boutique hotel-or a Motel 6, for that matter.

To my relief, the valet and early morning front desk staff were much better. Maybe, the hotel manager is aware his night staff suck and deliberately schedules them for nights?  If that is the case, I recommend he or she relocate those workers to the basement and spare the rest of us the frustration as well.

Like the check-in experience, the sleeping accommodations were disappointing. For a boutique hotel-and any hotel in general, the beds were terrible! The mattresses are the hard-spring coil variety that are uncomfortable and unyielding-certainly not worth the cost of the room. While we checked in around six, well after housekeeping had presumably finished for the day, the overall cleanliness of the room could only be a generous meh. Like most other background functions, it was half-assed at best. Take the mysterious blue-stain sprayed above the bed and it’s slightly darker buddy spattered behind the toilet. What was up with that?

When staying at a hotel, I try to be understanding. I’m not high-maintenance, don’t consider myself a diva.  I understand that the employees that work there are commonly paid far less than the service they are expected to give on any given day.  I’m okay with that.

That being said, I don’t like to be reminded of the prevalence of communicable diseases. And the last thing I want to do when staying at a hotel is play Name That Stain on my dime. Gross!

I also suspect the hotel’s designers continued the space-theme when it came to the insulation between room walls-or the lack of it.  The audible ambient noise can only be explained by a total absence of any sound-dampening material or a speaker-system.  Every single sound generated in the hallway, elevator and nearby rooms transmits straight to yours.  You can hear the elevator traveling past your floor. You can hear other guests flip on room lights and shut their bathroom doors.

I am hearing-impaired and rarely find this to be a problem in any environment, but guests with sensory issues or PTSD may find the spontaneous sounds and vibrations triggering. The noise level is far more than one would expect from a conventional hotel.

A little past ten in the evening, I overheard a hotel guest on my floor call the front desk to complain. Around two in the morning, another guest made a similar call.  Both times, the front desk informed the callers they would have security dispatched. No one came the second time. I’m not sure if that is an issue with the front desk staff or security, but as I was unable to sleep anyway, I spent some time thinking about it.

Where the hotel part of the hotel seems to less important to the Moonrise than cute toys and neon, the same cannot be said for the rooftop bar and restaurant. Both deliver everything you would expect from the city’s finer venues.  The waitstaff was attentive and accommodating. The food and libations were terrific. It’s just a shame they couldn’t give you a blanket and let you sleep at a booth.

The overall cost of the room was a little pricey, but not outlandish given the location and the relative isolation as the only hotel on the loop.  That being said, it’s wasteful to pay for extras that don’t contribute to your accommodation experience. 

My takeaway: be sure to hit up the restaurant and bar, but stay overnight somewhere else.

Seriously, anywhere else.

Do you have a hotel or inn you think I should review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or shoot me an email at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Club Quarters Chicago

Check it out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FdPbZsOYlxo

Staying in Chicago can be daunting. Between meals, entertainment and transportation costs can rack up fast. Choose the wrong hotel and you’ll see basic amenities added to the bill as well.  Which makes staying at the Club Quarters, with it’s focus on service and quality, a terrific value.

Beginning with its great location on Wacker, close to Millennium Park, the Chicago River and the Miracle Mile, staying at the Club Quarters puts you within walking distance of major shopping, restaurant and bar districts. If ride-sharing is more your thing, no worries. The hotel accommodates drivers easily.  

The front desk staff are professional and helpful. Guests are served quickly and efficiently. Pay particular attention to the tidbits of advice they give.  They know what you need before you do.

The same can be said for the awesome housekeeping and maintenance departments.  Friendly and approachable, they take pride in their work. If they know you are in a suite or have many people in your party, they will go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need for an enjoyable stay.

With my children tagging along during my stay, both serial showerers, we never ran out of fresh towels. That never happens.  It’s practically a sign of the apocalypse. But those housekeepers kept up with them every day for a week, collecting towels and running new ones up several times a day, often without being asked. My kids were equally impressed and now think that being asked to do this for themselves at home is unreasonable.

Thanks, ladies!

Each room is outfitted with a standard k-cup style coffee pot, smart TV and a hotel-style bathroom. But who doesn’t like a shower that doesn’t require a learning curve? There are also water bottle stations located by each floor’s elevators and reusable bottles. Laundry facilities and vending machines are on the lower floors.

Guests should know room temperatures cannot be controlled individually.  The hotel’s heating is operated by a boiler system which leaves internal climate up to nature and thermodynamics. It one of the charms that goes along with being an older hotel in an area developed in another time. Keeping the room warm enough won’t be a problem-even if you are staying in the middle of winter like we did. I found the steady seventy-five degrees difficult to sleep in. But maintenance will quickly run you up a fan if you ask and that fixed the problem for us.

The overall hotel environment is surprisingly hushed. In spite of the number staying at the hotel, I never heard a dog and rarely noise from other guests. It’s easy to find peace and quiet if that’s what you are looking for.

I cannot say enough about the business room/guest lobby on the second floor! It has everything a student or business traveler could ever want. In addition to two enclosed conference rooms, public restrooms, cubicles, café tables and a limitless number of free electrical outlets, the space boasts a seating area with a fireplace and another smart TV.

And my favorite hotel feature and newest member of my personal wish list: an automated coffee and cappuccino maker. That baby easily satisfied all my coffee needs my entire stay. With the price of specialty coffee downtown, I easily saved a couple hundred bucks.

We’ll talk about my coffee addiction later. This is a hotel review, remember?

The price of a suite was a little on the costlier side, but competitive with other area locales.  And with the ability to score a latte at three in the morning? It was priceless!

My takeaway: pack a book and a cozy blanket. This is the closest to a sleepover at Starbucks you are going to get!

Do you have a hotel or inn you think I should review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or shoot me an email at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Angad Arts Hotel-St. Louis

Check it out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XT0Ld5HsVzQ

Iconic modern art is bold, creative and innovative-true to the artist’s vision. This same description is evident of St Louis’ Angad Arts Hotel. Located next to the St. Louis Symphony, the Angad Arts Hotel perfectly complements the adjacent theaters and halls.

Even the exterior of the hotel makes an artistic statement. It’s classic architectural features are highlighted by whimsical cutouts and sculptures. The exterior fire escape is decorated with large climbing figures in varying stages of ascent. A precarious ‘tower’ of luggage teetering towards collapse sits by the entrance.  Both of these draw the eye before the hotel sign itself. That is subtly mounted on a less prominent corner of the building, almost like the artist’s signature on a painting.

Like great art, visiting the hotel is a challenging experience. There is a learning curve for first-time guests. The main entrance opens to the ground floor of the hotel, boasting a large rotating art exhibit, a couple boutique shops and a restaurant serving breakfasts is closed after the meal’s traditional hours. A pair of elevators are located opposite the exhibit and down the hall adjacent to the boutiques.

Readers may notice the absence of the front desk in my description. This is not an oversight. It’s not there.

No big deal, I hear you say. I did mention the elevators, didn’t I? Well, those weren’t as accommodating as you would think. The elevators by the door had a control panel that had alarm buttons clearly marked, but no noticeable call button. The elevators around the corner were of even less use. Calling the elevator was possible, but it was only usable with a key card one would presumably be issued upon check-in.

I arrived at the hotel after a long day at my desk, later in the evening. In my arms I carried my luggage, briefcase and purse, as well as a box filled with care-package items for Erin. A seasoned traveler, my plan was simple-to check in, drop off my things, and meet up with my daughter for a late meal. It never occurred to me that it all hinged on that first step.

The security and aesthetics were nice features and ones I was sure I would enjoy during my stay, if I made it that far. I bumped around between the two, struggling with my bags and packages. I looked around for signs-clues of what was expected of me and actual signs. But the more I looked, the less clear it became. There was no stairway entrance. Not that I would have been excited to pull my carry-on and other items up flights anyway, but the designers appeared to have made that decision for me in advance. And the more I examined the elevator control panel, the more prohibitive it appeared. With the only evident button emblazoned with the image of a fire fighter’s helmet, I really didn’t want to push that. Nor could I image the hotelier would appreciate it either.  

About fifteen minutes into my puzzle an older couple appeared. Bags in hand, they looked as experienced with the traditional hotel registration process as me.  We greeted each other with a quiet smile and went about our business. They strolled in search of the front desk and I causally watched. This wasn’t an exam, and I’m not too proud to look over someone else’s shoulder.

No luck, it was clear they were as lost as me.

At first, we walked around each other, attempting to solve the riddle without signaling to the other our difficulty. After about ten minutes, we threw shyness aside and collaborated to solve what could only be described as the most unexpected reverse-escape room imagined. In a rare moment in the history of man, the gentlemen tapped out and called the hotel to ask for directions. In response he was asked which direction he was coming from.

“The first floor,” he answered.

“Go to the front desk,” the operator answered.

Why didn’t we think of that?

With the hour getting later, one of us grew frustrated enough to consider pushing the elevator alarm button on the control panel but pressed the space above it instead. The doors opened. Brilliant. The elevator was limited to the option of going to one floor-the forth floor, if I remember correctly. But it was fine with us. It opened to the hospitality floor with another restaurant, seating areas and the illusive front desk. The woman and I stepped quickly to register, as if the desk might disappear soon and we would have to repeat the whole process.

“Carl? Are you coming?” the woman called to her companion.

But he had dropped his bag and was walking determinedly to the opposite side of the room-one with a prominent stairway leading to a well-labeled bar upstairs. “I’ll meet you when you finish,” he replied.

The hotel staff were great throughout my visit. They were very warm and friendly and didn’t even show a hint of smirk when I confessed how long I had struggled to arrive. They smiled and said it happens all the time.

Just as visitors might experience problems between their key cards and the elevator readers. At times, you may have to attempt to initiate and re-initiate the key card reader several times without any luck. No worries, the elevators will always take you to the hospitality floor no matter what and the front desk staff will replace your card without question. At one point I carried nine cards, each activated for my room and pushed each one against the reader like a deck of playing cards until the elevator found one that was temporarily acceptable.

The hospitality floor is a work of art in itself. Visitors are greeted to an immersive celebration of art from the furnishings, wall décor and lighting. The common area past the front desk has fixtures on the ceiling that shows video art inside lightshades like mini silent movies. The space is so perfectly arranged that instead of being overwhelming, crowded or uncomfortable, the guest is left with a cozy comfortable experience, ready to settle into a good book or conversation.

The floors are distinguished by a palate of primary colors. And green, I’m not sure what gave green it’s own floors where the honor was not bestowed upon purple or orange but I suppose that was the artist’s call. I stayed on a yellow floor and my room was decorated exclusively in that hue accessorized with an eclectic collection of white accent pieces. I found the room whimsical and functional. I’m not sure if I would have felt the same way had I stayed on the red floor, but leaving a piece of art with questions is part of the experience.

Overall, the room was fairly affordable. I got a two bedroom queen suite on a non-holiday weekend for under two hundred dollars. Secure parking was available for a reasonable fee.  And having finally made it to my room too late to get a table at any of the nearby restaurants, I was still able to rely on Door Dash.

That guy too, wondered how to get to the front desk.

My takeaway: leave your assumptions at the door and snicker at the newbies quietly.  

Do you have a hotel or inn you think I should review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or shoot me an email at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Stanley Hotel-Estes Park

When the idea of writing a blog about boutique hotels came to mind, one of the first I wanted to be sure to include was a profile of The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. The hotel has such a unique history and such an iconic place in pop culture, I couldn’t resist. The Stanley Hotel is also a part of my personal history as it was one of Dave’s and my stops on our honeymoon where we stayed for a few days.

I’m not going to regurgitate the hotel’s history and significance to anyone who considers themselves a fan of Stephen King or The Simpsons. I find an insider’s view far more interesting. And you can expect no less from me here.

Dave and I enjoy long-leisurely road trips, the kind where you the drive is just as significant as the destination. An professional academic, my husband prepared a playlist of Stanley-specific podcasts for us to listen to as we traveled from Kansas to Colorado. By the time we arrived, we were well versed on all the folk stories, supernatural lore, and urban legend evolution as the hotel changed hands and perspectives. At the time of our visit, a marketing shift had re-written many of the hotel’s stories from dark and foreboding to friendly and benign. As scary as this may sound to Shining fans, this isn’t that unusual. Many hotels have found steering away from a ghostly image is better for business. But Dave and I agreed The Stanley Hotel did an excellent job of balancing both the family-friendly tourist trap and the horror and freak followers.

We pulled into Estes Park around nine in the evening, well after dark. The trip had been relatively uneventful except for a couple construction delays we encountered as we neared the town. The waits we experienced were excessive. Dave and I are both used to flagmen and construction crews stopping traffic so to allow oncoming cars to use the same lanes, but crews in our part of the country stop traffic for no more than ten minutes at a time. Colorado road crews must switch directions of road traffic when they run out of moving cars. We sat in line for twenty minutes the first time, close to thirty minutes the second. So I was eager to reach the hotel by the time we emerged from construction-Dave even more so. He practically chewed on the steering wheel in frustration as we pulled into Estes Park.

Not that we recognized the town right away. Estes Park was plunged in darkness. At first, we thought we had perhaps arrived as the town experienced a power outage, but this was not the case. The town simply didn’t have its street lights on-even though we could see the silhouettes of lamp posts reflecting the lights from our Jeep. We experienced much of the same as we circled the town and entered the grounds of The Stanley Hotel itself. None of their street lights-or sign lights we on either.

This wouldn’t be a big problem for an average hotel where the confines of the building are well defined and all you have to worry about is where to park and where to enter. But The Stanley isn’t like that. It’s a sprawling campus of similar-looking buildings. There is a separate restaurant, a residential condominium site, an event center, an outbuilding of specialty suites, and parking lots and gardens scattered throughout. With no lights to illuminate our way, we had no idea where to go. And Google? It announced we had arrived when we pulled into the main driveway before it cut out. We made our way slowly and cautiously through the maze of driveways, stopping every once in a while to shine a light from our cell phones and read the signs.  

With our budget in mind, we avoided splurging on a specific suite or room and were very pleased to acquire a room on the fourth floor without any special request or cost. The fourth floor is known for being particularly spiritually active. Stories go that during a time when the privileged elite took the family to a resort getaway, parents would book a room for themselves and adjourn to the sprawling grounds, ballroom and other amenities and leave their kids and the nanny on the fourth floor in virtual abandonment. It is said that the younger guests ran amok on the fourth floor in unrestrained chaos. As a parent myself, I can see the arrangement attractive from both ends and while I’m sure it wouldn’t have been advertised openly, I have no doubt a few whispers would have been motivating.

Our room was quaint and homy. Located at the front of the hotel with a small dormer as the only window, the ceiling was close and in some places obstructive. Seating and closets were strategically placed where it would be more difficult to stand. The same layout was used in the bathroom with the arrangement of the toilet versus the shower so while the ceiling was a concern for those concerned with unexpectedly smacking their heads, it was never an issue. The drafts and climate concerns that go hand-in-hand with older houses half the hotel’s age and size were reasonably remedied with the addition of a portable heat and air conditioning unit. This too, was placed in the lower corner of the room. The furnishings were older without being opulent. The television on the dresser had a basic cable package one would find at any hotel with the addition of a Stanley channel that rolled continuous advertising of hotel-specific entertainments. The hotel places a great emphasis on it’s value as an entertainment destination. Secondary entrances were adorned with posters of comedians and other upcoming events.

We did experience our own supernatural event while staying there the first night. At eleven thirty, Dave and I were startled by the thunderous sound of laughing children tearing down the hallway. We opened the door to find nothing there. Nor was there any way we would have heard the footfalls of anyone running by.  Over the next couple days, we saw plenty of people run and walk past without hearing them at all-whether our door was open or closed. In my own ‘scientific’ experiment, I jumped up and down furiously right outside our door and bounced back and forth down the hallway attempting to recreate the commotion myself. No luck.

At three am that same day, Dave was awoken by light and sounds of a lamp and the television turning on spontaneously.  A centered man who can handle anything before him, my darling husband simply sighed and said, “Thank you, but we’re good for now.” As he rolled over to return to his slumber, the lights and television turned off in the same manner as before.  

For such an old and open structure, the hotel is surprisingly quiet. Quite the opposite of modern Hyatts and Holiday Inns, The Stanley Hotel is a place where you barely hear other guests-even the ones staying nearby.

The upper levels are restricted to hotel guests only, a welcome security measure, but the main floor is a space to behold in itself. Although roped off, the hotel’s ball room is still able to view from the lobby as well as many of the original furnishings and adornments. A gift shop off to the side hawks the hotel’s logoed ware.  A formal restaurant with a gourmet menu and many locally-inspired dishes is a must stop. Dave and I were eager to visit the hotel’s bar which wasn’t used in the movie The Shining, but was still a place we wanted to be sure to stop. Who can resist a chance to sit at the bar, cocktail in hand, and look in the mirror and say,  “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy”?

The lower floor is home to a coffee shop, a hotel replica used in the miniseries version of the Shining, a high-end wine and liquor shop and a ticket booth and meeting area for the hotel’s various tours. We explored all of them. While it would be easy to drop excessive cash in each of them, visitors can avoid a scare in their wallet by making careful, but not horrific choices. Many great experiences like walking the grounds, enjoying the patio and exploring the gardens are free.

Dave and I did take part in one of The Stanley’s nightly ghost tours. Aside from learning the official version of many of the stories we had heard during the drive, the tour allowed us a chance to see even more of the hotel’s grounds. As an admirer of old homes and buildings, that was a treat by itself. The tour also allowed for frequent breaks at which participants were allowed to take pictures in hopes of collecting additional ghost evidence. Dave and I didn’t get anything on camera, but one of our fellow tourists may have. She and my husband were taking pictures of the same spot during our time exploring the underground tunnels beneath the hotel. Nothing unusual appeared in Dave’s shot of the shadowy, dirt-lined walls. Hers included two symmetrical reflective lights, resembling eyes.

Creepy, huh?  

My takeaway: stay for a weekend, longer would be a horror show for your wallet.

Do you have a hotel or inn you think I should review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or shoot me an email at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Chateau Avalon-Kansas City

Check it out here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmS5QLIqgSk

Early September marks an important season in the Beck household-namely the Kansas City Renaissance Festival. To us, the KC Ren Fest is an event as important as Christmas and Halloween. It was the first renaissance festival I ever attended-one of Dave and my first dates. It also is also something of a ritual for Dave who has attended twenty-nine of the last thirty-including the drive through they held during Covid. In the community, that’s bragging rights. The love of my life is right up there.

But tights and turkey legs is only a small part of the experience. The trip gives us another chance to explore Kansas City-and another boutique hotel. As we were attending during Pirate’s weekend, what better way to extend the adventure than to sleep in a pirate hotel room?

Where do you find that? Chateau Avalon.

Chateau Avalon is a destination hotel and spa. With an elaborate fountain and opulent exterior, guests know the minute they pass through the gates that they have arrived. Adjacent to the estate-like building is a glass structure that resembles an industrial-sized greenhouse. But the only plants inside are floral arrangements. It is a reception space and wedding venue. And I can imagine it is hugely popular. The space was in full use both nights and as I could see through the windows (don’t act like you wouldn’t peek if given the chance!) as a part of the celebration as part of the scenery.

Besides elaborate rooms specially decorated in various themes ranging from Venice to Egypt to Camelot and Hemmingway, the Hotel Avalon boasts a spa and a dive bar appropriately named the d’Nile.

Shout out to the bartenders at d’Nile. They do a fantastic smoked bloody mary.

The hotel staff as a whole are very friendly and efficient. Some businesses court a clientele that is a snooty and demanding type. Upscale hotels in Kansas City are certainly one of them. In spite of these continuing annoyances, of which I observed plenty, I watched the front desk staff handle each entitled bore with dignity and tact. Never once did I see a self-deluded diva get under their skin-a professional and admirable to be sure. For a job that begins and ends in service, the staff there are amazing.

I also cannot say enough about the kitchen and house staff.  They were responsive and diligent to a near-precognitive level. A card to order room service is left on the table, one for each day of stay where guests can custom order their perfect breakfast by checking the corresponding boxes. Dave and I made sure to take advantage of this blog. The results of this ‘experiment’ were highly successful.

The room we got was roomy and spacious, with a large pirate mural on one wall, small dining table and a platform with a king sized bed. The railing surrounding the platform was adorned with cross bones and skulls-a solid effort, to be sure.  The bathroom was standard and ordinary but for the shower. The shower was suspended over the room’s jacuzzi-concealed inside a bucket. It was so charming! We spent a lot of time in that jacuzzi in one form or another.  

The room was reasonably priced. The weekend cost a little over three hundred dollars.  So were the costs of our meals and drinks-which aside from the libations we enjoyed at d’Nile, we all added to the bill for convenience at checkout. While Dave finished clearing our tab, the housekeeping staff let me peek in at some of the other rooms in the Chateau.

We will definitely return and get another room.  

My takeaway: Get a new room-and a new theme every time!   

Do you have a hotel or inn you think I should review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or shoot me an email at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com

The Cheshire-St. Louis

Take a look here! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRKYI7maPY4

With Erin attending university in St. Louis, it only made sense for Dave and I to explore the city. Since then, we have had a wonderful time enjoying many local restaurants, bars and pubs. And of course, the hotels!

One of my favorites is a quaint hotel across from Fontbonne University and Washington University-The Cheshire.

The Cheshire is a Tudor-styled Anglophilic celebration from its country manor exterior to its multi-paneled windows.  A life-sized royal guard figure stands watch over the entrance, one I confess I take a selfie with at the end of each visit. Visitors are next met by the front desk staff centered just inside the door. Guests are quickly checked in, issued their keys, and directed to park in the hotel’s parking garage just next door.

The hotel rooms are reasonably priced, but the parking is a bonus. Not every boutique hotel thinks about parking.

The hotel’s lobby and seating area are warm and inviting, boasting a fire place and several cozy places to meet. A room for more formal meeting and business is available just past the elevators. The dining area is primarily used for the continental breakfast included with your stay, but a supply of coffee is always available-not to mention an every rotating variety of teas.

For me, the teas were telling. We aren’t talking a few stale bags of Lipton that someone bought at a restaurant supply store. They are brands and flavors that I keep in my own pantry. Any tea lover would be delighted to wake in the middle of the night, slip down to the dining room, and pour themselves a cup of bergamot tea. It’s a little detail that to me, screams hard core in a very good way.

Tucked away in a little unassuming corner is the hotel’s own tavern, The Fox and Hound.  Like every other part of the hotel, The Fox and Hound is expertly decorated and outfitted. Sitting in a booth before a crackling fire, sipping on a frosty glass of Boddington’s is something Dave and I look forward to every time we stay. It’s not hard to come up with little travel traditions when staying there.  

Each room is dedicated to one of Britain’s beloved sons or daughters and while practically arranged and kitted as hotel rooms typically are, the décor is decidedly British. The housekeeping staff is efficient and responsive, guests would be challenged to find anyone on their staff that does not make them feel welcome.

Including the security staff.

And this is where my seemingly routine review is about to go off the rail, but in a way I feel is important to share. St. Louis is a city of overwhelming opposites. There are wealthy people of great influence and power living just blocks away from people in unimaginable poverty. It has a history of racism and a lot of systems currently in place which continue to support oppressive and inhumane practices like these. Social services in the area, like many areas throughout the country, are stretched to unsustainable measures. Quite frankly, they are incapable of meeting the needs of the area’s poor and mentally ill, contributing to an ever-growing number of homeless. I see them on the corners, begging on street corners, sleeping in doorways, doing whatever they can to survive.

And sometimes they find their way to warm hotel lobbies.

It was on one of my visits where I noticed a poor young man in the lobby. He was among a large crowd that night, a wedding party had chosen the hotel at which to stay. The man sat with the other guests and may very well have been a member of the group. He would have blended right in, except he was frequently distracted, nervous and twitchy. Other guests moved away from him as I watched to see them return. Instead, I saw him talk to shadows and reflections.

He wasn’t bothering anyone. For the most part, he was quiet and unassuming. He was dressed casually but clean. But as time went on and visitors started thinning out, it was more obvious he wasn’t a guest. And the more privileged guests began to make noises.

I saw a pair of white men in their late twenties dressed in suits go up to the front desk to complain. One of them said he seemed dangerous. I have no idea how. The last time I checked, poverty wasn’t threatening.

But as each of these jackasses complained, they returned to their party and told them all about it. Then emboldened by their buddy, they each launched their grievances as well. After watching a crowd of Karens and company shuffle by the front desk, I began to get concerned for the man-who by now appeared obviously vulnerable and disabled. Erin and I decided to sit in the lobby and wait to make sure he wasn’t mistreated.

Around nine o’clock, the security man began making himself more apparent. Originally, the security guard positioned himself at a distant table by the dining room, away from the tavern and common area. He nursed a cup of tea and watched. That was fine by me. So long as he was watching, he wasn’t abusing anyone.

During Covid, The Cheshire took steps to promote safety, closing their lobby at ten o’clock. When the hour came, the guard notified guests the area was closed. That meant he had to deal with the poor homeless gentleman who was still in the lobby. Erin and I hunkered down. We weren’t going to leave until we were sure the homeless man was safe and didn’t end up at the nasty end of a beating.

The guard didn’t pay any attention to the two white women staring at him from the corner. He approached the increasingly nervous homeless man and politely told him the lobby was closing so it could be cleaned. If he wasn’t a guest there, he would have to leave, the guard explained.

The homeless man stammered and fidgeted, then lied and said he was a guest, but he lost his room key.

“What’s your name, Sir?” the guard asked.

“Um, it’s not under my name,” the man answered, obviously uncomfortable.

“Sir, we need to close the lobby now, so you will need to go somewhere else,” the guard said calmly.

“But I am staying here,” the man said, standing up and moving in our direction. “I’m staying with them.”

The guard stepped in between us and turning towards the man slowly, repeated his direction. “I’ve got no problem with you, man. But you can’t stay here after closing.”

The man nodded and left.

I have seen different varieties of this same interaction play out a dozen ways. Most often, they involve those in charge calling police or directing their security personnel to rough up the offending party. Its cruel and inhumane, and in nearly every instance I have witnessed completely avoidable. The security guard at The Cheshire was thoughtful, respectful and professional. He never stopped thinking, never stopped being courteous, and never lost control of the situation. I not only felt completely safe during the interaction but felt additionally secure knowing he did everything in his power to ensure the unexpected visitor was safe as well. It meant more to me, and made a larger statement to me about the compassion of those working at The Cheshire than any piece of décor or bag of tea could.

My takeaway: This is the kind of hotel you want to stay at! This is a home away from home.    

Do you have a hotel or inn you think I should review? Let me know on Facebook, Instagram or shoot me an email at toilandtroublemediagroup@gmail.com