There’s something about hotels. I don’t know whether it’s the knowledge that someone else is going to clean up after you, or the fact that you can order food right up to the room, but there’s just something super fun about staying in a hotel. I’ve even stayed in a hotel in my own city before and it was fun. I think part of it is getting up the hotel room and knowing that you have no responsibilities when you’re there. And it’s not just about not having to make your own bed in the morning or wash your own towels. It’s about not even having the option of being productive.

You know, sometimes you go home, and plan on having a super lazy night, binge-watching Netflix or whatever, but then you’re sitting there on the couch, and you keep eyeing the kitchen, and that pile of dishes in the sink, and you end up spending what was supposed to be a totally lazy night being partially productive. Not saying that’s a bad thing, I’m just saying that when you get back to a hotel room and plan to do nothing, you have very few options than to actually do nothing.

And there are other perks, too! Especially if you’re lucky-enough to be staying in a nice hotel, like, for example, one with a pool. ‘Cause then there’s a pool! And sometimes there’s a sauna, too. And admittedly, sometimes I’m not super thrilled about the idea of public pools, so, depending on whether I think there have been a ton of less-than-clean children in the pool that day, the sauna might be the best bet. And sometimes there’s a gym, or even a games room with a pool table or something. I’m not making that up, right? Some hotels have pool table rooms … anyway, the other stuff for sure.

AND, as if that weren’t enough, there’s usually a bar or a restaurant like right down in or near the lobby! You cannot get closer to easily-accessible drinks-out-with-buds than it being in the same building as your bed. And not that I necessarily recommend it, but you could get away with going to get a drink wearing sweats and a sturdy pair of slippers. I mean, can’t beat that, as far as I’m concerned. I mean, you can go out without going out! What more can a person ask for?

Of course, I’m just talking about regular hotels here. This is the kind of hotel you’d stay at and enjoy if you’re at a conference, or casually sightseeing in a new city, or at a tournament with a team. If you really want to properly experience a city, as far as I’ve experienced, anyway, you want the place you stay to be a part of that experience. If you’re young and poor, like me, that usually means an air bnb or a hostel (though, admittedly, I’m a little high-maintenance for most hostels … sue me). But for people who can afford to live large, there are some pretty ballin’ hotels out there. So ballin’, in fact, that you might go to a city specifically to stay at a certain hotel. I’m going to explore some of those on this blog, so that those of you who can afford it can consider going, and those of us who can’t have something to which we can aspire.