I know that all the wonderful bloggers out there carefully plan their posts and make sure that they are always perfectly seasonally appropriate.
So why am I putting up a Christmas-y post the week of Easter?
Well, mainly it’s because I’m 53 and my remember-er doesn’t always do its job of remembering very well. I actually had every intention of sharing this post back in December but hey, we’re only nine months away from NEXT Christmas so that sort of ties in, right?
The background of this particular (non-timely) post is that Steve was scheduled to drive to Chapel Hill, NC for a church member’s surgery. Since Chapel Hill is 3 1/2 hours away and the surgery was early in the morning, I booked a hotel for him for him the night before using my favorite hotel booking entity, Priceline. I scored a lovely 4-star hotel for just $79 and as I was booking it I thought, “Well, he’s sure a lucky guy to get to stay there. I wish I could go!”
Well, lo and behold, the day before the surgery, Steve got sick! And guess who went in his place? I did!
Not only was the hotel lovely in its own right, it was also decorated for Christmas.
They had a creative variety of 12 Days of Christmas displays here and yon. This one is “Seven Swans A Swimming.”
“Three French Hens.”
“Nine Ladies Dancing.”
And this one? Um. I actually don’t remember. Any guesses? (Added later: Thanks Kristina, for answering the question for me. I had a very limited amount of time to post this morning and didn’t want to Google the song and ponder all the choices. For some reason, those little things didn’t look like drums to me.)
Using the camera on my iPhone, I spent quite a while just wandering the halls and lobby and ballrooms, breathing in the scent of fresh fir that was everywhere, and enjoying the chance to step outside of my regular world for a while and be a part of this beautiful, enchanted place.
Midway through my meanderings, I came upon this picture of our former neighbor, Andy Griffith. When I read the little story under the picture I discovered the following:
Griffith’s most memorable act was a humorous monologue about a country boy’s first football game. Chapel Hill publisher Orville Campbell ’42, after hearing Griffith perform at The Carolina Inn, convinced Griffith to do something with his country boy monologue “Romeo and Juliet” and his fantasy of a country preacher who stumbles on a football game in Kenan Stadium. Griffith cut a record and “What It Was Football,” which he performed at Kenan Stadium, thrust him into the national spotlight when it sold more than 800,000 copies.
Here is the ballroom of the hotel where Andy performed. (I’m sure it’s been renovated in the intervening years.)
I couldn’t resist taking a peek into the bathrooms off the main lobby to see if they were as lovely as everything else. They were!
I just love loveliness—even in bathrooms.
The bathroom in my room was lovely too although . . .
it took me forever to get into the room to even see it! It turns out that the hotel had fancy new door locks installed. Instead of inserting the key card into the lock, you were to wave it over the lock. Who knew?
I felt like a real country bumpkin standing there in the hallway for five minutes trying to figure out how to open the door. I was determined I was not going to go bumbling back to the front desk to admit my ignorance so I persevered until I finally figured it out. Yay me.
Real wood furniture and beautiful accouterments.
A cookie waiting for me.
A view out my window of part of the campus of UNC-Chapel Hill, with its elegant brick buildings.
Turn down service which included two pieces of fine chocolate with pictures of the hotel on the wrapper. As a photographer and graphic designer, that impressed me even more than the chocolate!
My country bumpkin-ness reasserted itself when I saw the trash can in the room. I was rather uncertain as to what the divisions were for. My best guess was for recyclables. Anyone know for sure?
The room’s hairdryer was stored in this fancy bag. Fanciness abounded! And I was happy!
When I left early the next morning for the hospital, I was filled to the brim with all the memories I had collected over the preceding few hours. It was a sweet oasis in the midst of the busyness and the everydayness of my regular life.
And I hope that taking a few minutes to look through the pictures I gathered will provide a bit of an oasis for you, as well.
Have a blessed and joyful Easter!
What lovely photos! I love exploring hotels, so I really thank you for this photo set. It’s so apparent from the images that this hotel is clearly loved, and that its owners and management are dedicated to keeping it in beautiful condition. As to the timing? It’s my opinion that there’s never a bad time for a photo post!
And after reading about your $79 deal on this palace, I think I need to start exploring Priceline!
Denise,
I know. Isn’t it so much fun to get to take a virtual peek into hotels of all sorts? I love it, too. I also appreciated the care that has been taken to preserve the Carolina Inn. It has so much wonderful history to enjoy; I would love to go back.
What an grand place–such beautiful pictures. Would you mind sharing how Price-line works. I just checked the regular prices at The Carolina Inn and the range was from $255 to $375 per night. WOW Did you score a deal!
Judy,
Priceline has Express Deals; you can search by city, amenities, and how many stars you’re looking for and they will give you a list of available rooms and the prices. I always search for the highest number of stars offered in that particular area to see how nice of a room i can score.
The deal I got for the Carolina Inn was under Priceline’s heading of “Name Your Own Price.” You click on that tab on the Priceline.com page and select the number of stars you’re wanting. They will give you an average of what the rooms go for and you can name the price you are willing to pay. In just a minute or two, they tell you if your deal was accepted. The only downside of this is that you don’t know what hotel you will be staying in until your deal is accepted; they just give you some comparable hotels in each “star range” so you have an idea of the quality.
We have gotten many lovely rooms for bargain prices using this site.
beautiful photos! Lovely Inn and what a beautiful time of the year to stay there. I’ll bet they have wonderful decorations for every season and holiday! Next time u travel, I’ll have to checck out Priceline, what a bargain! Happy Easter to you and yours!
Linda,
Yep, Priceline is the way to go! And yes, I imagine they do have it decorated beautifully year ’round. Such a treat for the eyes.
Loved the pictures all the details you shared. It looks like a beautiful place!
Bridgette,
It was such a wonderful place to spend a few hours. I wouldn’t enjoy it half as much if I got to stay at places like that all the time. It was a rare treat.
Beautiful pictures. Never have used Pricelne. Must try it.
Ann,
Yes, give it a try! I think you’ll love it!
Thank you Becky for sharing. The place just says to me enjoy each season to it’s fullest. This week has also been hospital visits with a dear friend who is very sick and in pain. But I am making the fullest of her days here on earth………..
Judy,
Enjoying each day and each season to its fullest is good advice to us all. I am sorry to hear about your friend; she is blessed to have someone like you to treasure the moments with.
Allrighty, then…you’ve sold me on Priceline! Awesome photos (as usual). Made me want to do the 12 Days of Christmas decorating thing…and then I remembered that I’d have to pack it up and clean up afterward, so I got over it. 😉
Jan,
Yes, I’m like you. I “get over” grand decorating ideas pretty quickly. 🙂
It’s 12 drummers drumming. Lovely photos. A little oasis in the chaos of life is just what I needed today. Thank you, and I am impressed with the accommodations you found for $79! Wow. Happy Easter! And…..my first grandchild due in the fall is….a girl! We just found out yesterday. A darling little granddaughter. I can’t wait!
Lesley,
How fabulous is that to hear that your first grandchild will be a girl! I am so happy for you–and for your whole sweet family!! Enjoy the coming of spring.
Becky, I’m certainly glad that your rememberer wasn’t working! BEAUTIFUL photos AND Christmas at Easter-time… what could be better? 😉 ~ Fred & Lucy
Fred,
Yes, I guess Christmas and Easter make a pretty good pairing, don’t they?
Awwww how lovely and beautiful!!! Thanks SO much for sharing with us. Christmas can be at anytime of the year. If everyone could feel Christmas in their heart all year around… “Priceless…”
I also love…. Beauty in the little things…. so much loveliness all around us to enjoy! 🙂 I went to a wedding in Utica NY many years ago now, and stayed at the Utica Hotel which was awesome. The little nearby church was very, very old and Oh, SO adorable… Lots of gorgeous features. I just sat there soaking it all in. I still remember it and am still so thankful I was able to attend it.
You and Steve are such a caring pastor and wife to your congregation. How fortunate they are.
Thanks you for your wonderful and fun blog entries!
Blessings and lots of love…..
Happy Easter!!!!
Bea,
I just loved your story of the fancy hotel and the little church. I absolutely adore getting to visit places like that. So many memories, so much history, so much loveliness!
That was so lovely, Bec. How our sisterly hearts respond to beauty anywhere it shows its graceful face. (and even toes and nose!) I am sure your five senses reveled in the quiet time alone to rest and meditate and just be! Glad you had that time of refreshing and shared it. Ruth
Ruth,
Toes and nose, indeed!
Your parishioners are so blessed to have you and Steve as their pastors.
I’m impressed that you were able to resist eating the whole cookie before photo-ing it.
Loved the gingerbread house, and the clever 12 days of Xmas arrangements. (and you’ve already gotten your answer to #9 from Kristina.)
Mrs. Pam,
I wish I had photographed all the 12 Days displays. I am so impressed by that kind of creativity.
Yep. Recycling in the blue part that they can remove and wash. What a beautiful hotel and beautiful pictures too. I would love to stay in a place like this and you got to for $79??? Score!! Wishing you and your family a very blessed Easter.
LeeAnne,
It’s funny. It didn’t really hit me what the blue part might be for until I was writing the blog post about it. I guess writing really does help us clarify our thoughts!
Love that you got to stay in such a lovely place! I know that is food to your soul. Beautiful pictures too!
Deb,
Yes, it truly was food for my soul. My soul is rejuvenated by loveliness.
What a nice place… I didn’t realize that they have non-chain (Marriott, Hilton, etc.) hotels available on Priceline. Really lovely!
Pretty sure you’re correct about the divided trashcan; recyclables go in the blue part, regular trash in the other side. As for the other query… I think the unidentified 12 Days of Christmas scene can be attributed to Nine Drummers Drumming.
Kristina,
Yes, they do have non-chains available but unfortunately you don’t know what 3- or 4-star you just booked until after the booking is complete.
you certainly did get a awesome deal on that hotel. I always love how you take the time to appreciate the environment around you – that is one of my goals this year to not always be rushing so much I miss much of the beauty. Have a blessed Easter. Becky PS – I’m assuming you had already taken a bite of your cookie before you took the photo because no way nice as that room was they gave you a broke cookie
Becky,
You surmised correctly. I took three bits, took a picture, took three more bites. Yum!