It was the third day of me trying to remember the last time I stepped outside or did anything remotely fun.
The coronavirus outbreak turned the whole world and work normalcy around, making working from home and constantly being indoors the new normal. Being outside for prolonged hours was starting to sound like something out of a storybook.
So, when my friend called to wail about how insane she would go if she opened her eyes to the pastel-toned walls of her house one more day, I understood, but it was really hard to come up with anything that sounded lowkey fun when most of our favourite restaurants weren’t open for dining in.
Insert light bulb; something randomly cool came to mind, and it is the perfect set up for your partner, small group of friends, or family looking for a little bit of adventure. I almost couldn’t claim the credit for thinking it up!
Fast forward to Friday – meeting us with our duffle bags packed, water bottles in hand (because Vanessa was on a fluid diet), sunglasses (one of the most essential for any kind of outing), face masks on and hand sanitizer tucked into the side pouch of our bags. I was feeling pumped.
Hours later we checked into a quiet hotel with the looks of a suburban home in Banana Island. There was not a single pastel-toned wall in sight so I could say it was looking like a very good start. It seemed like just a much-needed change in scenery, but it was more than that.
Here are three things to turn a normal hotel weekend into a bundle of fun.
Indoor Games & Activities
A new environment calls for proper scavenging even though you are sure not to find any surprises in the wardrobes, cabinets, and bathrooms of a hotel. There is simply something exciting about spending the night in a room that is not yours. Let’s not forget to mention the orgasmic capacities of long hot showers.
It felt like an adult sleepover complete with binge-watching sappy movies in our pajamas, eating junk food, and crying when Jack told Rose to move on without him in ‘Titanic’.
The relaxing feel dug out nostalgic memories shared in conversations over a bottle of wine. With a group of friends, we wouldn’t have passed up the opportunity to play games, but we settled for game shows on the TV.
Have a Pool Hangout
One of the criteria in choosing our hotel was the presence of a pool.
The hotel had a Caribbean pool set up with a riot of vegetation in potted plants and wavey palm trees. The umbrella shadowing beach lounge chairs were a nice touch and I had a hard time peeling Vanessa off them without spilling the cocktail she ordered for effects.
Sunbathing in bikinis and taking a swim to cool off is a great shared activity. I spent most of my time with my feet in the pool while I read a novel in the serene provision of the spot.
The cool thing about pools in a hotel is they are open 24 hours giving you the perfect opportunity to turn the night into one spent in the well-lit pool playing games, and recreating water activities.
Rooftop Dinner
My favourite activity during the weekend had to be linked with food. Food makes the world go around, and there are few things better than food.
I have to say this was by far the best hotel experience. Being served dinner on the rooftop of the hotel under the soft glow of lights strategically placed, feeling the cool breeze caress your skin while you stare down at the sight of the city a distance below you made dining a delight. Now imagine this with someone you have romantic ties with.
Going back home on Sunday served as a reminder that sometimes you need just one place and a great company to have the best time of your life. Lockdown or not, a good hotel adventure sets the mood for an even better week ahead.
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