Friday, April 27, 2012

Xenodocheionology (A-Z April Blog Challenge)

Yes, really, this word describes me.  And I didn’t even KNOW it until I researched “X” for the A-Z blog challenge.  And then, there it was, in black and white: 

Xenodocheionology (noun) zenadə,kīə´nalajē – a love of inns & hotels.
 
The glass window at the end of
the bed looks into the jacuzzi in the bathroom.
The shade was remote control operated. So cool!


Ah, I feel the rush of adrenaline just thinking about them.  I love hotels.  Have since I was young, although I don’t ever remember actually going to one until I was in my teens.  I’ve stayed from budget to four star.  And of course, the “love of” part really comes with the four star variety.  The budget ones serve their purpose either by necessity or finance from time to time, but I’m fortunate to have stayed at some pretty sweet places.

It starts when I make the booking. I spend hours searching out the right location in regards to the reason we are traveling.  I click through all the pictures of the rooms and the list of amenities.  I know the place inside and out by the time we arrive.  So it’s no wonder that, oddly enough, I often feel a sense of coming home when we get there. 

The moment we pull up, my excitement starts.  Waiting to check in, I peruse the layout and décor of the lobby.  This is the time I plan out my people (read writing ideas) watching space. Someplace where I know I’ll generally end up for a short while and let my imagination run wild with characters and plot lines as hotel guests mill around me. 

I love the anticipation of traveling up to our room, swipe card in hand. The door opens and there it is.  Foreign, yet home for the next few days.  I often take pictures of the room when we arrive.  It’s crisp and tidy.  Even the most spacious ones, with separate seating areas are a marvel in their compactness to me. 

After entering, it’s to the window next to check out the view.  Sometimes lush gardens or a beautiful desert view.  Maybe a park or a parking lot.  Possibly the road we arrived on with the strip mall in view.  And although I love a good view, it’s the placement of us in our surroundings that I am looking for.  It settles me in.  
Double vanity at the M Resort.
They had that wonderful citrus scent!

And having saved the best for last, I head to the bathroom.  To check out if there are double sinks (score!), the vanity lighting, whether the towels are rolled or folded.  The placement of the tissue box, the extra toilet paper roll, and the hair dryer.  Last, I check out the small toiletries.  Evaluate how they’re displayed (in a wicker basket, a glass tray or a shelf).  Each one gets opened in turn, the shampoo, the conditioner and the body lotion.  My favorite having been a light citrus scent I’ve yet to find anywhere else. 

Over the next few days, we travel through the hallways, the elevators and escalators, through the lobby and shops, the restaurants and bars.  It’s a dream world.  Maybe we’re on vacation, or traveling for business.  Either way, we’ve stepped out of our everyday lives for a short time.  We can be ourselves, or we can be whoever we want to be.  We can even search for someone else we only dreamed of being.  It’s all fantasy – all temporary. 

And when it’s all said and done, I am itching to leave to get back to our wonderful home.  Where our everyday life waits for us, all solid and rooted in reality.  Because hotels and inn, although I love them, are a great place to visit…I just wouldn’t want to live there. 

22 comments:

  1. I love traveling, love nice/decent hotels & motels, but sometimes, depending on location (and budget) you takes what can can gets.

    One thing I have gotten anal about - whenever possible (traveling by car) I take my own pillow. I can work out whatever other arrangements with the sheets, blankets, etc., but my own pillow helps me fall asleep quicker.

    But how does one SAY that word that describes you? I wanted to say, "Gesundheit" to you.

    Those pictures look like those were VERY comfortable places to stay.

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    1. Oh me too! It's a pillow my son brought back from a trip to Germany. We call it the "sleep pillow" and I don't go anywhere without it!
      As far as saying it: zenadə,kīə´nalajē
      It took me quite a few tries, but it does work out!

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  2. Oh, I can SO relate to this, Amy. I do exactly the same as you! My favourite hotel of all is the Galway Bay Hotel - I'm sure I lived there in a previous life, as it is like a home from home for me!

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    1. I'll tuck that little piece of knowledge away in my "travel to Paula's blog spots one day" file!
      Thanks.

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  3. I love this blog and I'm like a little kid when checking in to a hotel. Fancy or not, it's great fun to get away for a few days. Fun, fun, fun! I'm taking my 10 year old to his basketball tournament in San Rafael tomorrow. Little brother, David is coming along too. Best Western Corte Madera, here we come! :0)

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    1. have a wonderful time - sounds like great company to be in.

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  4. Ooh, this is great--and so me, too! Some folks love camping, which sounds to me like hell, but a nice room in a good hotel or a cozy B&B. Oh, yeah!

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  5. I totally relate to your blog! I used to travel a lot and the hotel or B&B or inn would set the stage for the entire rest of the trip. One of my favorites was in Vail, Colo. where I remember especially loving the bathroom. Beautiful stone tile all over, a glassed-in shower with rain-like show head and lovely smelling bath gel, heated towel rack, warm colors and stainless steel. And, I was with the love of my life whom I married so that cinches the deal! Visit my blog if you'd like at www.dianeweidenbenner.com

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    1. This sounds so fantastic! And yes, each place I stayed was better when I with the love on my life as well. Took a look at the site - very nice and became a follower.

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  6. It boils down to comfort, and a nice view for me. If I am in the mountains I want to be in a log cabin... near the beach, I want mostly deck near the sand... LOL... yep, I like it too.

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  7. best x word I've heard of! Or haven't heard of actually...how on earth did you discover it? Of course, in my dictionary there are only two x word pages....I love old quaint inns but you are like my boys love the hotels. I actually get claustrophobic as you can't open the windows so I freeze everyone's butts off by turning up the air conditioning even in winter.

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    1. Thanks Sandra - actually I found it here: http://phrontistery.info/x.html when I did my research. Opening windows is nice. I miss it when we are someplace that I can't.

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  8. I have never heard this word and now this is the second site I've found it. Maria at First Draft also used it. Great post and beautiful places.

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    1. I'd never heard of it before either, but now I won't ever forget it, even if I can barely pronounce it...I hopped oover to creatingwordlenik. Nice work!

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  9. i feel the same way, when i have stayed in nice hotels---xcellent post!

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  10. I love staying in hotels too.

    Catch My Words
    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com

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  11. I have always loved hotels and inns, not a big motel fan, but now many of them are very nice and if traveling by car, which I love, necessary.
    The cleanliness is the only thing I am a freak about. It has to be clean, even if I'm only spending one night. No crude and no obvious lack of maintenance.
    I'm a little bit of a snob about where I sleep and shower, I require a clean atmosphere! lol

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  12. What is not to love about hotels and inns?? You don't have to make the beds. It is the only time you have the luxury of having a maid instead of being the made. Great post!!

    Kathy
    http://gigglingtruckerswife.blogspot.com

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  13. What an awesome x word! I have to say I'm right there with you - there's something so exciting about hotels!

    Jessica
    A to Z Blogger & SF/Fantasy Writer @ Visions of Other Worlds

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    1. Thank you Jessica. Your site is interesting and I love that you wrap reader challenges into your fiction. Very engaging!

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  14. Thank you kathy! Took a look at your site - love the gratitude theme for A-Z. I look forward to devling miore when theres a bit more raeding time available (i.e. AFTER APRIL!);-)

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