Sure we all shed tears of joy when we jump up in elation as the clock signals the end of the work day and perhaps the start of our vacation, but to cry during our time off? Well now it appears you can have a crying-themed vacation in the comfort of a designated hotel room specifically geared toward crybabies. You’ll be surrounded by boxes of soft tissues, eye masks to sooth your puffiness, and sappy movies. The reason behind this? According to doctors, there is a real need to cry as a cathartic release to let go of all your frustrations. And they say this is the latest trend.
So this got me to thinking….what else is out there that sounds…well….bizarre and something that consumers are actually spending money on while taking vacation.
I’ve always had a yearn to go to Sweden to try their meatballs, attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony, and find out if there really is such a train stop called Slutstation. Besides contemplating a trip to the Ice Hotel where the rooms and beds are made of snow and ice at a minus -5C and there’s no plumbing, I decided to look for an alternative hotel and instead I found a box??? And not just any box – an aluminum box called a mirror cube which is a 4×4 suspended from a tree trunk. The problem is I have a fear of heights so I have opted to pass on this wonderful experience.
My next thought was to check out an underground suite – actually an old silver mine that is 500 feet below the surface and the only access to your digs is by taking a mine lift. While winding galleries and magic lakes sound romantic and unique, the words dark, damp, and cold temperatures of 18F repeatedly echoed in my mind and made me think of tuberculosis. The only outside communication is through an intercom system and it seemed more of an exile during the medieval period rather than a fabulous vacation.
Though I used to live in Amsterdam and traveled throughout the Netherlands I was very unfamiliar when I came across a hotel comprised of giant sized wine casks. I was excited at the prospect of smelling and drinking wine as these casks had been filled at one time with 14,500 liters of Beaujolais from France, of course. From the reviews I read the word “cozy” kept appearing which translates to tiny. I’m not sure how my two 27” suitcases will feel about traveling in such a small space.
While many people have mocked Fifty Shades of Grey it appears there’s a hotel in the UK that isn’t and has created a dedicated S&M suite complete with everything from blindfolds to restraints to whips. The only thing missing will be Christian Grey himself. However, the Japanese still have the market on erotic fantasy hotel rooms with S&M bondage chairs and beds within cages. If you think Hello Kitty is just a kid’s cartoon think again.
I finally decided to look in my own backyard so to speak and while I have zero interest in going to Idaho except possibly to check out Hugh Hefner’s vacation home and to ski, I came across what appeared to be a beagle. It’s true – I found the Dog Bark Park Inn – a beagle themed hotel for people who love beagles. Based on the all photos, it reminded me of my childhood when I recited Mother Goose and played with my Fisher Price Old Woman in a Shoe.
I had almost given up hope when one of my hotel contacts called me to remind me about a wonderful Godiva Chocolate Suite that existed– a heavenly room made entirely of chocolate. However, while the chandeliers, chessboard, chairs and tables are made of chocolate it appears it is not recommended to touch anything unless you wish to be covered in chocolate which hey…I don’t know about you, but that sounds pretty good.