Suite Surprises: A Roman Valentine's Day Getaway!
It’s Valentine’s Day and the homestretch before we leave for Egypt. We’re supposed to be in Assisi today, not Rome, but last week our travel doctor asked us to come back for our second cholera vaccination. Visiting a doctor is not the most romantic way to celebrate, but it’s fine because this day is not typically one that grabs much of our attention. Of course this year I deliberately planned for us to be in Assisi and intended to use the holiday as an excuse to enjoy a more upscale meal in Italy.
It’s not as though Rome is a sacrifice to visit, and it certainly has its share of incredible restaurants. Last week’s travel here was only a day trip, but tomorrow we catch a flight to Cairo. We adjust our plans to spend the night here and are fortunate that our Airbnb host in Assisi is kind and refunds the night’s charge so we don’t have to pay for a night in both places.
We typically stay in Airbnbs when we are traveling for a week or more, but for a day or two it makes more sense to stay in a hotel and earn some Hotels.com points. Today we redeem a free night and complimentary breakfast at Hotel Donna Francesca in the Castro Pretoria neighborhood near the train station, and it feels like we are living in decadence.
We’ve been used to staying in budget places where one thing or another is disappointing. Our standards have lowered and so have our expectations. The receptionist makes our day by upgrading our room to a suite with a cozy kitchen and beautiful Roman decor. It’s absolutely perfect because we have to record three YouTube episodes while we are here and the space is prettier than where we’ve been.
We are giddy over the huge bathroom with rain shower that runs hot with a generous water flow, a super comfy bed and pillows, complimentary snacks and wine, and more. Flashback a year or more ago and I don’t know we would have reacted quite this happily. We would have been appreciative, but after the last several months—especially freezing in Lecce and navigating a cluttered house in Assisi—it is the perfect send off for Egypt.
