This post is sponsored by the Charlotte Marriott City Center.
A staycation is the best way to relax and get away from the stresses of life, without having to go too far. Plan a staycation of your own with these tips and see my recent staycation in Charlotte at the Charlotte Marriott City Center for inspiration.
I don’t know about you but traveling just resets me. There’s nothing like getting out of town and your comfort zone to enjoy your daily life a little bit more. But sometimes you just don’t have the time, budget or patience to take a big vacation. That’s when I’d suggest a short road trip within or just outside of your city — a staycation, we’ll call it.
A few weeks ago Chris and I took a much-needed staycation hosted by the Charlotte Marriott City Center. The hotel underwent some major renovations earlier this year, and it is gorgeous!
Our staycation came at the end of a super busy week and it couldn’t have been a better time to take a night off and explore downtown Charlotte together. (Or uptown Charlotte. To-may-to, to-mah-to.)
If you’re planning a staycation in your city, pick a hotel somewhere walkable, or at the very least somewhere with Uber or public transportation. A staycation is a smart way to have a night on the town and not have to bother with DDs and cars.
Here’s a little more about what we did for our staycation in Charlotte:
The folks at the Charlotte Marriott gave Chris and me a little tour after we checked in.
Our guide told us that the newly updated hotel is called the M-Beta, because it’s the model for future Marriott hotels. With most of its customer base being business folk, the hotel is gearing up for a new generation of travelers. Technology is at the forefront.
Much of the hotel focused on community and interacting with the environment around you. For example, there are actual buttons throughout the hotel you can press if you ‘like’ something. You can also connect your own Netflix or Spotify account to the TV in your room, something I enjoyed immensely! The entire fifth floor has “Stay Well” rooms, which have health-conscious features like custom lighting and aromatherapy machines.
The next morning, we slept in and it was glorious. After a long and taxing week, it was nice to sleep in and have a slower morning. We requested a late checkout time so we had more time to explore.
The interior of this place is so cool. If I worked downtown, I’d be here a lot. There’s a row of prepared foods and a whole section of locally-sourced, artisanal merchandise for sale.
We popped into the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art to see their gallery. Somehow, I’ve never been in this museum. We skipped the Mint Museum Uptown because we have both been recently, but it’s another good staycation stop.
Eating at 7th Street Market is always a good choice because there is something there for everyone, and you can support many local businesses at once. There are restaurants that offer everything from pizza to sandwiches to crepes as well as gift shops carrying wines, cheeses, chocolates and other gift type items. The saddest part of this trip was that my friend Cara’s bakery The Gâteau Baking Company storefront hadn’t opened yet. It’s open now, though, so you must go!
After lunch, we headed back to the Charlotte Marriott, packed up, got our car from the valet and headed home. The weekend was so nice and restful, and I’m so glad we had a night to get away, even though we didn’t really travel that far.
Staycations get a vote from me! Our staycation in Charlotte was totally fantastic, and I can’t wait to plan another one soon.
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