For my first getaway since the pandemic began I headed to National Harbor outside of Washington, DC. A local hotel overlooking the Potomac River was having a grand re-opening after what was said to be millions of dollars in renovations. I was excited to see the changes that had been made since my last stay. I was among the first guests to arrive at the hotel on opening day.
I must admit the hotel staff was welcoming but overall in my opinion the hotel had issues that should have been addressed before its grand re-opening. Not all the rooms were ready for guests on opening day as a result my room preference could not be accommodated. I noticed that a couple of the restaurants that had previously been open were not open they were boarded up with “Coming Soon†signs. I was able to order lunch at the Harbor Market Place.
I was most excited to visit the pool area in order to enjoy an afternoon dip in the pool. I was disappointed to find the same layout from my previous stay a couple of years ago. I expected to see the doors opened for an indoor/outdoor pool experience but that was not the case. The water in the indoor pool was cold, the lounge seat cushions were old and had stains on them and the outdoor jacuzzi was filled with dirty water, the bar area was closed and there were dead leaves on the ground in the outdoor lounge area.
The guest rooms were beautifully decorated but I noticed “drill/saw dust†inside the drawers. There were a few cosmetic issues within the bathroom area that needed to be addressed but the biggest issue that I experienced during my stay was the lack of “hot waterâ€. At first I thought that if I allowed the water to run for a while it would eventually become hot but unfortunately it did not work. Of course, I contacted the front desk to notify them of the problem after waiting a half hour or more I tried running the water again to see if the problem had been resolved. To my surprise the water became warmer so I contacted the front desk and maintenance to inform them that the water was now getting warmer.
Afterwards, I went for a late afternoon stroll in National Harbor near the ferris wheel and to dinner. When I returned to the room the water was once again cold. By that time, I was exhausted and decided to tolerate the cold shower water. I expected my stay to be effortless on the first day of a hotel grand re-opening where millions of dollars were supposedly spent but at least it was nice to travel again!
The Exorcist stairs are located in the Washington, DC neighborhood of Georgetown. The 75 stair step staircase became famous as a result of the 1973 horror movie The Exorcist. If you visit be sure to bring your patience because the stairs are a tourist attraction as well as a place for exercisers.
Travel has a way of bringing me back to myself but the unprecedented pandemic forced me to stay in one place. I must admit that staying in one place was difficult at first but over time I began to settle in. Spending an extended length of time in one place allowed me the time to reflect on my travels and my life in general.
Like so many other people during this time I reorganized my closet, donated shoes and clothing that I hadn’t wore in months. For whatever reason I found it necessary to simplify my life. I wanted to surround myself with the things that brought me joy.
Pictures of the people I love and places I’ve visited have always played a large part in my home decor. It was especially important to have these pictures displayed throughout my home this year. It brought me tremendous joy to walk downstairs each morning and see pictures of my love ones displayed on the wall as I descended the stairs.
To have my family room filled with pictures of the amazing places around the world that I have traveled to reminded me how fortunate I have been to have had these opportunities. This year has taught me that life is fragile and it is important to surround yourself with the people and things that bring joy to your life, everything else is unnecessary clutter.
While I look forward to dusting off my luggage that has been sitting in the corner for over a year and pack to head back out in the world once it’s safe, this past year of sitting still has brought me an unexpected sense of serenity.
We are a lifestyle website with thoughts on Travel, Home Décor, Fashion and Lifestyle. Our name comes from our love of beautiful Scenic Pictures and our love of Runway Fashion hence the name Scenic Runway. What you will see are Pictures of some of the most beautiful and interesting places in the world. Join us in our adventure of discovering new places and pretty things!
