WHY YOU SHOULD TAKE A STAYCATION

The first time I heard about the concept of a Staycation, I thought it to be the most insane idea. What was the point in going on a mini-trip to a fancy hotel in your home city, when you could instead use that time and money to visit somewhere entirely new, on an entirely different continent?

For the past four months I have been living in Victoria, Canada. I have been based on the East of the island, where I quickly found myself consumed by a relative amount of stress on a daily basis. Why had no one told me how expensive this country is? Why had I chosen to live in accommodation which looked like a futile mix of a hostel, jail cell, and army barracks? And most importantly – why had I decided to take an intense language course which featured a regional dialect I had never studied before, that would be deeply important to my overall degree grade back home?

I had been trying to use my spare time to sort out my plans for the future, re-organise my business, and of course, send approximately a million essays to university a week. At the end of each day, I would have my blogging responsibilities gnaw at me, but would be too exhausted to sit down, make a tea, and focus on writing a new post. This, mixed with the overall stresses of temporarily moving to another country, meant that I was getting about 0% of the work done which was necessary to balance a degree and a career.

To combat this, I bought last-minute flights to Hawaii (don’t tell my parents!), and went on road trips to Tofino and Portland and Vancouver. I tried to gain inspiration by writing at friends’ houses, or boutique cafes, or even on top of a bloody mountain. NOTHING. WORKED.

That’s when I read a magazine article about Staycations, and thought you know what? Screw it.

That’s where Chateau Victoria comes in. I was walking downtown one day, minding my own business, when I stumbled upon the luxury hotel. A warm orange glow was spilling out from the glass doors onto the street, and a member of staff pulled back said doors to let in a guest, a beaming smile on his face. I was drawn to it immediately, and knew that if I was going to be staying anywhere in the city, I wanted it to be there. The very next day, I finalised a reservation.

This gorgeous hotel is situated in downtown Victoria, amongst the finest restaurants, shops, and establishments in the city. Walking into the lobby, having the glass doors pulled back for me just like they had been for that other guest, I was welcomed into my temporary haven. It was designed exactly like I imagined Donald Trump’s sitting room to be – gold furnishings, marble desks, staff members raring to make everything perfect.

My apartment featured an open plan dining area, with an abstract carpet print mimicking that of a cosy 50’s house style. There is a little kitchen space where I was able to brew fresh coffee every morning, and a kitchen table where I could drink said coffee whilst typing furiously at my Mac. My sole qualm? The kitchen is within eyesight of an exceedingly comfortable sofa suite – the idea of reverting to a couch potato and abandoning all work was definitely tempting.

The living room features this two-piece suite, a third table (there really is an abundance of places to work from), and a large television showcasing all the North American television shows I’ve read about. My favourite part of the living room is that it opens out onto a balcony, where you can sit back and watch the world go by. At night, I would seek out the twinkling lights of Parliament and tiny people going about their daily business, and during the day, I would glance out at mountains and oceans and miles upon miles of places to explore. In the very early hours of the morning, when the sun is at its brightest, I would meander out onto the balcony, green tea in one hand, book in the other, and just let my mind go blank. I’m not sure how or why, but that quickly leads into some of my most inspired writing – and has singlehandedly cured my writer’s block. When your only plans for the evening are to order room service and kick back on the settee, life feels pretty easy.

There are various frames of artwork hanging around the suite, with my favourite blue-and-green rendition featured in the bedroom. A massive king-sized bed sits in the middle of the quarters, where I spend a bit too much time swathing myself in blankets and overtly plump pillows. With tall curtains facing out to towering skyscrapers, I would find myself waking up to the view of a million other people, racing around to partake in the rat race of life. Somehow, seeing other people rush around whilst I am calm and (temporarily) free of responsibility, is oddly inspiring – is there a way to replicate this outside of a Staycation?

Having written some of my best articles milling around the hotel, I was left with an empty feeling when I knew I would have to check out. I took one last bath, submerging myself in bubbles and later slathering on some of the nicest smelling lotion I have ever tried, feeling more relaxed than I had in months.

I realise now that the idea of Staycations isn’t a futile one – instead, staying at this Chateau has completely rejuvenated me, and utterly fixed my writer’s block. I spent my days there wandering down to the sauna – perhaps after taking a swim in the pool – and writing pages upon pages of blog posts and articles. Sometimes, you just feel like getting pampered and dining on food which you haven’t had to slave over, eventually re-entering into civilisation stress-free.

This post 100% feels like an ad for the Staycation business – but alas, it’s just your favourite blogger talking about how she’s been one heck of an idiot for the past few years. Even Carrie in Sex in the City would go on a Staycation to her home in Manhattan to write an article when she didn’t have the creative space at home. Now who am I to contradict Carrie?

Have you guys ever taken a Staycation – or are you a naysayer like I was? What’s more, have I tempted you into staying at the Chateau Victoria? Let me know in the comments below!

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