Remember when most everyone took vacations every year, frequently spending a week or more getting away from the busy routine of work and everyday life? Nowadays, the cost of fuel, food, lodging, and almost everything else has risen astronomically, and it has become a lot harder for many to find room in the budget or time from busy schedules to make vacation plans of any length.
There is still a way to take that family or personal break, recharge the batteries, build new memories, and put a little pep back in the step. It is the SHORT STAY GETAWAY, a mini-vacation of 1 to 3 days planned for maximum relaxation and vacation pleasure.
My companion, The Cat (my human sweetheart, not kitty cat), and I have done this many times and have always returned home with some great memories, a new album of pictures, and a feeling that our getaway was truly a vacation. We also returned with some money in our pockets, very little to unpack and wash, and we were not worn out from a long drive.
Our most recent getaway was to the Town of Tupelo, Mississippi, a short drive of some 44 miles down the Natchez Trace from our residence. We had both read some good reviews of a relatively new, boutique hotel in downtown Tupelo, appropriately named Hotel Tupelo, a Wyndham property, located at 314 East Main Street in the historic Fairpark District. Styled as “Tupelo’s Greatest Hit” (a reference to Tupelo’s native son, Elvis Presley) on their website, which also claims that it is “amped up with a simple, yet sophisticated design.” Hotel Tupelo did not disappoint!
While located on a busy four-lane street, the property had a well-marked guest unloading area on a side street, and there was plenty of designated overnight parking on the same street and in an adjoining lot. From the time we entered their door, every employee of the hotel was extremely courteous and helpful. We couldn’t help but admire the unique interior design and architecture, which could be described variously as both minimalist, modern, and California Cool.
In addition to the registration desk and elevators, the lobby floor is also home to Jobo’s, which features a full bar with a large, casual dining area and additional outdoor seating.
Two big-screen televisions were visible from just about any seat or table, and the floor-to-ceiling windows really brought the inside into the area. Our room, listed as a “King Classic,” was a spacious 335-square-foot room with every amenity we were expecting and then some. Just like every part of the hotel we viewed, the rooms were tastefully decorated and very clean – VERY CLEAN!
Other rooms available were King Deluxe for 4 guests, Double Queen for 4 guests, Premier Suites, Double Queen Accessible, Double Queen Accessible Roll-In Shower, King Classic Accessible, and King Deluxe Accessible. 79 rooms are available in total, there are three private event spaces, and a balcony is accessible from the 2nd floor.
That evening, we sat at the bar with some new traveling friends from Missouri and tried out some of Jobo’s cuisine. We stayed with the appetizers and tried out egg-dipped Monte Cristo flatbread with pork belly, ham, havarti, pepper jam, and powdered sugar. Our new friends ordered the grilled grouper dish and a delicious-looking surf and turf. The service was great and all four of us were absolutely pleased with our choices.
The Cat and I left the property after supper for another evening destination, but Jobo’s was still full of customers when we returned to the hotel at 11 p.m., an excellent measure of how popular it is with the locals. Checkout was at 11 a.m. the next morning, so we had a good night’s rest and were not pushed to leave the next morning. Jobo’s has been getting good reviews on its Saturday and Sunday brunch, but we chose to go across the street to another favorite restaurant of ours from previous visits. We thought about taking two of the hotel bicycles for a tour of downtown, but quickly dismissed that idea and returned home, arriving early afternoon rested and feeling we had truly gotten away, even if only for 24 hours or so.
I checked the Hotel Tupelo’s rating before we booked and found it was 4.7 stars! You can’t find many hotels that beat that, and the best part was that Hotel Tupelo lived up to our expectations. Did I mention the rate for that night was reasonable? There are a lot of other good things I had to leave out, but I had to save some things for you to find on your own if you try Hotel Tupelo for your SHORT STAY GETAWAY!
Bruce Hartfield is a retired, award-winning home builder and business consultant who now calls Tishomingo home.