Now I Lay Me Down to Sleep
- Connie Pearson
- Jun 7
- 8 min read
What were parents of the 50's thinking when they taught this bedtime prayer to children?
"Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take."
Yikes! "If I should die before I wake" - those were supposed to be our last words each night?
I found another version that I like much better.
"Please guard me, Jesus, through the night,
And keep me safe till morning's light."
Whew. Much more comforting to a child, don't you think?
By now, you must be asking yourself, "Where in the world is Connie going with this?"
Well, since returning from our epic, two-week Western Adventure where we slept in 11 different beds in 13 nights, I've been thinking about the MANY different beds where I have laid my head just in the past 35 or 40 years. Between mission trips, vacations, and travel writing destinations, the variety is impressive.
In South Korea, we slept on mattresses on top of heated floors. I asked the person who took us to our room to please turn on the air conditioner. He went directly to the window and opened it. Not kidding.
In Kenya, we slept in a bed draped in mosquito nets to prevent contracting malaria. The grounds were guarded by a tall Kenyan man with a prehistoric-looking bow and arrow. When asked what he was protecting us from, I was envisioning wild animals, but he said "Thiefs!" (Even though he didn't know the proper plural of that word, we trusted him to do his job).
In Guatemala, we stayed in a room that cost $2.50 per night, and Steve said even that amount was "highway robbery." :) Lighting consisted of a single, bare bulb hanging from the ceiling, and the shower had a crate over the drain where we were to stand to keep from bothering the cockroaches. Again, not kidding.
A Treehouse
Near Chattanooga, TN, we were invited to experience a night in a treehouse. The bed was comfortable, there was electricity and hot water in the shower, but there was no internet or television. Checkers, anyone? During the night, a strong cold front came through, and there was ice and snow on the ground and on the steps, making it treacherous to climb down.
I've noticed that treehouse accommodations are increasing in popularity, as well as glamping spots (glamor camping). For outdoor enthusiasts, I'd definitely give them your consideration.
A Cruise Ship Cabin
We have only been on one cruise, so far. We had a fabulous time cruising in Alaska aboard a Princess ship. I highly recommend booking a stateroom with a balcony, if at all possible. The views of the glaciers in Glacier Bay were worth every penny.
Bed and Breakfast Inns
Often, Steve and I will seek out Bed and Breakfast Inns when we're visiting a new town or an unfamiliar part of the country. First of all, we LOVE a good breakfast, and second, we enjoy lively conversations with people we're meeting for the first time (and will likely never see again). The breakfasts are almost always very special. The accommodations range from extremely comfortable to "interesting," and the conversations can be enlightening, entertaining, or somewhat disturbing. Most inns of this type have fascinating historical backgrounds.
Read more of my thoughts about B & Bs in THIS POST called "The Case for B & B's."
We can highly recommend Pinecrest Bed and Breakfast in Asheville, North Carolina. The innkeepers are wonderful, the location is very convenient, and breakfast gets 5 stars.
The Goodbread House Bed and Breakfast in St. Marys, Georgia is also well-located and has a good breakfast. If you book the Guinevere & Lancelot Room, you'll be guarded by a knight in shining armor. Each room has the name of a famous couple. The Lucy and Ricky Room has separate beds. :) Click HERE for more thoughts.
Whitehall Inn in Camden, Maine is lovely. It's too far to walk into the village, but it's just a short drive. Click HERE for my post.
Oak Hall Bed & Breakfast in Vicksburg, MS has recently undergone a dramatic refurbishing and is beautiful. I loved playing the grand piano in the parlor. Read my post HERE.
Chanticleer Inn Bed and Breakfast on top of Lookout Mountain in Chattanooga, TN is practically adjacent to Rock City. It has been receiving guests since 1927.
You have your choice of many B & Bs in Natchitoches, LA. It is considered the B & B Capital of Louisiana. Read about it HERE.
Stockbridge Lakes B & B near Atlanta in Henry County, GA is small, but very accommodating. It is becoming a popular wedding venue. Read more about Henry County HERE.
If You Find Yourself in the Jungles of Ecuador
In January of 2023, Steve and I finally had an opportunity to return to Ecuador after leaving in 2006, when our four-year term as missionaries ended. We worked primarily in the mountains, so the rainforest region was a completely new experience for us. In the daytime, it was almost unbearably hot and humid for me. (Steve, on the other hand, loved it). Surprisingly, at night it was comfortable enough to sleep. We were in La Casa del Suizo on the Napo River. The flowers were gorgeous, and the food was good.
Boutique and Historic Hotels
Americus, Georgia is a small but surprising town full of great shops, delicious eats, important history, and the Windsor Hotel. It is just a short drive to Plains, GA, made famous by President Jimmy Carter, and a short walk to the vibrant downtown. Here are more thoughts.
You'll find Graduate Hotels by Hilton near the campuses of large universities. (Peruse this link to get a sense of each one, noticing the non-cookie-cutter approach). The architects/planners/decorators study that university's cultures and traditions and incorporate those into the various aspects of each one, making them distinctive and fun for students and alumni alike. Each one invites students to use its lobby for studying and mingling over coffee.
In Oxford, I saw many reminders of The Grove, Archie Manning, and Mary Ann Mobley, Mississippi's first Miss America winner. In Auburn, AL, I saw orange and blue, Bo Jackson, Toomer's Corner, and Octavia Spencer featured in the decor. Here are more thoughts about the Auburn Graduate Hotel.
21c Museum Hotels can be found in 7 cities around the country. 21c refers to the 21st century art displayed in each property. For the price of the room, you can also enjoy an amazing collection on many walls -- some quirky, some gorgeous, and some a little shocking. Every 21c Museum hotel has its own color of penguins showing up in odd places. In Cincinnati, the penguins are yellow.
Read about the Henry Howard House in the Garden District of New Orleans here.
On the Plantation Road between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, there are several plantations that have guest accommodations on the grounds. Our favorite is the Houmas House Estate and Plantation in Darrow, LA. Read about it here. Their guest rooms are outstanding.
City Mills Hotel in Columbus, GA is situated on the Chattahoochee River with a convenient river walkway and an outstanding restaurant. Click here for my review.
The Threefoot Hotel in Meridian, MS had a completely different identity when it was constructed in 1929. Now, it is a lovely place to stay near downtown attractions. See my post HERE.
In Jackson, MS, the Old Capitol Inn gets our recommendation. Here are other suggestions when you visit Jackson.
Wytheville, VA is a hidden delight with historical significance to Edith Bolling Wilson, second wife of Woodrow Wilson whose birthplace museum is across the street from the Bolling Wilson Hotel. You'll enjoy the way the hotel incorporates some of her favorite things into the decor, and the restaurant serves a luscious carrot cake using the same recipe from her wedding reception. Read more HERE.
Special Occasion Getaways
For a recent anniversary trip, we chose Purcell Farms near Sylacauga, AL. It was a great choice for relaxing and soaking up nature. If you enjoy golfing or shooting ranges, it will have a special appeal. A strong Auburn man is the owner -- another plus.
Barnsley Resort near Adairsville, GA was another winner in our opinion. The lemon ricotta pancakes for breakfast are to-die-for.
The Harpeth Hotel, located a few steps from Main Street in Franklin, TN, is a definite must-try if you're headed in that direction. It is perfect for shopping and eating in that fantastic town. It's even a doable walk from The Factory. The rooms are great, and being able to park once and go everywhere is a huge plus. Be sure to book this hotel as far in advance as possible.
Post-Pandemic Hotel Stays
A few short months "after the world shut down" in March of 2020, Steve and I were invited to stay at The Doubletree by Hilton on the riverfront in Decatur, AL. and write about it for Trip101.com. We were amazed and extremely reassured by all the cleanliness and disinfecting procedures Doubletree had implemented. I can't imagine staying at a safer place.
Of course, hotels have relaxed their stringent measures since then, but it was good to see how much consideration had gone into keeping guests healthy in those early months. I hope a lot of those policies have remained.
Our Ultimate Splurge
A few years ago, Steve and I decided to "do New York City" at Christmas time. We wanted to see the store windows on Fifth Avenue and shop at F.A.O.Schwartz and Macy's. We hoped to see the tree at Rockfeller Center in all its splendor. We booked tickets to see "My Fair Lady" at Lincoln Center. We wanted to attend a worship service at the Brooklyn Tabernacle and visit the 9-11 Memorial. And, for our ultimate, once-in-a-lifetime splurge, we booked a couple of nights at The Plaza (so famous you don't even need to add the word "Hotel" to the title). Steve added afternoon tea at The Plaza for us as an extra special treat.
The trip and the hotel were everything we had hoped for. We didn't spot any celebrities during our time at The Plaza, but I could imagine smelling Elizabeth Taylor's perfume when the bellman opened the door to our room. Ahhhh. The gold-trimmed bathroom was decadent and luxurious. So many movies filmed there. Such an iconic place. I'm so glad we had saved our money in order to experience the trip and that particular pleasure.
All of these memories and reflections about lodging brought to my mind the first "home" Steve and I had. It was a furnished 10' by 50' trailer on Wire Road in Auburn, not far from the veterinary school. Our bed was only a tiny bit larger than a twin size. Yet, to us it was the Taj Mahal. We had a place to begin our marriage together, and it suited us perfectly.
What a reminder of how our desires for creature comforts and our perceived needs have changed over the years. Nowadays, when we are away from home overnight, we expect/want/request/research-until-we-find: a king size bed, free Wi-Fi, air conditioning, blackout shades or curtains, onsite parking, plenty of electrical outlets for all of our contraptions, a functioning elevator (especially when we are assigned the top floor room we generally request, so we won't have to contend with loud guests above us), a shower with plenty of hot water and strong pressure, a Keurig, a mini-fridge, two comfortable chairs, cable TV, complimentary toiletries and hairdryer, luxurious linens, and either a cooked-to-order breakfast or plenty of restaurants nearby. I feel like a spoiled brat just typing that list. We don't travel with a pet, but for many people, that is also a prime consideration.
To be sure, the place where we lay our heads at night is an important piece of the successful travel puzzle, and there are MANY varieties and options.
Perhaps you've been wanting to take a trip but would like to avoid the summer crowds at the beach or in the Gatlinburg area. Hopefully, this post has given you a few intriguing ideas.
Towns/cities are in bold type. Specific properties are underlined with a link, and many also include a blog post I've written in the past with fuller explanations and suggestions. Happy researching!
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