Last weekend, O and I snuck away to The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek for a quick staycation and it was the most beautiful, most refreshing and most special “trip.” I’m the world’s biggest advocate for a quick one-night staycation so here is a little peek into our stay as well as my guide for making the most of a getaway right in your own city.

(O surprised me with this luggage for our one year anniversary and it’s long since sold out. here is some more favorite luxury luggage:)

Deciding the right hotel is a big part of making your staycation fit your needs. Sometimes, you just need a bed anywhere that isn’t home. You’re not concerned with what the hotel looks like, where it’s located, what’s available for room service-nope. No sir. You plan on ordering takeout, watching Netflix and sleeping in with the drapes pulled shut for 20 hours straight. I get it! There are times where that is the vibe.
Other times, though, you’re going to want to pay attention to things like walkability, what restaurants and shops are nearby, what amenities the room offers, if there’s a pool for a quick dip or a gym for a sweat session. We’re taking a trip in a couple weeks to celebrate our ten year anniversary, but when I saw the day itself fell on a Friday I knew I’d whisk my guy away for a surprise stay at the Rosewood Mansion. I told them we were celebrating and they upgraded our room, surprised us with peonies and champagne and spoiled us at every turn.

The room was an absolute dream. Dallas doesn’t have many great views but I’m convinced they somehow made it so that Europe was outside our window. Everything from the rain shower, the soaker tub and the coziest bed I’ve felt in a long time was a gentle whisper that said “this is special.” Details like being able to use the house car rather than having to drive or call an Uber is always such a nice touch and I’ll tell you, O hasn’t stopped talking about the Lexus LS 500 that took us to and from dinner since.
If you’re like me, the thought of inconveniencing people makes your stomach turn so you’ll be tempted to rush back to scoop up your kids the next day but friends, if you can swing it, don’t do that. Sleep in, order breakfast, watch a show, take a bath, soak up every second until checkout (my sister is the best and literally forced us not to come home until the afternoon despite being pregnant, watching our three kids and her one year old.)
Can I make one more strange suggestion? Make a playlist. Again, it was the day of our anniversary so I had all our songs in mind and made a playlist of music that would transport us to memorable times in our relationship but you can make a playlist to set the tone-whether it be fun, somber, nostalgic or lovey-dovey.

So there you have it. After deciding and determining what you need from your staycation, here is your quick checklist to get the most out of that night: 1. Do your research to see what’s in the area. Make any necessary reservations. 2. It’s time to pack. You do you, but I love to pack our favorite healthy snacks plus lots of not-so-healthy snacks to enjoy while we’re away. We also bring our own sparkling water to put in the hotel fridge and I’ve been known to pack my own tea bags too. 3. Make that playlist. Just trust me.

We always leave these nights away feeling like we’re on our honeymoon again and it’s worth every bit of hassle, planning and prep that goes into leaving the day to day routine and getting away. We try to make at least two staycations happen every year on top of one trip away and it has been the ultimate blessing for our marriage.
Anniversary/Lovey Dovey Staycation Essentials:

and lastly, I’m just going to leave this right here because if you haven’t scooped up something like this since your honeymoon…it’s time.