Our $5,000 Hotel Room (Yes, American dollars)

Last night Clay and I had the best hotel experience we'll ever have in this life (or any future lives). It was at the Presidential Suite of the Four Seasons Hotel in Downtown Seattle. The room is listed on their Web site as available for $5,000 a night. Yes, that's American dollars. It's just under 2,500 square feet of pure swank with one of the best views of the Seattle waterfront you'll every experience. And it was all FREE.

First the Whoopie Pie contest and now this!

I won the free stay a few months back in a raffle drawing from my friend Debbie for Passports with Purpose.

We've been waiting for a chance to redeem it and decided the weekend before my birthday would be perfect.

Nana and Baba arrived with their suitcase of toys, DVDs and sugary cereals and Clay and I took the No. 10 bus downtown. (I wonder if we're the first guests of the Presidential Suite to ever take the city bus to get there. I suspect we very well may be.)

We were expecting an elegant broom closet, but we didn't care. It's a Four Seasons broom closet! And no kids!

As we checked in, the receptionist casually mentioned we've been upgraded to the Presidential Suite.

What?! The Suite Presidential?

I became giddy and overflowing with thanks. Clay, seeming confused asked, "Is this a good upgrade?" Poor, sweet Clay... He grew up in Vancouver, WA.

No, I explain. I haven't seen this room. But if Barack Obama or Bill Clinton came to Seattle, this is where they'd stay. It's "Presidential" as in "The President." (Although George Bush would probably be forced to stay at the Holiday Inn on Aurora.)

Did I mention the room is 2,500 square feet (and has no children in it)?

It does, however, have a kitchen, two bathrooms, an office, a living room, a dining room that seats eight, a slice of birthday cake, a dressing room, a bidet, a steam room and a double shower with about a dozen shower heads. If that isn't enough, it also has an enormous tub and lots of expensive smelling bubble bath. And yes, it has a king-size bed.








And this view. Ahhhhhh...



We were so appreciative and happy and went out for dinner to celebrate everything fabulous. I accidentally ordered $50 salmon and later got a black eye. The two are unrelated.

It was a perfect outing (other than the $50 salmon and the black eye). And I'm now exactly one week away from turning 40.