Giving Thanks for Beds

March 28, 2017   8 Comments »

The day is over, you’ve worked hard, played hard, and maybe even had a little wine with friends. You go through your nightly ritual brushing your teeth, washing your face and then comes the moment – the moment where you get to lie down in your bed. Our beds are one of the few ‘constants’ in our lives. It’s familiar, welcoming, comforting, it smells like you, and it loves you as much as you love it. You nestle into your favorite position, pull the covers up around your chin and drift off into beautiful sleep. And you do this day after day after day.

Living an unconventional life means that I rarely get to experience this bed love affair. I don’t have a long-term relationship with my bed. Instead I have lots of little short-term relationships and one-night-stands with my beds. I can’t get too attached to my beds as I will only be in it for 3 or 4 days at a time.

While you prepare to sit down with family and loved ones and fight over a turkey leg this week, I stop to think about what I’m thankful for, and it always comes down to beds – and of course the people who provide them. I don’t love one bed; I love many beds and I’m immensely thankful every night I lay down in a bed…or a couch, air mattress, tent, boat cabin, or airplane seat if it means I have a roof over my head.

Every Thanksgiving I count the number of different beds I slept in during the year just for the fun of knowing how fast I’m moving. Even though I’ve been moving rapidly around the globe in 2015, this year was pretty average for me (last year was 100).

As you slept in your same familiar bed most nights, I spent my year sleeping in 75 different beds!  That means on average I move to a new bed every 4 or 5 days!

Most of the time I’m relying on friends and family to provide a roof over my head and something soft to sleep on, but when I’m on working on a travel project, I get the opportunity to sleep in beds in various hotels, B&B’s, homes, caravans, and even boats. I’ve compiled my list of ‘best beds 2015’ highlighting my favorite places to sleep around. If you find yourself in any of these locations/cities – I invite you to check out these places and book a night – or 4 or 5 nights!

Ottsworld’s Best Beds 2015

best beds 2015

The dream fairies were ready to land in my bed!

Most ‘Feels Like Home’ Bed

Canmore, Alberta Canada

Grande Rockies Resort Canmore –  holds a very special place in my heart as I called it home for an entire month last February. It was perfectly located in Alberta to do all of the great winter things to do in Banff, Lake Louise, and Canmore. And the best part was that staying in Canmore was cheaper and a more local experience. It really was like a home for me, I had a fireplace, washer/dryer, and 2 bedrooms so that I could have visitors!
Grande Rockies Resort, Canmore, Canada – Booking.com

Things to do in Alberta

Most Unstable Bed

Chukotka, Far East Russia

The Spirit of Enderby gets the instability award – because it’s a ship; there was a lot of pitching and rolling at times traversing the Arctic Ocean! But even my bought of sea sickness couldn’t dampen my love for my cute little cabin that I called home for 2 weeks as I traveled along the Far East Coast of Russia through the Bering Straight and Arctic Ocean to Wrangel Island! Of course as much as I loved my cabin – I really wanted to be outside viewing the bears, whales, and birds – and we had plenty of opportunity to do that on this ultra-rare trip to get to places that few people get to see. Only one ship goes to Wrangel Island – the Spirit of Enderby. If the Arctic circle isn’t your thing – don’t worry, the ship and it’s cute little cabins actually cruise the whole globe including Antarctica, and the South Pacific Islands.

Book a trip on the Spirit of Enderby

Most Fun Bed

Berlin, Germany

Berlin’s Huttenpalast Caravan Hotel may take the award for being the most fun place I’ve stayed of all time! This clever  hotel was like nothing I had ever seen before an indoor campground of vintage caravans. The idea evolved from the desire to have little cabins inside an old factory space in Berlin. The caravans were acquired around Germany and then remodeled – tearing out the kitchen areas to make more room for super comfy big beds. A beautifully designed common space provides a campground feel, making the stay there fun and social at the same time. If you are in Berlin – a night at Huttenpalast is a must!

Hotel Hüttenpalast, Berlin, Germany – Booking.com

Things to do in Berlin

Most Off The Grid Bed

Aspen/Snowmass Colorado

I had a lot of great off the grid options in 2015, but since my ship cabin already go the ‘unstable award’, I had to go with the Colorado Hut I stayed in outside of Aspen. Perched up at 10,000 feet and totally secluded you’ll find Harry Gates Hut of the 10th Mountain Hut Division. You won’t find a single bar of internet or cell connection there – and that’s just how it should be when you are in the Rocky Mountains! Spend your time hiking to waterfalls, or winter backcountry skiing…or just enjoy your view from the porch and color like I did!

Book a Colorado Mountain Hut

Harry Gates Hut

Harry Gates Hut

Most Basic Bed

Alaska Above the Arctic Circle – Mile 175 Dalton Highway

This one also could have qualified for off the grid, but instead it gets the award for most basic accommodations of 2015 – and strangely it’s also one of the most expensive accommodations ($200+ a night)! Above the Arctic Circle in Alaska you won’t find much, but you’ll be excited when you finally get to Coldfoot truck stop as it’s one of the only places to stop on the whole Dalton Highway! ColdFoot Camp is basically a truck stop that has turned some old containers into a hotel. The hotel mainly serves truckers, and oil pipeline workers, and a wee few tourists like me. This place is functional with no extras; a twin bed, a tiny little bathroom, and a mirror. I sort of fell in love with the quirkiness of it all though, and the truck stop served great food and offered some spectacular tours further north to Atigun pass in the Brooks Range. You don’t go to Coldfoot Camp for the accommodations – you go for the sheer joy of staying above the Arctic Circle in place where few people go. It’s totally worth it!

Book a night above the Arctic Circle at Coldfoot Camp

Most Unusual Bed

Stuttgart, Germany

If you love all things cars, then make your away to the home of the automobile, Stuttgart Germany and sleep in the V8 Hotel. There you’ll be able to learn about the history of the gas engine, you can even see them being made, drive them at breakneck speed around a track…and you can sleep in a car. Next to the world famous Mercedes plant in Stuttgart you’ll find the V8 Hotel. Each room has been impeccably designed in a different car theme. I stayed in the Herbie Love Bug room, and every little detail down to the soap was car themed. Even the lights on the car worked!

Hotel V8 Motorworld Region Stuttgart, Böblingen, Germany – Booking.com

Most Luxurious Bed

Costa Brava, Spain

“EVERYTHING in the fridge is complimentary?” I repeated in confirmation to the  bellman in a confused, too-good-to-be-true tone. Any place that has complimentary alcohol in their mini bar must be luxurious!  Be pampered in the middle of the countryside at Mas de Torrent, an old 18th century farmhouse turned into a unique luxury Costa Brava Hotel. Preserving the exterior façade they were able to keep the old farm feel, but insert luxury inside. The hotel reception used to be the stables and the bar was the old kitchen! There are suites in the old farmhouse structure as well as 20 beautifully designed modern suites with private terraces in the gardens near the crystal blue pool.

Mas de Torrent Hotel, Spain – Booking.com

Most Hip Bed

Dresden, Germany

Dresden is a city full of historic churches, palaces, and opera houses – so when the taxi pulled up to yet another beautiful old building and let me off at the hotel I wasn’t surprised. However, when I set foot inside the lobby I was stunned. The Swissôtel in Dresden may be housed in a historical old façade, but it’s completely fresh, bright, and modern inside. Because it’s built within the old structure, there’s nothing cookie cutter about the rooms – each is different. Mine had a beautiful, modern open design with high ceilings, large windows, and bright white walls with large green flowers. I adored this open floor plan and ‘exposed bathroom’. From the Nespresso machine to the uber attentive iPad carrying staff – this place was totally hip on the inside, yet appropriately historic on the outside. I toured the city all day with Dresden Walks, went for a river cruise, and stopped in at Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden (Dreseden Palace turned museum) to be completely wowed by excessive wealth. Then I kicked back and enjoyed this lush hotel complete with pillow menu!
Hotel Swissôtel Am Schloss, Dresden, Germany – Booking.com

Best place to ‘bring your friends/family and chill’ Bed

Cadaques, Spain

If you are in the mood to gather a whole bunch of friends or family together in an amazing little seaside town, then Can Puigg Villa in Cadaques Spain is your answer. As soon as I walked into this 4 bedroom home I knew I wanted to throw a party and that’s just what I did! Once an old fisherman’s house the current owners restored and enlarged it providing a level of ‘lived-in’ comfort like no other in the town. The front of the house is pretty typical, but when you walk in through the large living room and through the back patio doors you see the real luxury – a terraced garden and patio with a view of the town. This is a perfect place for a family vacation for those that want to explore the history of Salvador Dali, eat seafood, drink gin & tonics, hike, or just sit by the pool.

Book Can Puig Villa with Charming Villas

When you go to bed tonight – do me a favor, and really think about how much you love and depend on your bed. Then give it a little hug and kiss and show it just how much you care. Happy ZZZZzzzzz’s.

Follow my Travels.


best beds 2015

The dream fairies were ready to land in my bed!

The day is over, you’ve worked hard, played hard, and maybe even had a little wine with friends. You go through your nightly ritual brushing your teeth, washing your face and then comes the moment – the moment where you get to lie down in your bed. Our beds are one of the few ‘constants’ in our lives. It’s familiar, welcoming, comforting, it smells like you, and it loves you as much as you love it. You nestle into your favorite position, pull the covers up around your chin and drift off into beautiful sleep. And you do this day after day after day.

Living an unconventional life means that I rarely get this experience this bed love affair. I don’t have a long-term relationship with my bed. Instead I have lots of little short-term relationships and one-night-stands with my beds. I can’t get too attached to my beds as I will only be in it for 3 or 4 days at a time.

While you prepare to sit down with family and loved ones and fight over a turkey leg this week, I stop to think about what I’m thankful for, and it always comes down to beds – and of course the people who provide them. I don’t love one bed; I love many beds and I’m immensely thankful every night I lay down in a bed…or a couch, air mattress, tent, boat cabin, or airplane seat if it means I have a roof over my head.

Every Thanksgiving I count up the number of different beds I slept in during the year just for the fun of knowing how fast I’m moving. Even though I’ve been moving rapidly around the globe in 2015, this year was pretty average for me.

To find out how many beds I slept in this year, read the entire story here…


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