“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.”—Barbara De Angelis
“If you don’t think a small act can make a difference, try going to sleep with a mosquito in the room.”—Julie Foudy
Who doesn’t love a short get-away? Therefore, when John, my husband of nearly 30 years, surprised me by suggesting we take a short trip during our long weekend over President’s Day holiday, I was all in. We debated the merits of various locations especially with regards to drive time. The plan would be to leave immediately after work on Friday and return home on Sunday. While not a long time, it would at least allow us an opportunity to take a break from the every day routine! Ultimately, we settled on heading to Charleston, WV
Although only a short drive, around an hour or so from our home, it turned out to be the perfect distance as I was NOT ready to go immediately after work as originally planned. Instead, we ran home after work to pack up for our short escape. Still, we made it to Charleston by 6:00 pm, and were soon walking from our hotel towards Adelphia Sports Bar and Grille for dinner. Aw, but I am getting ahead of myself!
Four Points by Sheraton was our hotel of choice for this weekend adventure. We stayed at this hotel on a previous trip in August on a spur-of-the-moment extension of a trip that was mostly spent in Alderson/Lewisburg, WV area. It was purely by accident that we discovered this gem of a place as the hotel in which we have often stayed on previous trips was booked solid. In fact, we had never before noticed Four Points. Looking back now, I don’t how we missed it.
Located on Kanawha Boulevard overlooking the beautiful Haddad Riverfront Park, it’s bike/walk/run trail, and the Kanawha River; Four Points is within walking distance of great restaurants, shopping, as well as local events. The hotel itself is warm and inviting, allowing guests to immediately feel at ease. The lobby is open and offers a variety gathering spaces as well as easy access to the hotel’s bar and restaurant, Riverside Cafe. Just off the lobby is the 24-hour access fitness center. Additionally, the rooms are nice, spacious, and very clean with extremely comfortable beds. While there are nice amenities that come with the rooms, it is the staff that brought us back!
Various images from inside Four Point Lobby–there are so many places to gather in small groups or as quiet couples.
Cindy Bagwell, Director of Operations at this Four Points location is the quintessential hostess. She can be spotted at all hours of the day chatting with guests, joking around with staff, and taking care of the needs of both guests and rooms. In fact, Bagwell, who remembered us from our previous visit, made it a point to take time each day to talk with us. Her ease, grace, and humility seem to overflow onto the staff as well.
Gina, Bruce, Kamilah (aka Mimi), and Sue were just a few of the Four Point staff that took time to get to know John and me. Conversations with this staff were such friendly exchanges with a genuine desire to get to know us and help us in any way they could. From recommending food or wine on their menu to ensuring we had enough coffee and bottled water in our room, from giving John advice about sites to see on an upcoming conference trip to Chicago to chatting with me about yoga teacher training, we felt as if we were part of their work-site family! In fact, we have already planned a return trip when the weather is hopefully warmer and more accommodating to explore the Haddad Riverfront Park area.
Pictured here: Notes from “Mimi” regarding places to visit in Chicago; fitness center–complete with weights, yoga mats, exercise bands; and cardio equipment; Riverside Cafe; wine recommendation from Mimi; ballroom currently displaying the watercolor works by a local artist; and, this hotel offers recycling bins throughout its public spaces and private room.
Still, we cannot complain about the weather for the weekend of our stay. After a week of rain, clouds, and more clouds, we were more than pleased to enjoy rain-free evenings on both Friday and Saturday. In fact, the sunshine was abundant all day Saturday, making the temperatures hovering in the 40s feel like a balmy spring day, well, almost! Thus, we did not drive once during our entire stay until it was time to leave—which we loved!
We ate breakfast both mornings in the hotel’s restaurant, Riverside Café. In fact, our meal Saturday morning was so good; John and I ordered the exact same meal the following day! John enjoyed the Farmer’s Bowl featuring two homemade biscuits, freshly scrambled eggs covered with made-from-scratch sausage gravy. It smelled and looked amazing! I kept it simple and savored their steel-cut oats with raisins, slivered almonds, and brown sugar. As we enjoyed our late breakfast each morning after working out the Fitness Center, we took just as much pleasure in our conversations with the staff during this time! In fact, we lingered a bit longer in the lobby after breakfast to enjoy coffee, relax, read, and interact with staff.
Our breakfast was so good, we had to order the same thing each morning!
As previously mentioned, we walked to Adelphia Sports Bar and Grille offering traditional “Greek and classic American fare.” Their menu offerings are varied and wide encompassing. From Greek nachos to spicy wings; from a Greek salad to a Chef salad; from grilled salmon to Souvlaki; from Gyros to sandwiches; the menu at Adelphia is sure to have something to please every taste. The staff was super-friendly, including our waitress/bar-tender, Brittany, who actually remembered us from our visit in August. With a super casual, fun atmosphere, this is the place to go, especially for TV sports viewing as there a numerous large screen TVs throughout the dining space.
Another favorite Charleston eatery of ours is Pies and Pints. Boasting the second ever location of this restaurant, it is also within walking distance of Four Points. In fact, it is located right beside Adelphia as both are situated amidst cute local cafés, art galleries, a bookstore, and other local shops. Pies and Pints make a one-of-kind pizza and offer many gluten-free options—including pizza! Their salads are delicious and filled with abundant goodness! Further, they offer a unique twist on nachos, wings, sandwiches (and yes, there is a gluten-free bread option!), and even pizza skins. As their name indicates, they also offer a wide-ranging option of beers as well as wines. On this past visit, Alison was our waitress. Like our previous visits to this establishment, Alison was quite friendly, good at making recommendations, and attentive to the needs of her customers. If you love pizza, then Pies and Pints is a must-visit place when in Charleston.
Pies and Pints is located beside another one of our favorite places, Taylor Books. It is also across the street from Ellen’s, a local ice cream shop; and, it is just down the street from Rock City Cake Company.
All in all, John and I thoroughly enjoyed our short excursion. We didn’t have to travel far; and, once parked in the hotel’s lot, we never had to drive during our stay. I enjoyed a few hours of shopping on Saturday afternoon at the Charleston Town Center, which was less than a five-minute walk. Our room had a beautiful view of the river, and the hotel accommodations and staff allowed John and I to have equal parts of rest and fun. Plus, I can’t help but think all of the walking, fresh air, and sunshine also added to our restoration. In case you can’t tell, Dear Reader, John and I highly recommend you consider a weekend get-away that is not too far from home in Charleston, WV. And if you stay at the Four Points, tell them Steph Simply sent you!
Steph Simply 