After my special weekend with Andrew, it was Harry’s turn! We head west to my old college stomping grounds and checked into the Hotel Northampton and all of it’s grandeur. This historic hotel is centrally located making it possible to walk to all of the local attractions.
The Hotel Northampton was built in 1927 in colonial revival style architecture. I loved walking into the atrium. This sunlit room is decorated with bright yellow cushions and lush tropical plants. It’s the perfect place to enjoy a morning coffee or a fancy cocktail.
We passed through an elegant lobby decorated with antiques. Harry questions what the old phone booths were and I laughed that it was such a mystery to him. I found myself doing the old “When I was a kid…”
Check in was a breeze and we headed up to our room. When we walked in the door of room 317, my jaw hit the floor. I knew they had booked us a balcony king. We had laughed about it because Harry requested one bed for maximum cuddle time (yes, he is the cutest). What I didn’t know was that our balcony would be bigger than our hotel room!
French doors opened up to this amazing space that looked out over the city. There was a table and chairs so we could sit outside and enjoy it. I have never seen anything like it!
Our room was really spacious. Harry head to the desk and went straight to work with with his LEGO. I fell onto the comfy bed that had a sea of pillows.
It was hard to tear ourselves away, but we wanted to wander around the town. There are some really fun shops in Northampton. The A2Z Science & Learning Toy Store is right across the street and it is one of the best toy shops in the state.
Thornes Marketplace is a really unique mall that has lots of boutique shops. Of course, Captain Candy was his favorite stop.
My biggest surprise for Harry was yet to come. See, whenever there is a pool at a hotel, most kids run and jump in. Harry, on the other hand, is my hot tub buddy. He and I head straight to the hot tub and sink it with a collective Ahhhhhhhh.
At the East Heaven Spa in Northampton, you can rent a hot tub by the hour. And not just any hot tub. There are nine unique tubs to choose from. You can sit on the roof in the winter and watch the snow come down or you can rent an outdoor tub with a covered pavilion.
I chose the tea house pavilion. Harry had no idea what we were doing. Our bathing suits were hidden in my bag. I told him we were going to feed fish, because, well, it’s all I could come up with.
We were led out to our room and when we walked into this huge cedar tub, he just looked inside, confused. He couldn’t see any fish. When I told him it was a hot tub, a huge smile came across his face and he spared no time jumping in. It was a really fun surprise and a highlight of our trip.
There are two on-site restaurants at the Hotel Northampton. The Coolidge Park Café is currently open for lunch and dinner. The Wiggins Tavern is an Early American Tavern known for a cozy atmosphere and great brunch but it is currently closed.
We walked to Fitzwilly’s for dinner. We were playing hangman and Harry gave me a four letter word, _oo_. The clue was how I feel when I leave the toy store. Easy! Poor! Harry laughed so hard he spit chocolate milk across the table. The answer was good.
Taking an alone trip with each child has become so important to me. We talked about stuff we had never talked about. We laughed until we cried. When the kids are all together, they get a pack mentality and spend a lot of time squabbling. Alone trips are such a different experience. The one on one time really allows you to bond. I would highly recommend it to parents with multiple children.
Related: The Best Things to do in Northampton, MA
The Hotel Northampton is the premiere place to stay in the Pioneer Valley. From the Dalai Lama to Bob Dylan, they have had some impressive guests. We really enjoyed our time there and will surely be back again.
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