As my final week of summer vacation draws to a close, there was a moment of panic when I realized I hadn’t yet taken my kids to ocean.
Just like last summer.
What kind of New Englander mom fails to take her kids to the ocean for the second summer in a row? Especially when she’s a teacher with her summers off?
My solution: Ocean Beach, New London. Although Doug hated the idea, I dragged him along with us.
When I was a kid, my mom took us to the ocean religiously. She would wake us up at 5 so we could be on the road before the morning highway traffic set in. Then, after we were sun-stroked, exhausted and dehydrated, salt in our hair and sand in our bathing suits, we’d pile back into the car just in time to avoid the 5:00 traffic.
Although those were some of my happiest childhood memories, this time I wanted something more. I wanted the moonlight on the waves. I wanted the party at the boardwalk. I wanted the entire ocean experience. So I booked a room at the Holiday Inn.
Ten seconds into his tour of our hotel room, Doug made a grisly announcement.
“There’s no bathroom fan.”
It plagued him throughout our stay. As the moon cast its glow over the lapping waves from our table on the boardwalk, he shook his head over his seafood platter. “What kind of establishment would build a hotel without a bathroom fan?”
When we returned from our trip, I received a survey from the InterContinental Hotels Group. Doug was adamant that his voice be heard.
Somewhere at IHG Headquarters, an associate received the following survey: “The room was lovely; however, I felt compelled to give it a low rating based on its absence of a bathroom fan. This might seem beyond a basic amenity to you, but I assure you after my husband’s morning coffee, my entire family paid for it.”
One more question followed after I submitted the survey. “Would you like to post your response on our website?”
Heavens no, I clicked. My life is far too private for that.