Are you still there????

Are you ready to join me on our stay at the Grand Hotel? Be sure to think romantic and I hope you have a very good appetite.

This is what you see when you walk up to the main lobby of the hotel. An endless amount of seating on a very long veranda. In the evening they provided a band, so if you are inclined to enjoy a bit of waltzing around the porch, please do.

Would you like to come inside? Would you like to see our "home at the Grand"? We didn't know what to expect. We were on the "budget coupon" vacation. The cost included our room , a five course ( five star) dinner and a full breakfast the next morning. We were sure our discounted rate would put us in a room adjacent to the laundry facility.

Instead we were given a suite!!!! Not just ANY suite, but the Esther Williams suite. Full of memorabilia of the movie she was in when she was on the island. How did they know I LOVE Hawaiian quilts????

The room provided a bed ( huge and very comfy), living room area, two dressing areas, a wonderful chaise lounge and even a piano!!!

We had more space than we knew what to do with. The bathroom provided all sorts of "Grand Hotel" soaps and goodies ( that I am hoarding as a memory of our stay).

I will never forget the quiet moments I spent that night on the chaise lounge listening to the horse carriages as they dropped off guests to the hotel.

But that wasn't the only surprise....dinner exceeded all expectations. Five courses of pure deliciousness. Dinner is a bit of a dress up affair. Lots of fun and a very lovely time to feast and toast a wonderful time together.

I had the Prime Rib and Jim enjoyed the Lamb. The evening felt like a very special occasion.

This was Jim's dessert....I think I ate mine so fast I didn't have time to take a picture!!!!

Oh well....photo out of order, but I know you wanted to see my delicious appetizer. There was also a soup and salad course. Did I mention I was very full. Did you guess I ate every bite?

But as full as we were, there was an equally great breakfast the next morning. Be sure to click on the picture to read the full menu. What would you choose?

We started with the basket of pastries....and don't tell anyone, but what we didn't eat, I wrapped in a napkin to enjoy later!!!

We spent the day enjoying a buggy ride past all of the historical sites on the Island. A wonderful tour of carriages and buggies that were part of Island Life was part of the tour, as well as a stop at a Fort.

We went to town to enjoy a bit of Irish libations at the Pub, and walked back to the Grand which gave us more time to stop and enjoy the cottages and views.

I can't remember a place that seemed more enchanting, nor a place that made me sadder to leave. I did find a few moments to knit on the porch....another memory to add to "Baby's First Sweater".

But as they say "you can't come back if you don't leave".....so back to the ferry we went. We know the Grand will be a destination we will revisit. It did not disappoint....our visit left me with a heart full of memories.