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Bakersfield Breakaway: The Red Lion
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Anonymous user Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
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0 responses 0 comments We finally broke in. It was about time, I suppose. For years we had been escaping from the winter chill or suffocating heat. Now we would seize the moment right here in Bakersfield. The scheme unfolded a month ago. Although we travel frequently, we could never afford a posh hotel suite in our favorite cities. Los Angeles, Pismo Beach, Morro Bay — their finest rooms require a hefty ransom of at least one child. Since we couldn’t spare either one of our two children, we decided to whoop it up in a local suite. But does Bakersfield have one worth paying for? I called a few of our more notable lodges: the Doubletree, the Sheraton. “Got any Jacuzzi suites?” I’d ask. Nope. But with a little persistence, I discovered that the Red Lion Hotel's choicest rooms were poolside Jacuzzi suites. And that’s how the game plan began. For $159 plus tax — a steal by any other standard –– Doug and I would break away in none other than Bakersfield, Calif. We checked in on a Friday around 4 p.m. Marina, the front desk clerk, located our suite on a map and marked it with an “X” (where, as everyone knows, all treasures are located). And what a treasure it was! The room was huge. Actually, there were two rooms. As we cased the joint, we discovered there were two of a lot of things: two tubs, two toilets, two closets, two TVs, two sliding glass doors, and two front doors. Wow. The furniture, king-sized and overstuffed, looked awfully cozy, and there was an abundance of storage space — more than we would ever use. We put the wine in the refrigerator, made sure the microwave worked, then ordered a pepperoni pizza from Rusty’s. And then the fun began. Doug popped the new Neil Diamond CD into his laptop computer, poured a couple glasses of wine, revved up the jets in the extraordinarily large Jacuzzi tub, and we were set for the evening. The Jacuzzi tub was the reason for our stay. It was in-between the king-sized bed and the spacious, double-sink bathroom. No wall –– the tub was the divider. The tile steps led to either side of the room, depending on whether you needed to grab an extra towel or relax on the bed between soaks. In fact, it was so relaxing that both Doug and I were fast asleep by 9 p.m.! We hadn’t planned to nod off so soon, but after a couple glasses of Chardonnay and several dips in the tub, we were done for. We awoke the next morning to our mutual surprise that the night had passed so quickly. Escaping from Bakersfield has always been our favorite pastime, but checking out of a hotel and arriving home in just 10 minutes is a rare treat for any road-weary traveler. If You Go: Red Lion Inn, 2400 Camino Del Rio Court, Bakersfield, CA 93308, 637-1822. Features High Speed Wireless Internet, Fitness Center, restaurant and lounge, laundry facilities and airport transportation. Suites vary from $159 and up.

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