I just turned 66.  Gasp!  And, I’ve stayed in a lot of different hotel rooms.  Notably, one was during a mission trip to Guatemala and cost $2.50 per night, which Steve deemed “highway robbery.” There was a bare light bulb hanging in the middle of the room, we slept on TOP of the sheets on the bed, and the shower had a crate on the floor to stand on rather than have cockroaches run across your feet. Seriously.  I’ve slept under mosquito nets in Kenya where the outside grounds were being guarded by a man with a bow and arrow.  On the other side of the spectrum,  I’ve stayed in rooms overlooking Times Square, the crashing waves on the north shore of Oahu, the rolling surf of the Gulf of Mexico, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and one with the Capitol dome out the window. Most have been comfortable, convenient and served their purpose admirably.

A recent night in Louisiana stands out at the top, or certainly among the top 3 or 4 in my mind, in terms of purely luxurious furnishings in the room of an overnight cottage with astounding attention to details. Even the shower had a 12-foot ceiling and heavy crown molding!!!  This was at the Houmas House Plantation and Gardens in Darrow, Louisiana.  Oh my.  Do you have a splurge occasion coming up?  Maybe a 25th or 50th wedding anniversary?  Give this serious consideration. Not only will you be amazed at the quality of your room, but your tastebuds will be wildly satisfied by any of the three restaurants on the grounds.

Kevin Kelly, the present owner of Houmas House, actually lives in the mansion and is present often to make sure that the quality of accommodations, meals, gardens and tours of his home remains high.

Scenes from the gardens on the plantation grounds:

Scenes from inside and outside of the guest cottages.

Susan was our costumed guide when we toured the big house.  She did a fabulous job of pointing out the phenomenal collection of art and antiques that Mr. Kelly has brought to this property. She told a fascinating story of the history of the home and the people who have lived there.  Betty Davis stayed in one of the bedrooms while “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte” was being filmed.  As a special treat, I got to play that theme song on a very rare 1901 Steinway piano while Susan sang.

Scenes from the Big House:

Houmas House Plantation is referred to as both “The Sugar Palace” and “Crown Jewel of Louisiana’s River Road.”

Read my article in Epicurean-Traveler.com hereabout the Carriage House Restaurant, and take a look at my article in Trip101.com about the accommodations at Houmas House.