A Case For The "Staycation" and How To Do It In Style...Featuring Aloft Downtown Tulsa

“They say nothing lasts forever …dreams change, trends come and go, but friendships never go out of style.” – Carrie Bradshaw

"No matter who broke your heart or how long it takes to heal, you’ll never get through it without your friends.” – Carrie Bradshaw

“And why is it that we can see our friends perfectly but when it comes to ourselves, no matter how hard we look, do we ever see ourselves clearly?” –Carrie Bradshaw

September might be the best month ever for a few reasons.

The first being that it starts with a three day weekend..and in some cases..four.

And the second being that summer is winding down and it's time to welcome my favorite beloved fall.

My girlfriends and I were invited to a little retreat from Aloft Hotel in downtown Tulsa--I mean just when I thought September couldn't get any better. "Staycationing" might just be my new favorite thing ever too--especially with my best girls. I mean--Bonjour slumber party!! Take a peak here at a fun little opening video we made.

Incase you are lost and feel I am speaking French, a stay-cay is when you stay in a hotel... in your own city! And if you think for a moment that this is just plain ridiculous Samantha, then you've clearly never tried it. There's something so wonderful about being a tourist in your own city. It gives you the perfect excuse to act exactly like a tourist and enjoy your home in a way you wouldn't usually. Plus, there's no travel costs or time involved meaning this can sometimes be a cheaper alternative to escaping further afield! It's also so relaxing...just to stay put and enjoy the hotel's accommodations. I mean sometimes I feel like I need a vacation after a vacation and it can be exhausting.

Chances are you'll have come across an Aloft Hotel by now and if you haven't then you really should know the name ladies and gents. Aloft Hotels have been taking the lodging industry by storm offering urban, modern design and a hip social experience all at an affordable price. owned by the same group as The W Hotel, you can just imagine. I am all about affordable luxury ! Aloft Tulsa Downtown is directly across from the Tulsa Convention Center, not even a block from the BOK Center, and offers easy access to the Blue Dome district. Their downtown Tulsa hotel was built out of the City Hall building, which has historic preservation status. The location could not be better my dears.

The hotel is quaint. You instantly feel the 'home away from home' vibes the moment you step in, and your eyes can't help but wander all across the hotel with all the amazing pops of color and local artwork throughout the space. Love that they work with local artists! My friend Steve Cluck's art is currently on display in the hotel bar which we will talk about here in a bit.

We stayed in one of the larger Aloft double queen rooms (we had a party of 3) -- impeccably cool with some killer views of downtown Tulsa. There was something so relaxing about the room, I wished never to leave the moment I arrived! In fact, I could have happily moved in and made it my own studio flat. They do have many room options for every need and budget and they even have a corner suite that sleeps 6 and looks oh so swanky! Check out all the options here.

The bed was so amazingly comfy and plush--made it oh so easy to keep hitting that snooze button.

(The adorable dinosaur Tee is from Snowtorious out of SoCal...and these are my fave cozy T's to sleep in. Grab 15% off using promo code promo15)

The property is Fido-Friendly too and I just know Melvin and Henry would love it. They will treat your pet to special amenities, including an Aloft brand dog bed rental, in-room water bowl rental, free woof-alicious treats, and dog toys. Check it out here.

Aloft also has a green initiative which is very dear to my heart as you all know.

They also have a little Re:fuel by Aloft --you can get your foodie fix 24/7 with grab & go light meals, snacks, and other speciality items you may have left behind. The Tylenol came in super handy the next morning.

Aloft also has an amazing little cocktail bar called the W XYZ® . We enjoyed some delicious cocktails and enjoyed the cooler temps coming in from the amazing patio outside by the Splash pool. Live At Aloft Hotels has set the stage for acoustic performances by some of the area's hottest emerging artists. You can enjoy some of their indie-rock favorites or get in rhythm with a DJ spinning the latest hits. There's always something happening at this downtown Tulsa bar, and other Aloft hotels around the globe - check out their Facebook page for the latest news and updates. Pretty sure they can work with you on a private party too!

P.S.--Congrats to Samantha Kay Alexander for winning the complimentary weekend stay in the Aloft corner suite in the summer sips giveaway I hosted with them. All you had to do was follow Aloft Downtown Tulsa on gram and use the hashtag #WXYZsips to show us what you were sipping on this summer. So easy breezy! Please follow me on gram so you do not miss out on these super special giveaways.

Aloft's staff is exceptional and they really go above and beyond to make you feel VIP. I have to be honest here, I’ve NEVER been welcomed at a hotel quite as luxuriously as we were welcomed here.

We received a tour of the property so we knew exactly where everything was and when we did welcome our swanky room--a beautiful bottle of bubbly was chilling for us and can we just talk about those gorgeous, delish chocolates from Glacier?!!

After doing this, I have decided that there’s no better way to spend some quality time with your favorite girlfriends than with a glam staycation this fall. With all of the stressful events happening in the world-- all a girl needs is a great night in her home town with some of her favorite girls. It was just what the doctor ordered for me.

I suppose that’s the magic of a true girl’s staycation though, isn’t it? Stress-free fun with your girls, good drinks, and luxurious surroundings. A photoshoot with brilliant Sam Smith are just a bonus! You should definatley book a shoot with her as soon as possible.

We literally brought back the classic slumber party we loved as young girls with face masks, nail polish, pillow fights, dancing, Vogue Magazine fall wish lists, late night How I Met Your Mom re-runs, and some gossip!

The next morning...reluctantly, we checked out and said our goodbyes, heading back down onto the streets of Tulsa and back into the real world. Even though it was just for a night, we felt like we'd somehow been away for a long weekend.

I am so humbled and grateful to have such wonderful souls in my life and even more grateful to be able to celebrate with them with such a luxurious staycation!

Plan a staycation and I promise, you'll love every second.

Aloft Tulsa Downtown has you covered my dears!

Aloft Tulsa Downtown

200 Civic Center, Tulsa, OK, 74103

http://www.alofttulsadowntown.com/

XOOXOXO
SAM