Ever had one of those times in your life when you really just needed to "get away", and tune in to your mate while tuning out of the world around you? A bit of serenity for the two of you in the midst of our non-stop, connected 24-7, going a million miles a minute normal routine?
There is such a place right here in NWI, where you can pull off the highway, and turn into an enclave that takes you back to a much simpler, more personal, private and serene place that helps this papa completely shift his focus to momma, and her the same, for at least for 24 hours.
Once you pull into the welcoming station, one of their team is there to give you the rundown on how the resort works. They are there to provide whatever you need, whether that be food, movies, drinks, or dessert or breakfast treats, all with the least interruption to your private time. Drive back to your cabin, and you step into a warm, wooded retreat, complete with fire place, dining and living area (two person recliner chair instantly a favorite spot to hang out), in floor mammoth hot tub, fancy big king sized bed, and shower/bath. Taking off your shoes you can feel how warm the heated floors are, and that feeling seems to resonate throughout your place - the look, feel, kindness of the staff, and natural surroundings just relax you - simply.
Simple but critical to the experience is the magic box as we called it, where you can ask for anything you would like to have and receive anything they bring you, all without interacting with anyone other than your mate. If you want something, you open up your side of the two way box, put it on a piece of paper and flip on the light that appears outside the cabin to let them know, and when they bring something to you, they flip on their own switch outside that lights a red light above the box so you know you have something waiting for you. During the evening we were surprised twice with special treats of cheese cake for dessert after our dinner, and later on all the components for s’mores which you can make over the personal fire pit that sits just outside your door.
Step out onto the patio to breathe in the cool crisp air, and you find a grill if you would like to cook out yourself, some chairs to relax in, and the real welcoming committee comes out to greet you - anywhere from a dozen to a few dozen geese fly over to say hello, trained likely from past enjoyment of some of the corn that the resort provides for you to share with them. Go inside for a bit and step outside and a few will come back your way, in what seems like a perfectly orchestrated fly over, circle, and land. You know they are coming for the corn, but darn it if it is not impressive every time.
Dinner is ordered through the magic box, and when delivered, one of their team comes in to set the table with candlelight and all the trimmings, and once you are done, you put it all in the box, flip the light, and poof it's gone. Mama in particular was very happy with that and it gave her dreams of how we could make that happen at home.
The tub is awesome with jets, waterfalls, and bubbles all over to water away tension, fits the two of you if you so fancy, and looks out onto the lake and the sky which was full of stars that you can see when you turn off all the lights and just listen to the bubbles and the birds.
Rest is what you are aiming for, and the combination of huge comfy bed, comforters, pillows, and the warmth of the floor and room around you, gave this momma and papa bear a deep sleep that made us feel like we were hibernating. Waking up in the morning, making some coffee, and opening up the magic box for breakfast muffins and treats is an equally quiet and private way to start the day.
There is quite a bit outside the door depending on the season with fishing, walking trails, and for those staying longer, the staff is a wealth of knowledge for things to do and places to go right here in the region.
For us, this was truly an escape. Turning off our devices, and the monitoring of everything happening in the world, gave us the chance to take a breath. You could disconnect anywhere, though it sure is a lot easier when every bit of your surroundings is designed with that in mind. Whether you want to get away for a night, weekend, or mini-retreat, each of the seasons offers you a chance to experience a bit of serenity unlike any other I have experienced here in Northwest Indiana. So close and yet you feel so far away.
Like the sign says, everyone deserves a little bit of serenity.