My name is Will DeFries, and this is the Sunday Scaries Podcast, your cure for the Sunday Blues.

It's probably because my mom used to read me Eloise as a child.

The way she'd ride the elevator, torment the staff in order room service to the tippy-top floor of the Plaza Hotel.

My feelings toward the matter were probably further amplified by Kevin Stanton, the plaza over Christmas and Home Alone 2.

Sparing no expense, his dedication to lounging in the suite was something I aspired to do, that following spring break.

As it goes with any vacation, there's always a palpable excitement before checking into the hotel, something I've romanticized my entire life.

These days, I spend far too much time doing the hotel version of menu baiting, and for any new listers out there, menu baiting is the simple act of endlessly reviewing the hotel version of menu baiting.

But with hotels, it's always a little different than simply perusing a downloadable PDF menu from the restaurant's website.

You check and then you double check what type of room you booked, you look at all the amenities, the spa offerings, the wine list, the hotel bar, whether or not the restaurant in the hotel is actually worth going to.

And by the time you check in, you feel as though you've been shadowing the concierge for the past few weeks.

Granted, I'm pretty ignorant, but not too ignorant to ignore that this excitement doesn't exist for just any hotel.

Some hotels aren't worth the excitement, especially if you're in a city where your hotel is simply a place to rest your head at night and set up a place to lounge.

This sentiment exists simply for those special occasions.

When you get a reduced rate at a nice hotel because of a wedding block, when you and your significant other are having a special weekend away.

Honey moons, baby moons, anniversary celebrations, whatever it may be.

This is for those trips when the city isn't your destination, but the actual hotel is.

As you approach the front desk and clutch your credit card, the anticipation begins to build.

You know that checkout will feel much darker and more hollow after all the drinks you charged in your room, but that's a problem for four days from now.

After checking in and confirming your room is ready, they always seem to ask one question.

Do you need help bringing your bags to the room?

Of course, nice hotels will whisk them away without even concerning you.

But most hotels, the one that you can actually afford to stay in, give you the option.

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