Going Back

In my early twenties...I left home for the first time to live on my own.  I had just graduated from college and I had gotten a job as a flight attendant for a new start up airline called 'Best Airlines'.  'Best Airlines' had a total of two planes.  One plane flew trips around the Northeast and the other plane flew trips in the Southeast.  I headed down to beautiful Roanoke, VA to fly the plane that flew the Southeast route.  Now...for most young people moving to a quaint little southern town right out of college probably wouldn't be their first choice.  I couldn't have been more tickled to move there.  I grew up in Niagara Falls, NY and moving to where the temperatures were much milder seemed like a welcoming change.  In Niagara Falls we had our share of BIG lake effect snow.  Virginia seemed a world away from it all and I would be living down south where people had that southern drawl and things were slower.  It was very exciting to me.  Unfortunately...my stay there was cut short because 'Best Airline' decided to cease their southern route and fly both of their planes up in the Northeast.  So off I moved to Hartford, CT but that's another story. 

  27 years later last week...my husband and I stopped in Roanoke, VA unexpectedly on our way back home from Charlotte, NC.  It truly was coming full circle for me.

Entering the city....the star was still perched up in the mountains.  Roanoke is nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains.  I was glad to see the star still there.  Seeing that landmark then and now was heartwarming. 

As a young woman living in Roanoke...I searched for a Catholic church to visit.  If I'm not mistaken there was only one Catholic church in the city back then?  At the time...I found that so strange because growing up in Niagara Falls... it seemed like we had a Catholic church on every other street corner.  I thought it was a beautiful church back then and I still do.  It was nice seeing it again.

We found this beauty of a hotel and decided to stay at it.  Welcome to Hotel Roanoke!

From the lobby looking out the weather couldn't have been more lovely this time of year and for us northerners it was delightful.

The hotel was built in 1882 closed in 1989 and reopened in 1995.   It originally had 34 rooms and now has 384 rooms.  It was bought by Hilton and is now a Double Tree property.  It is still referred to as the Hotel Roanoke.  They've newly renovated it and kept its original beloved character.  It is registered as a historical landmark but does not feel tired in the least.

It's all in the detail.

The red coats and blue coats.  History is being told here.

I enjoyed looking at the different light fixtures and here are a few I found at Hotel Roanoke. 

This light fixture was above our bathroom sink in our hotel room.

This rustic fixture we found in the 'Pine Room' in the hotel pub.

Here is one of the hallway light fixtures.

In the lobby the painting of the sky on the ceiling was lovely.

 This light fixture hangs near the reception desk.  It's there to welcome guests from around the world.

A short walk from the hotel was a wonderful farmers market.

Some of the historic architecture that is abundant downtown.

I didn't find out what this was a sculpture of but it was quite special.  It's made out of a  glass mosaic and it was a sight to see when the sun glistened on it.

Well that was a little blast from my past and I hope you enjoyed your visit to Roanoke, VA.  It was heartwarming for me to go back and I know when we pass through again in the future...we'll make it a point to stay at Hotel Roanoke.

~amy

I'll be linking to A Southern Daydreamer for Outdoor Wednesday and to Vintage Thingy Thursday hosted by Suzanne at Colorado Lady.