One of the craziest things we ever did... (also one of the best things we ever did!) was to purchase 2 sets of down pillows from Hilton Hotels.

Yep, they're the same pillows they use in their hotels... plush, and huge, and over-stuffed. Ahhhh!

Here's how it all happened...

I used to...

As many of you know, we are in the process of building our "dream home"... a log home, no less.

So we've been out of town the past couple of days enjoying our first-ever Log Home Show!

(They're few & far between, so if you're planning on building a log home, and you can find one in your area, then you must find a way to work it into your schedule.)

Anyway, the one that we went to was at Pancake World... I mean Pigeon Forge, TN.

Been to Pigeon Forge before? Did you ever notice that there's a pancake restaurant on nearly every corner? Sometimes... two... on the same corner!

Here's more about the Log Home Show in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Well, it was on this same trip that I learned what a hotel snob Jim is!...

I heard a piece on the Bob & Tom Show yesterday that reminded me of just how germaphobic we are, as a society, these days. Self included, though not nearly to the extreme as others.

Particularly lately, it seems that there have been a number of reports in the news about the phenomenon of germs invading our lives and becoming most prevalent in some of the least likely places: ice cubes at fast-food chains, computer desktops and keyboards, the TV remote control, hot tubs, shopping cart handles, and of course... the whole multitude of places inside public restrooms including toilet seats, electric hand dryers, towel rollers, door handles & more!

My germy quirks, as I call them, could probably be classified more as precautionary steps rather than as a personal paranoia about germs. Regardless, they're still germ-related, so I'm posting them here for your enjoyment.

Okay, here goes...

Want to know why I love Microtel, Holiday Inn Express, and Hyatt Hotels?

...because these three hotel chains think "outside the box".

With the addition of some FUN new perks, each of these hotels seems like an ideal choice for travelers looking for more than just a place to sleep.

Of course, it rained on our little spontaneous trip to South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and East Tennessee a couple weekends ago...

So we didn't camp (as planned). We stayed at a Holiday Inn Express instead.

What's So Great About Holiday Inn Express?
One of the first things we noticed was the VERY modern bathroom & shower! No joke. You could practically LIVE in that bathroom -- it was so spacious, and clean, and there were so many efficiencies.

Two of the most obvious:

The hip and cool shower area.

Jim noticed the arched shower rod and hookless shower curtain liner first. I noticed the powerful water pressure and multi-setting shower head!

Neither of us noticed the "proprietary cinnamon roll-inspired scent". (see below)

So, What's With Those Showers?
We enjoyed our night at the Holiday Inn Express (exit 27 off I-65 in South Carolina) very much. We especially enjoyed the free high-speed Internet, and we even found several tasty treats on the FREE breakfast bar the next morning which we enjoyed.

But once we hit the road, what's the first billboard we saw?

One like this:

--- > Here's the ad from the front page of USAToday.

I had to laugh... A high-dollar billboard to tout the praises of a SHOWER HEAD?!

While I enjoyed the experience myself, I had no idea that it warranted something as bold as THIS.

So, you know me... I had to research it and find out why the showerhead at the Holiday Inn Express -- not just the one WE stayed at, but ALL of them -- is so highly rated.

Here's what I found...