Happy Martin Luther King and Inauguration Day. We’re still in Williamsburg, Virginia ensconced in a super comfortable suite at the Residence Inn where I have my own bedroom and bathroom (each with a door). I have a gas fireplace that I can turn on with the turn of a dial and free wi-fi and a bottle of red wine that I can drink out of a glass from the full kitchen. Sometimes the best in family travel is simply the comfort of having room to spread out and take a few breaths.

In fact our room is so comfy that on Sunday morning, instead of heading out straight into a day of sightseeing, we indulged in something almost unheard-of: Uninterrupted relaxation and family time. Teddy made a waffle at the complimentary breakfast bar onto which he put caramel, blueberries, chocolate chips, whipped cream, and syrup. Tommy lay on his bed and listened to music on his new iPod. Then we turned on the fire and all four of us played a game of Qwarkle. And when we were good and ready, we went out to meet history in Colonial Williamsburg – well rested and relaxed in this century and quite ready to hear about a different one.

Sometimes when you’re as go-go as my family is, it’s easy to forget that the value of a vacation can also lie in just hanging out in the same space and enjoying each other’s company. Today I have to say thanks to Residence Inn for reminding me of that fact.

As part of my participation in the Resident Mom Club, I received a gift card from Marriott to spend at any Residence Inn of my choosing in any manner I wanted. You can always count on me to share when I’ve been compensated along with my honest opinions. As I’m sure you can imagine, I have much more to tell about both the Williamsburg Residence Inn and our trip to the area, but for now I’m planning to put my feet up and enjoy that gas fireplace.