Craig Daily Press

Christina M. Currie

Christina M. Currie's Touch of Spice column appears Fridays in the Craig Daily Press. E-mail her at director@craig-chamber.com

Craig — I continue to be amazed by how creative hotels are when it comes to those little extras that make you remember your stay.

I’m not talking about high-dollar hotels, either. Or those amenities that you associate with a posh hotel, like thick bathrobes, fruit baskets and turn down service.

I just spent a night in a hotel where, placed carefully on the bed, was a pillow menu. Among the choices were a firm synthetic pillow, excellent for side sleepers, a soft down pillow, the choice among back and stomach sleepers (I’m quoting from the literature), a firm down pillow and a U-shaped neck pillow.

I have to say, I was pretty impressed. Obviously, it doesn’t take much.

Of course, I had just returned from a four-day river trip where you were grateful for a bug-free tent and a flat patch of ground, so I was ready to be impressed.

(As an aside, I’ll tell you that when your choices are a four-star hotel or a river-side campsite with unobstructed views of the stars, I’d choose the latter any day).

But, I digress.

A few months ago, I stayed at a cushy hotel with a pillow-top mattress, big fluffy towels and designer shampoos. You expect things like that. What I really enjoyed were the earplugs, silken eye mask and lavender-scented spray that were on the bed when I arrived.

Of course, I took them home.

I tried the mask for a couple of nights — I’ve always thought it was such a chic thing to do. I guess I’m just not a chic kind of gal. I couldn’t keep the darn thing on all night and I felt kind of suffocated wearing it.

And to be honest, day or night, pillow top or air mattress, I don’t ever have problems sleeping.

So, when my 7-year-old daughter, Katie, came across it, I didn’t have any problem letting it go. She, too, must think that little black mask adds immeasurably to your “wow” factor.

She loved it.

When I’d go to tuck her in at night, she’d raise it up with as much grace as she could muster, being the lady of the manor and all.

I gave her a kiss, patted the blankets around her and shut off her nightlight.

She instantly bolted up, mask akimbo and belted, “Mom! I’ll be scared!”

Like a great pair of high-heeled shoes, the sleep mask was definitely more for looks than practicality (and let me tell you, it doesn’t really add that much in the looks department).

Katie slid the mask back on only when I promised to leave on both her nightlight and the light in the hall.

Go figure.

Of course, I tried it out on a black night, knowing I wasn’t going to be lolling in bed much past sunrise, so I guess neither of us has an inkling of the proper use of an eye mask.

It was that night that 6-year-old Nikki noticed her sister had something she didn’t. And, thought it looked pretty cool (what is it about those things?).

So, in the bright illumination of the hall light, I had to wrap Nikki’s head in a scarf, promising that we’d trade the mask every other night.

It was lost before Nikki even got her turn in the rotation. Lost before she even realized she’d missed her turn.

I’m thinking a lot of those amenities are like that. They look really good, but don’t serve any real practical purpose.

But, Katie smiled every time she knew you were looking at her with that mask on.

That’s a five-star benefit.