When I was a child, I remember my family discussing renting a house near the shore. My mother said it wouldn’t be a vacation for her if she had to make our family meals each day. And I certainly lived most of my adult life with that feeling—until I stayed at my brother’s house in New Hampshire last summer. I couldn’t stop going to farmers markets and artisan cheese shops and butchers, rushing back each day to prep and cook my finds. I loved every moment of it.

My favorite spot to pick up locally made bread.

Turns out it’s not a vacation from cooking that I need—it’s a vacation from that Florida summer heat that beats down on our gardens during the summer and early fall. That’s why I’m so glad that Airbnb and VBRO have opened up new ways to vacation; one that’s great for people who are passionate about seasonal ingredients and searching out local flavors and recipes from different regions, states and countries. 

I’ve been in Colorado Springs for almost a week and have cooked most evenings and a few breakfasts using fresh ingredients from the local farmers markets and some incredible locally made sourdough bread. Grilling Palisades peaches and topping them with whipped ricotta cheese and a drizzle of huckleberry jam is simply magic. Digging into tomato and nectarine salad with burrata and gooseberries, or artisan sausages with pickled red onions and grilled micro-peppers, are what my summer dreams are made of. There are no fancy French sauces that require slaving away over the stove; this is pure freshness.

Farmers market onions and fresh sausage.

And now that we’re moving to a hotel for the next part of our stay, I’m a little sad. Cooking has been a joy in these mountain ranges, and I’m left with little doubt that my ultimate dream—renting a house on the Amalfi Coast—will one day become the cooking trip of a lifetime. 

Have you ever had one of those dream vacations? One where everything goes just right? It does happen, and lucky for me, it happened by chance.

I really needed a long weekend away. Without a second thought, I went with a tried and true hotel brand, who just happened to have a beachfront room available. My lucky streak has started off on the right foot.

There was a pinch-yourself-moment upon opening the hotel room door and a giddy feeling knowing I have just pleasantly surprised myself with my far superior booking skills. My oceanfront home for the next three days is the 9th floor at the Fort Lauderdale Marriott Pompano Beach Resort & Spa.

Relaxation was already settling in as made myself home in this modern and tastefully decorated, semi-suite style room. The wrap-around balcony features spacious lounge chairs, and I have already decided this will be permanent spot for the next few hours. My intentions are clear: listen to sounds of the rolling waves of the Atlantic and to finally read that book that has been sitting on my nightstand for the last year.

With an abundance of amenities, like a full-service spa, two pools, beachfront lounge chairs, incredible views and work out room (which I may or may not frequent depending on how good the book gets), it is making it very easy to fall in love with this hotel. There is a spacious casual outdoor dining area with bar, and a modern and contemporary restaurant inside the hotel known as McCoys.

While culinary planning is always at the forefront on any vacation planning, finding the balance between room service and the other dining areas is a learned skill. The secret is this: breakfast and dessert via room service, lunch outside near the pool and dinner downstairs at McCoy’s.

Speaking of room service:

Why leave the ninth floor—with its picture-perfect panoramic beach views—if you don’t have to? You are worth the splurg! Stay in, snuggle up on the balcony in a reclining lounge chair, and order room service. If you’re like me, picking a menu item will be the toughest choice you have to make all day.

Of all the delectable dishes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, the most noteworthy are the Crunchy French Toast (cornflake-crusted with strawberries, bananas and light syrup, at an amazingly low 495 calories) and the Best of Both Worlds dessert (a mixture of chocolate cake, chocolate mousse, crème brulee and raspberry coulis). Truly, the “best of both worlds,” is never having to leave this pampered suite while still experiencing mouth-watering cuisine and waterfront ambiance.

I finally put the book down and realized, it was time to really relax. Of course, that meant a trip to the hotel spa. For that true zen-like experience, I recommend the hot stone massage, facial and body scrub. After those long and relaxing treatments, sipping a frozen cocktail by the pool is the best way to reflect upon the sheer bliss you have just experienced. The hardest part of the day will be peeling yourself off of the lounge chair and deciding which sundress to don for dinner in the dining room.

While hotel restaurants sometimes come with a stigma, McCoy’s Oceanfront breaks the mold. They are using locally-sourced ingredients, but I mean really local, as in they have their own vertical urban farm on the property. McCoy’s is proud to focus on sustainable Florida seafood and other farm-to-fork options. Their bar game is strong and commendable, as well. The restaurant lounge pays homage to Prohibition-era cocktails that are handcrafted using fresh-pressed juices.

Here are just a few of the delectable and delicious dishes:

Warm Breaded Goat Cheese: Panko crusted, with petite salad, sherry vinaigrette, garlic crostini

Florida Pompano: Yukon potato, baby arugula, lemon-white wine, butter sauce, and a parsley leaf salad

Farro Risotto: Diver scallops, gulf shrimp, pancetta, sweet peas, oyster mushrooms, parmesean reggiano

Head back to the room to catch the sunset, enjoy watching the ships pass by and order that fabulous dessert via room service. Yes you can have it all. Can hardly wait to go back

www.pompanomarriott.com