At this point in the winter, we all deserve a little getaway. And if a tropical destination vacay isn’t in the cards for you, the least you deserve is a short & sweet staycation — better yet, at Mere Hotel in Winnipeg!

I’m just gonna admit it. Despite spending a week in Mexico this winter, I was still in desperate need of another little getaway. Winter in this city does not seem to want to end, and it’s been a very stressful couple weeks —mostly due to my university courses. With this, Nico and I decided a short staycation at Mere Hotel in Winnipeg was just what the doctor ordered.

THE HOTEL

Beyond the brightly coloured pipes that make up the exterior of the trendy & recognizable Mere Hotel, the boutique hotel sits right downtown in the Exchange District. It’s a quaint but modern hotel with the catchphrase: pure & simple describing exactly what you get. Pure & simple luxury.

Upon arrival to our modern room, I couldn’t help but notice all the amenities: luxuriously soft bedding, plush bathrobes, a coffee nook equipped with a Nespresso machine, luxurious Molton Brown toiletries in the spacious bathroom, and a stocked-with-snacks mini fridge. Can you say heaven??? I honestly felt like I had left the city and was away on holiday someplace new.

If only we had a little longer to stay in the morning, I would have loved to do a workout at the in-hotel gym but unfortunately I had an event I had to make it to early in A.M. — OK, maybe there is a slight downside to your “vacation” being in your city. But on the upside, it doesn’t have to totally change all your weekend plans!

THE AREA

I absolutely adore downtown Winnipeg, and the location of Mere couldn’t be better for exploring the city. With it’s close proximity to both The Forks and The Exchange District, there’s no shortage of things to do within walking distance. We spent a couple hours walking around The Exchange, shopping in the boutiques before having dinner at Peasant Cookery. And did I mention the hotel is right on the river? As in the prettiest winter wonderland views with light streaming in the big windows in the morning. My kind of heaven.

To make your stay even more enjoyable, they even have courtesy bicycles that you can use to ride around on while exploring. I’d LOVE to do this in the spring or fall once the snow’s all gone. They’re also pet friendly — so you can assume we obviously regretted not bringing Abby for the trip. But good to know for next time!

WHY YOU NEED A STAYCATION

So you may be asking, “why the need to spend the night at a hotel in your own city?”. Well let me tell ya, getting outside of your everyday rut to have a change in space and visuals can be SO relaxing and reenergizing. It’s so nice to just breakaway from your usual routine, or date night, and be somewhere new! Nico and I seem to always end up doing work during our “relaxing evenings”, but staying at Mere forced us to put the work to the wayside, and actually enjoy a night away from reality and responsibilities — without having to leave the city and commit to an entire weekend away.

If you need a break from reality, a place to reset your creativity and bring you some motivation, I highly recommend you treat yourself to a staycation at Mere Hotel Winnipeg!

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