Del.icio.us
Digg
Facebook
Furl
Google
Reddit
Stumbleupon
Y! MyWebCouple gets a sweet deal on anniversary
Sunday, September 28, 2008
As the battle of the economy continues, Bob and Pat Gilbert of Wilmington are still celebrating a real bargain they found in the windy city of Chicago.
A year ago the two saw a report in the Dayton Daily News that piqued their interest.
On Friday, Sept. 26 Pat explained, "This story told of a couple who honeymooned at the Palmer House in Chicago, and were given a penthouse suite to celebrate a 60th anniversary. The hotel had given them the same price of their first stay at the hotel 60 years earlier."
To get the special price of $10 the couple had to furnish the Palmer House management with the original copy of the receipt from 60 years before.
"Well, Bob and I too honeymooned at the Palmer House after we were married 53 years ago," Pat said. "The first thing I thought about was a cardboard box I kept in our attic."
She said she located the box. "It was full of honeymoon stuff has been moved each time we changed homes," Pat said. "It went from attic to attic, but I was able to find it."
She found post cards and stationary from the Palmer House, and little pieces of memorabilia from their wedding and honeymoon visit to Chicago in 1955.
"At the very bottom of the box I found the hotel receipt," she said. "We paid $12.50 a night, for three nights, and it was stamped right on the paper. The receipt was in mint condition."
The Gilberts, who lived in Kettering and Beavercreek, raised a son, John, who is 52 and a daughter, Gail, who is 50. Bob is retired from his engineering position with General Motors and Pat worked for many years as assistant personal gardener for Marie Aull, the late matriarch of Aullwood Farms.
Now they live in Wilmington, on two wooded acres that they say was hard hit by the recent wind storm of 2008. "We are naturalizing our farm with native plants," Bob said.
When they discovered the receipt from the honeymoon, the Gilberts called Ken Price, the public relations director for the Palmer House.
After several calls, and forwarding a copy of their original bill, the Gilberts were told by Price that the 137-year-old hotel has been offering this to former guests since 1925, but customers have taken advantage of the offer only 11 times in the last 25 years.
"Our anniversary was on Jan. 22 and we got on a plane and flew to Chicago," Pat said. "We were given an elaborate suite on the 22nd floor of the hotel for three nights at our original price of $12.50 a night. We were told the suite would go for at least $700 to $1,200 a night in a normal situation."
She said, "The hotel folks were most kind, and champagne, strawberries, and chocolate awaited us on a full size dining room table as we entered the suite. There were windows on three sides and we could see the beautiful landscape of Chicago, and the Sears Tower that wasn't even built when we were there on our honeymoon."
The Gilberts retraced the steps they had taken 53 years ago.
"We had seen a Broadway production of 'The King and I' with Yul Brynner on our original trip. This time we went to the Cadillac Theatre to see saw 'My Fair Lady','' Pat said.
For the Gilberts, the return trip to the Palmer House 53 years later was "the icing on the cake for us."
Pat added, "How fortunate Bob and I are to be happily married all these years and in good health, and getting a chance for a very special second honeymoon."
Dale Huffman wants your suggestions and story ideas. He'd like to share a story about you, your family, or a friend. This column is for you. Send e-mail to dhuffman@DaytonDailyNews.com or write to Dale at 1611 S. Main St. Dayton, OH 45409. Fax: (937) 225-2489. Phone: (937) 225-2272.
