Lovers partial to the heavy hand of history can now spend their first night of married bliss in the company of Saddam Hussein’s ghost.

That’s after Babil Governorate decided the appropriate use of the late Iraqi dictator’s palatial suite would be as a bedroom for hire for couples on their honeymoon.

For just 200,000 Iraqi Dinars – roughly $180 – couples can enjoy a night surrounded by the lavish splendor that once defined the close quarters of the most infamous leader in recent history.

But despite the Governorate’s revenue boosting plan, couples were not immediately impressed.

“To sleep in the same bed that perhaps Saddam Hussein himself slept on, this would be strange and impossible,” one Iraqi couple told Asharq Alawsat on their way to a more down-to-earth honeymoon location in Syria.

So to help the Babil tourism board make the best out of its scheme, Down Muez i Diin Street blog today asked its readers to suggest sweeteners and add-ons to encourage future newly weds to book up the late Mr Hussein’s favorite suite.

To add to the romance, how’s about a free courtesy call from Dick Cheney, or a signed pin-up poster of Donald Rumsfeld.

Keeping on the romantic theme, some couples might be entertained by a courtesy copy of the DVD, Hard War 7: Military tactics for defeating Super Powers against the odds.

Other ideas for Babil officials to chew on include

• a complimentary copy of the Ba’ath party’s founding literature
• a free revolver for couples to take away as a souvenir
• a give-away set of Tarik Aziz cigars in sealed leather pouch

Send in your idea or tweet @gweyman.