Monday, August 1, 2011

Bed and Breakfast: Fabulous...or...not so much.

B&B's are wonderful alternatives to the typical hotel chain.  Some of my favorite accommodations are B&B's.  I do want to add one caveat though.  They are not all fabulous. 

  • On one business trip I chose a "Premier" B&B in the historic section of Nashville.  The home was gorgeous and the owner a gourmet chef...and a perv.  My co-worker commented that we were probably safer in a crack house. 
  • The "Upscale" B&B I was unfortunate enough to visit in Joplin, MO was as creepy as the owners.  A renovated old schoolhouse (which admittedly sounds very different and cool) was not worth a second night and an early departure was in order. 

On the other hand there are some fabulous B&B's.  My favorites:

Choctow Lodge B&B  Near Seaside, FL this gorgeous property consists of 2 homes and a boat house on the river.  The homes have 2 bedrooms and so are very economical when compared to a hotel.  The owners are fascinating and accommodating.  In the evening they lit a bonfire and joined our group for a glass of wine.  Before breakfast we were taken on a boat trip down the river to places I would have never in my life seen.  A return trip is definitely in order here.

Lee House B&B Inn  In downtown historic Pensacola, FL this beautiful inn is worth a look.  I took a tour but unfortunately it was outside my corporate travel budget.  For personal travel, I would absolutely stay here. 

Heron House Guest Suites  In gorgeous Anacortes, WA this home on the Puget Sound provides incredible views, upscale but comfortable accommodations and the best breakfast I have ever had. 

B&B Tip #1: "Victorian" typically means a lot of lace, dried flowers, and character. It can also mean a lot of baby dolls, back lit wedding dresses on headless mannequins, and the occasional Merry-go-round horse.

B&B Tip #2: "Upscale" and "Premier" mean nothing.

B&B Tip #3: Read the reviews prior to staying. Unlike hotel chains where you see consistency, B&B's are individually owned and there is wide variation. Some are just rooms for rent, (not always a bad thing) and others have very unique characteristics.

I am sure there are other really great bed and breakfasts.  I recommend thorough research and please take the time to read the reviews.  Call ahead, owners typically don't appreciate walk ins.  Get a sense of the place from the owner prior to your visit.  If it doesn't sound great, don't go.

Tell me about your favorite B&B...or your least favorite.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

You so hit the nail on the head about all bed&brekafast inns not being great! TripAdvisor can be helpful if you look at the negative reviews.

I haven't stayed at the ones you mentioned in your post - but I DID find a delightful one in Charleston South Carolina called 'Governor's House Inn'.

And a nightmare in Chadds Ford, PA. called 'Hamanassett' that was totally different than their website. Ugh. Yuck.

I love travel things. Have a whole section about it on my site.

Am going to add you to my links - and hopefully we can compare notes:)

btw - thanks for visiting my blog today - and GOOD LUCK on the $300 amazon.com gift card giveaway!

Sandee said...

I've never stayed in a B&B and really don't want to. I'd much rather stay in a hotel with a nice bar and restaurant. I'm not one to do communal breakfast or dinner with people I don't know. Just my two cents.

Have a terrific day. :)