Laguna Beach 4/3/2008 1:00:00 PM
Don't be Fooled, Stay at a True Bed and Breakfast Inn
A fancy bed and breakfast for two? Hotel chains want you to think that providing that morning meal will turn your stay at their hotel into a bed and breakfast experience. All that's missing from your hotel stay is beautiful unique surroundings in an historic building. Oh, and also complimentary snacks and beverages, free wireless Internet service, delicious homemade breakfasts, the chance to meet other travelers and an innkeeper who doesn't treat you like a room number. At I Love Inns (www.ILoveInns.com) we know that it takes more than a free plastic-wrapped muffin to get that true B&B feeling. A stay at one of these inns guarantees personalized service in a special atmosphere of romance. Allow the innkeepers to share their thoughts...
Beautiful Beds in Fernandina Beach, Florida
We've all heard about the celestial beds available at the luxury hotel chains, but bed and breakfast inns have long known that beautiful beds, comfortable mattresses and soft, pressed linens are de rigueur when 'bed' is one-half of your business. The Amelia Island Williams House in Fernandina Beach, Florida features a canopied wrought iron bed, a Victorian King bed of English mahogany, and an 1850s French camelback walnut King bed that has been featured in National Geographic Traveler. No boring hotel beds here! As innkeeper Deborah McCutchen says, 'We offer great beds and a free gourmet breakfast on fine china by candlelight. We offer conversation, hospitality, care and intimacy that no hotel can recreate.'
Guests are Flocking to Glendale, Arizona
Owner Teresa Seabrook at the Glendale Gaslight Inn says, “The bottom line is that by nature, hotels cannot offer the unique and diverse experience that a true bed and breakfast inn can offer.” This inn offers lunch, tea, a wine bar and live jazz music in addition to the traditional breakfast – many of the conveniences of a full-service hotel but with the personalized attention that you can only encounter at a bed and breakfast. Take that service to the next level and allow Teresa to consult with you on having your wedding, event or small conference at the Inn – you may never consider using a hotel again!
Hospitality and Character in New York's Finger LakesThe Morgan Samuels Inn B&B in Canandaigua, New York offers tranquility and exquisitely furnished guest rooms and common areas. Breakfasts are served by candlelight at this beautiful 1810 mansion on a magnificent estate. You can live in a little bit of history while visiting the local wineries for a legendary experience in upstate New York. Innkeeper Brad Smith says, “... a hotel is still a hotel and the intimacy, hospitality, and character of a B&B or country inn will be missing. The personal attention, great food and overall atmosphere of a B&B, in my opinion, will never be duplicated.”
Rooms with a Theme in central Pennsylvania
Innkeeper Liz at the Plum Pudding Inn in Elysburg, Pennsylvania loves to welcome guests to her bed and breakfast and encourages gathering for afternoon tea in the parlor by the fire. Extra services abound here, including flexible cancellation policies and made-to-order breakfasts which take into account your special dietary needs. Liz feels “a B&B conjures up the warmth of family, friends, and, overall, life is happy and good enough to be shared joyfully with others!” Guests at the Inn take note of Liz's exceptional hostess skills and her hearty breakfasts served with dollops of laughter – hard to come by in a hotel setting.
Rated Number One in Galena, Illinois
You don't get to be the number-one rated bed and breakfast in Galena, Illinois (by Tripadvisor contributors) without providing great customer service to every guest that walks in your front door. The Farmers Guest House, renovated in 2001, is located on Artist's Row in the heart of the town, and owner/innkeeper Kathie Farlow knows how to pay attention to the details that make guests want to return over and over. A full breakfast is served every morning, and wine and cheese – accompanied by stories and conversation – are offered at 'wine time' every evening. Kathie says “a hotel could never provide the one-on-one interaction with guests that innkeepers provide... an innkeeper is up on the history of their homes and the city.”
Still undecided? Log onto www.iloveinns.com and browse through the 19,000 B&Bs and country inns that specialize in other events and locations that may interest you. Many of the properties listed above are also in the best-selling bed and breakfast guidebook Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns with a Buy-One-Night-Get-One-Night-Free Certificate. ILoveInns also offers Bed and Breakfast Gift Certificates, a perfect solution to help celebrate any occasion.
About American Historic Inns and iLoveInns.com
American Historic Inns, Inc. (www.iloveinns.com), founded in 1981, is the leading publisher of bed & breakfast guidebooks, with more than 2.5 million bed & breakfast guidebooks sold, and runs iLoveInns.com, a top bed & breakfast and country inns directory.
Note: For photos or interviews, please contact Deborah Sakach at 949-497-2232, ext. 308.