|
Home
Canada
United
States
Add
Hotel
Articles
FAQ
/ Rules
Sweepstakes
Links
Contact
Tip
Jar
|
Find a B&B that Fits Your Personality
by Romantic Hotels
Regular
visitors to my site know I have a love/hate relationship with
B&B's. I wanted to stay at every new one I found, and yet many
times I was horribly disappointed or uncomfortable once there. I've
gotten B&B planning down to a science now, so avoid the mistakes
I've made by going over the following list before making that
reservation.
Personality
This is the biggest, so I'll list it first. Staying at a B&B is
much different than staying at a hotel or motel. You're in someone's
home, so it's important that your personality matches the mood of the
house.
What is the breakfast setup like? Are you an outgoing person who can
speak easily with strangers at breakfast? If you're at a B&B with a
small breakfast area where you'll be rubbing elbows with other
visitors, then this works for you. Or are you the quiet type, who
really wants to be left alone with your significant other? A B&B
that offers a private meal in your room would be a better match for you
then.
Are you a night owl when you go away? Do you head out to a restaurant,
then a show, and a nightclub afterwards? Does an early evening to you
mean being in bed before 3:00 AM? Find out what the B&B's policy is
on late nights. Some don't mind you coming and going at all hours,
others would prefer that you be indoors at a certain time as to not
disturb other visitors. Many times this is dependent on the size of the
home you'll be staying in. If you're in a smaller 4 bedroom Victorian
this might be the case. However, if you're staying in a larger old 10
bedroom mansion with a 24-hour front desk, it doesn't matter what time
you come in.
Do you smoke? There are almost no B&Bs in the US that will allow
you to smoke inside the home, but some will have a designated smoking
area. Find out where that is no matter what your smoking status. A room
with a balcony where you're permitted to smoke will be a blessing to
smokers, but a nuisance to a nonsmoker in the next room. A separate
area away from the home is more considerate to nonsmokers, but a hassle
for those who need that first cigarette before their feet hit the
floor. Finding out what the policy on smoking is before you make the
reservation will mean you won't be bothered by cigarette
withdrawal ~or~ someone else's smoke.
House layout
The materials used in building and restoring older homes plays a big
part in the amount of noise echoed by the home, as does the layout of
the bedrooms. Some older homes have walls so thick and rooms so far
apart you could have a marching band in there and not hear it from the
parlor. Other homes have bedrooms all in one area, and all you need do
is roll over in bed to set off a series of floorboard groans and
cracks. I don't want to hear the people in the next room, and I don't
want them to hear me. Find out in advance what the room-to-noise ratio
is for your comfort, and for the comfort of other visitors.
Research and phone calls
Your first stop in finding a B&B that matches your personality
would be a site like mine. See what others have said about staying
there, and visit the inn's own website. TheInnKeeper and TripAdvisor are other good places to read other people's experiences staying at a certain location.
Once you've done all your research, you absolutely must email or call
the inn directly to speak with the owner before making your
reservation. Ask as many questions from this article as you can, and
any others that match your own personality. Don't worry that you may be
wasting their time. Keep in mind, it's their home, and the last thing
they'd want is a visitor who would either clash with the mood of the
house, or post unpleasant comments about their stay on another website
afterwards. Ask about breakfast arrangements, pet and children policy,
nearby restaurants, nightlife and activities.. anything you can think
of.
Happy traveling!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Copyright 2004 Romantic Hotels
This article may be freely republished on your own website providing the following tag line is added:
Copyright (c) 2004 Romantic Theme Hotels <br>
View
the web's largest collection of affordable romantic and theme room
hotels. Hotel directory, travel sweepstakes, articles on romance and
travel, forum, links, and more! Visit <a
href=http://www.romantic-hotels.tk target="_blank" > Romantic Theme
Hotels </a>
|
