SANIBEL CAPTIVA ACTIVITIES
To B&B or Not to B&B -- You Decide
From chintz to hot chocolate, from mountain retreat
to urban oasis, where do you want to B&B? Long the mainstay
of European travelers, the bed and breakfast options stateside have
expanded to include hostelries with hospitality for folks from their
honeymoon through their golden wedding anniversary.
Who should be looking for a B&B?
When you're drooling over web pages purveying Jacuzzis
built for two, it is easy to assume that a bed and breakfast inn
is the perfect site for a night of romance. And, you'd be right.
But bed and breakfast inns have a lot to offer the business traveler.
Women executives who are safety conscious will
rest easy at most bed and breakfasts where the small staff and personal
attention assure that you'll feel secure. Helen Price at Charlotte's
Morehead Inn is justifiably proud of the "at home feeling"
she provides via "Downy-scented pillowcases, complimentary
soft drinks, tea, and coffee, and convenient cards placed on the
pillow providing the next day's forecast and menu."
"We like to know our guests," Price says.
"We know if they want diet coke for breakfast or need their
hometown local news on the television. We have one gentleman who
says 'Hi, mom. I'm home' whenever he comes back."
Most American bed and breakfasts are sited in scenic
or historic areas that tend to be safe for solo rambles after work.
The guests of the Morehead Inn review menus from area restaurants
before going out to dinner. "We even have printed driving directions
complete with 'plan a' and 'plan b' to guide guests safely to common
destinations." Price adds, "We try to adapt to the needs
of our guests."
Diane Sheiry of the Asheville area Waverly Inn
says, "We have every sort of guest you can imagine - from week-day
corporate travelers to weekend romantics. We have business people
who use us whenever they are in the area and a truck driver who
lives less than an hour away who returns with his wife every year
for their anniversary." Diane clears up a common miscomprehension
about bed and breakfasts --- while the service is elite, the guests
are all types of folks.
The Waverly Inn and other Asheville area bed and
breakfasts offer an array of weekend activities, from themed "murder
weekends" where guests role play and solve a "crime,"
to combination packages with Flat Rock Playhouse or Biltmore Estates.
What if you're "Suzy Social" and your
spouse is "Harry the Hermit"?
A bed and breakfast may offer the more gregarious
partner a chance to mix and mingle during evening socials, relaxing
in a common lounge, or rocking on the porch. The introverted part
of the pair can retreat to the room and read or simply watch the
view. Diane points out that, "Often during a theme weekend
one spouse is eager to participate while the other one wants to
relax in solitary splendor. We've arranged things so that both of
them will have a great stay. No one feels forced to participate."
Innkeepers are a friendly lot, and are usually
happy to tell you all about their inn's services and structure.
If you hate sharing a breakfast table with strangers, ask how the
dining room is laid out. Alternatively, if part of the pleasure
is meeting other guests, ask about inn-clusive social events.
What if you want to celebrate - or re-kindle romance?
Bed and breakfast rooms with their individual décor
and special touches --- two-person tubs, four-poster beds, baskets
of freshly baked cookies and other available goodies can spark fires.
In fact, some bed and breakfasts have rooms with their own fireplaces
to do just that.
You can often see the rooms on the web before you
book. You'll find canopy beds, amazing views and cozy retreats.
What if you are a fast frequent flyer?
An overnight stay before a flight might not be
the best time to try a bed and breakfast. If you are checking in
at 8 p.m. and you'll be out again by 9 a.m. you may do well to book
a room as close to the airport as possible.
If you need facilities for a large business meeting
you may be better served by one of the upscale chains that caters
to crowds in excess of one hundred.
. . . married with children?
Maybe or maybe not a B&B. Many bed and breakfasts
are designed with families in mind --- you'll find suites of rooms
sharing a bath or large rooms with singles tucked away in the corner.
Check with the innkeeper to see if the bed and
breakfast you're interested in is suited for kids. Be aware that
relaxing is not a big priority for the pre-adult crowd. If you are
going to bed and breakfast with your young ones choose a location
with enough daytime activities to wear them out.
If you are looking to be laid back in a locale
that doesn't have a wealth of kid-friendly attractions, you might
want to consider a chain hotel with a pool. Save the weekend at
a bed and breakfast for the two of you.
. . . a bicycle built for one?
Whether you travel for business or pleasure you'll
find the personal attention at a bed and breakfast makes you feel
at home as you roam. Single tourists will usually find a lot of
local information about tours and sights so that they can make the
most of their time alone.
Do you party hearty?
If you're looking for life in the fast lane or
eager to invite your 20new best friends back to your room for one
more round, you'll prefer a huge hotel with an in-house bar. However,
when you meet your one and only and are ready to retire or you want
a break from endless partying, a bed and breakfast might be your
haven.
by Diane Goldberg
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