Bed & Breakfast - What Do you Think?

[Repo Man]

I have some friends who think I am strange because I think that Bed & Breakfats are creepy and I refuse to stay at them. I just don't like the idea of staying in someone elses home and having them cook for me. Maybe it is my dislike for all things "country-themed" but when I am traveling I want either a cabin, hotel room, or a campsite.

What do you guys think of B & Bs?

 

[donk]

I have only ever stayed in one and it was a great experience, but I don't think normal in the B&B world.

Here is the story of it.

Going to a bike race in early May, in Anse Ste Jean, Qubec, home of the picture on the old $1000 bill.

Part of our group had booked a B&B the rest of us planned on camping. it snowed and rained and 10 of use ended up stopping by our friends B&B to warm up. The owner took pity on us and said we could sleep on the floor in the living room for $5 each, we thought this was awesome. Then she cooked us breakfast and packed us lunches to take to the bike race. We got back and our laundry was done and homemade soup was on the stove. Then about 2 hours later her daughter and a group of friends show up. It turns out the owner called her daughter and told her that there was all these nice young men staying and that she should bring some friends up to have a good time.

The funniest thing about this were some of the other guests were there for "romantic" get aways and did not appreciate 14 college aged guys hanging out and being early 20's ish.

 

[jmf]

I think B&B's are great. To say that they are all 'country-themed' is going a bit far. Sure there are some which have that theme but lots don't. I stayed in one in Quebec City which was far from being 'country' in fact the accomodations were very urban styled. The talking parrot at breakfast added a bit too.

I don't think my trip to the UK would have been the same if not for B&Bs. They allow travellers to stay in smaller, sometimes very interesting, communities many of which don't have larger hotels/motels. The abundance of them also allows for my type of vacation which means I don't have to plan ahead I can just meander with no rush to get to the next destination.

Granted I do have a one major requirement in a B&B. A private bath! although in a smaller B&B (2-3 rooms) i will settle for shared tub/shower.

 

[BKM]

While jmf has some good points, I agree with jfortin, more. There are an awful lot of country cottage places, and I'm not very sociable, so having nice chit chat with the owners is a little. . . odd.

The real problem: cheapness. I am pretty much of the "give me a clean bed" school. Motel 6 cheapness all the way. Although, some B&Bs do offer competitive rates, many are pricier.

 

[kms]

For me, it depends on the timing of the stay. I'll stay one night in a B&B at the beginning of a trip, or for a 2 night stay. At the end of a trip, I want the anonymity of a motel room, where I can relax without having to make nice with people I don't know.

I do enjoy meeting interesting people outside of my little world. We stayed at a B&B in Lancaster, PA, and the owners were fabulous. Oddly enough, I hit it off with the husband, and my husband hit it off with the wife (they are our parents' age). The husband gave the guests a tour of his gardens, but it was obvious the tour was for me! We were like minded and had many interests and activities in common.

 

[Repo Man]

I guess that I feel that I can relax in a hotel room and I don't feel that would be the case in a B&B. The idea of a shared bathroom bothers me even more. All of the photos I have ever seen of accomidations in B&Bs creep me out.

 

[Cardinal]

I'll agree that I am sometimes creeped out by them, which is why I hardly stay in a B & B. I am good a making chit-chat with folks when I travel, but I tend not to want to spend more than 20 minutes or so doing it. After that I want to read, check out a map, make plans for the next day, etc. I like the anonymity of a hotel for that.

Cabins are a great way to stay. There you seem to have real privacy, and usually more amenities than a hotel room, although they tend to be more primitive.

Camping is also a favorite, provided it is not some crowded state park or KOA. I like small, primitive sites. The more remote they are, the better.

 

[Habanero]

I would prefer my own room and shower. I think the idea is nice, but I'm all for hotels. Maybe if I was in Ireland or something and getting to know some locals woudl be cool, but in the states.. nah, I'm just not morning person.

 

[Mud Princess]

I don't think my trip to the UK would have been the same if not for B&Bs. They allow travellers to stay in smaller, sometimes very interesting, communities many of which don't have larger hotels/motels. The abundance of them also allows for my type of vacation which means I don't have to plan ahead I can just meander with no rush to get to the next destination.

I agree. We went to Scotland a few years ago, and the only things we booked in advance were the flight and the rental car. The B&B system is fantastic over there. With a good map, we were able to drive from one place to another, selecting a B&B only after we had reached our destination. The people there were so nice, and very helpful.

Granted I do have a one major requirement in a B&B. A private bath! although in a smaller B&B (2-3 rooms) i will settle for shared tub/shower.

Yeah, I prefer the "en suite" rooms, myself. Usually it isn't that hard to find them.

Generally, we try to stay in B&Bs (or small inns) whenever we can. They are much homier than chain motels and often cheaper than the resort and chain hotels. And, you don't have to search for someplace to get breakfast.

Not all the B&Bs require you to engage in extended conversation with the hosts and/or other guests. It really depends on how large they are.

 

[jmf]

My absolute favorite place to stay is a rustic 'resort' in southwestern Nova Scotia. It is only about 20 mins from a National park but once I am at Milford I hardly ever leave.

In the late 1800s the main house (rebuilt after a fire a cuple years ago) was a stagecoach stop which evolved into some overnight accomodation. This area of NS was very popular for hunting and fishing trips. The cabins were built in the 10s and 20s by individuals on a peninsula on a lake, as those people stopped coming they sold the cabins to the landowner. When he wanted to retire, almost the whole thing was bought by a group of shareholders who still own the property.

My mom went there as a kid and so did I. The cabins are VERY rustic. Expect to see a mouse or a squirrel on the inside, especially on cold night if you have a fire on. There are no phones, radios or TVs in the cabins. The main lodge doesn't even have a TV. There are mo locks on the cabin doors which is strange to many people but completely unneccessary.

Breakfast and dinner are served in the main lodge, they used to serve very plain, but good meals, but now things are getting a little fancier. Every cabin has a dock and you can rent a canoe, or bring your own. There is no pool but the lakes are great for swimming.

It is a great place to just relax. It doesn't matter if it is raining (there is well-stocked library inthe lodge) or if it is the hottest week in the summer (plenty of beaches).

 

[biscuit]

Cabins are by far my favorite away from home place to stay and is as close to camping as I get these days (my fiance refuses to go primative tent camping with me). For the past two years we've meet up with friends from Richmond in Montross, Va where we stay in rustic cabins at a state park and attend a tour and tasting (aka "drinkfest with cheese") at a nearby winery. It's a great time and, excluding all the wine, makes for an on the cheap mini-vacation.

I don't mind a B&B for one night, two at the most. It's good for the romantic and friendly atmosphere, but I tire of that after a couple of days. I can understand the feeling that B&B's are creepy. The last one I stayed at was the Stone House Inn in Farmington, PA, an 18th century structure on the old National Road Rt. 40. Nice place but it was haunted - didn't sleep much at all and left promptly the next morning, forgoing our second night.

 

[Tranplanner]

Generally, I like B&B's. I've stayed at some nice ones, and some iffy ones. English B&B's seem to be on a different level from North America...I think it's a more accepted form of accommodation.

My wife does not like B&B's very much. Of course, I didn't find that out until we showed up at the one I had booked for us in Montreal a few years back. Oops! She was a trooper though and stuck it out for the weekend.

I'm in between on the socialising-with-the-owner thing. It's nice at breakfast - especially if you don't know the area and are looking for things to do. But in the evening, I really just want to retire to my room and read/watch TV/relax.

 

[Queen B]

My husband and I were married in a B&B. It was recently built so all the plumbing and such allowed for private baths. It is a grand newly built Victorian structure with beautiful woodwork.

The nice thing about the wedding was that they took care of ALL the plans. We just had to show up with our clothes and for one fee everything else was taken care of. I would highly recommend it over the chaos of a regular wedding.

 

[Jeff]

They are all over where my parents live Cape May, NJ but I've never stayed in one. It just seems too weird to me. I'd like to come and go when I please, eat whatever, whenever, and just chill out in the hotel. A B&B would be like staying in a strangers house to me...

 

[nerudite]

There are two types of B&Bs in my mind. The ones where they are more like "inns" and aren't someone's actual home are okay. Staying in someone's home I don't know and using their bathroom and stuff kind of wigs me out a bit. I think I like more privacy when I'm on vacation... I think having sex when the owner is in the room next door would feel too much like being at my mom's house.

 

[NHPlanner]

B&B's rock. My wife and I stayed at 3 different ones during our honeymoon in Novia Scotia and PEI. Very romantic, charming, and impeccable (sp?) service!

 

[Jeff]

... I think having sex when the owner is in the room next door would feel too much like being at my mom's house.

Leave it to you to totally bring a decent discussion down to the gutter...

 

[pete-rock]

I guess that I feel that I can relax in a hotel room and I don't feel that would be the case in a B&B. The idea of a shared bathroom bothers me even more. All of the photos I have ever seen of accomidations in B&Bs creep me out.

I've never stayed at a B&B for the simple reason that it seems you're paying someone to be your aunt and uncle in a place where you have no family.

 

[nerudite]

Leave it to you to totally bring a decent discussion down to the gutter...

I'll take that as a compliment.

 

[Chet]

We stayed at one at the '96 Olympics. It was nice, but we were in a separate guest house on the property, and just went to the main house for meals and social hours. I liked it and would do it again.

 

[Planderella]

Our zoning regs prohibit B&B owners from cooking for their guests. The most they can serve is a continental breakfast and the accommodations must be attached to the house......no separate guest houses or anything.

I like the concept in the sense that you can help pay your mortgage or whatever, but then the thought of having potentially creepy people stay in my house is not appealing.

 

[Repo Man]

I like the concept in the sense that you can help pay your mortgage or whatever, but then the thought of having potentially creepy people stay in my house is not appealing.

My feeling is just the opposite, as I think that someone who would invite strangers to stay and eat in their house on a regular basis is creepy.

 

[Mastiff]

I live next to one, run by two older gay men (NTTAWWT), and I'm reserving judgement until I really see how they do...

It's for sale, too...