About

A romantic room for two in a historic home, aglow with the patina of lovingly restored antiques, the gleam of silver and the scent of fresh-baked cinnamon rolls. Add a sumptuous homemade breakfast served each morning in a common dining area, and you have the image most people have of what a bed and breakfast is like.

B&Bs are a great way to stay in an interesting part of the country without spending the money it would take to stay at a hotel or resort. They also offer a more intimate experience than a chain hotel, and the proprietors of many B&Bs are experts on the attractions of their regions. Proprietors often host scheduled activities for guests to help them make the most of their stays, and you can usually get a lot of local advice for eating, sightseeing and other things to do from the hosts.

Most B&Bs do not have a pool or other amenities you might expect to find at a hotel, but they make up for it in the extra services they provide. Most serve a home-cooked breakfast each morning, and many have afternoon refreshments and evening cocktails for guests to enjoy. These are usually included in the room rate, and they can range from frosty glasses of iced tea or lemonade on a hot summer day to cups of cocoa after sleigh rides or skiing.

Your location can have a huge impact on your rates as well, especially if you’re located in a popular tourist or business destination. A B&B in a scenic town on the coast, for example, will typically be able to charge higher prices than one that’s tucked away out of the way in a residential neighborhood.