When to Choose a Bed & Breakfast
By Sharon Tillman, innkeeper
There are more lodging choices than ever now. And access to booking is completely different than even 10 years ago. Pick up your favorite device and ask, “Find lodging near me.” Whoa.
With so many choices and so much information being sent to the palm of your hand, how does today’s traveler decide when to click ‘Book Now?’
With all there is to consider, it usually comes down to one thing for me – why am I going where I am going.
Is this a business trip and all I will do is check-in, work, and check-out? Then a hotel is fine. Give me the anonymity of a chain hotel in a well-lit, safe neighborhood and I am good to go, especially when traveling solo. It’s a bonus if there is a bar/restaurant right there. (A B&B is a good choice for business travel — really!)
Am I traveling with my entire brood, heading to the beach or mountains for a fun-filled vacation? I love a house or condo rental where we can spread out and (maybe) cook a few meals in. Multiple bedrooms and bathrooms with space for kids to hang out and parents to relax. I am so there. Whispering Breeze Guest House is our answer to the short-term rental folks!
But, when the occasion is special, the lodging should be, too. This is when I prefer a traditional Bed & Breakfast over anything else. Whether it’s a romantic get-away, special event, or time away with my best buds, I want to stay someplace that offers excellent service, a unique experience, and the comforts of home, only better.
I love a space where I can sit and unwind with my husband/friends, just not in a cookie-cutter lobby or perched on the end of a double bed with a plastic cup of warm white balanced on my knee. Give me a beautifully decorated living room or a private patio.
A bonus is getting a taste of the local culture and the innkeeper’s personality just by looking at the décor. Local art, handmade crafts and personal items can often be found in inns. And because inns have fewer rooms – and fewer guests -- you are not competing for seating in the common areas.
Since the other B is for Breakfast I know I’ll be sitting down to my morning coffee without the U14 travel soccer team wandering around in sleep pants. It’s grown-up time. And, depending on the inn, maybe I’m in sleep pants and its’s ok! Even though some hotels offer breakfast, nothing beats being served a well-prepared meal on real plates with great conversation.
What else does the real B&B stay offer that a hotel or a rental can’t? Highly personalized service and a unique experience.
Traveling to celebrate a milestone – birthday, anniversary, engagement, or other big life event? Let the innkeeper know. They will often help you make your stay even more special by planning or booking excursions, securing dinner reservations, and even helping you surprise your partner with flowers and candy. Going above and beyond is what the hospitality business is all about, and professional innkeepers have this market cornered.
Looking for a unique experience? When you stay at Georges on York, you are staying in the home of a Civil War (asst) surgeon. Staying in a B&B is an immersive experience that you take with you when you leave. It’s unique and memorable and adds to the journey. Your innkeeper will be a fount of knowledge about the area, too. It’s the ultimate in traveling like a local.
You, me, we all have lots of choices when we travel. Just open your favorite device and the world is there. I like to look past the obvious and find the unique, the one-of-a-kind. For me staying in a bed & breakfast is part of my life’s journey.
To make it part of yours, book now at Georges on York B&B. Experience the crossroads of Carroll, Frederick and Adams County and all the region has to offer.