Hi,
We are taking a driving vacation from Wisconsin to Maine next month. The couple we are traveling with want to stay in bed & breakfasts. I've only stayed in hotels in the past and never stayed in a bed & breakfast. Are there any that are highly recommended in WI, IL, IN, OH, PA, NY, CT, NH, or ME? The couple we are traveling with says it saves money because B&B's cost less then hotels and you also get a great breakfast. I am somewhat skeptical. Could anyone give me some advice.

Thanks for your help

Many people adore B&B's, others can't stand them. They vary so much, you need to ask more questions than at hotels.

If you want a private bath, be sure to ask about that; if you want a private bath that actually opens off your room, rather than a bath that's down the hallway but exclusively for your use, be sure to ask. If you want a fabulous breakfast, rather than just a basic continental breakfast of beverages and baked goodies, be sure to ask. If you have pet allergies (or fears) and would rather not have a cat swirling around your legs while you eat breakfast, be sure to ask. If you want to be sure that a specific convenience, such as a TV or cable TV, is available in your room, be sure to ask.

Another thing to consider is that most "highly recommended" B&B's are going to be expensive, often much more so than a hotel room.

I only have one recommendation in the states you listed. It's been a while but we enjoyed our stay at the Beal House Inn in Littleton, New Hampshire.

I love B&Bs. They are a very personal experience and often give you a good sense of the area by staying with people who actually live there.

Where in CT & NY will you be? I could give recommendations if I know where in the state you will be.

In Cedarburg, WI, DH and I really enjoyed the Cedarburg Inn. Although it's been 10 years since we've been there, so I would check Trip Advisor and a B&B site or guide to see if it's still around/ good.

I tend to agree that highly recommended B&B's, which offer great breakfasts do not necessarily cost less than a hotel. However it may be a better value. I frequently stay at B&B's and find the accomodations can be more comfortable and the extras quite nice. Be sure to know the breakfast details and how that works for you. For instance some places offer only one seating time at a communal table. Others, have a dining room set up with individual tables and a general time frame (e.g. 8-10 am).

One place I would highly recommend in Ohio is in the southern part of the state, which may not fit into your itinerary:

The Inn at Cedar Falls. It offers cabins as well as traditional rooms.

Prior to having children my wife & I only stayed in B & B's or Inns. Check out www.bbonline.com & www.bedand breakfast.com. Once you get some specific areas in mind, I may be able to help. Particularly in Oh, Pa, In. & Ky. They are very varied from very high end properties w/gourmet breakfasts to very basic places to stay. I would suggest selcting a few & coming back for additional input. Or at the very least, select some areas you wish to stay in. Syd is correct on the Inn @ Cedar Falls, we'll be staying there again this year, over XMas.

ktyson - I agree with Anonymous that you need to ask questions, questions and more questions. With hotels/motels, you pretty much know what you're getting. With B&B's each one differs. My hubby and I stayed in 2 when we visited Maine last May. We had never stayed in one before and I wanted to try it out. The first one I didn't do enough research on and we got a room at the top floor (3 flights of stairs and all that luggage!)no television (which we would have liked) and the bathroom would have been shared had the room next door had an occupant. But, the breakfast the next morning was wonderful! and the host & his wife were great with local info and letting us in on the secrets of Portland. The second B&B had more accomodations, including a tv, and we were very pleased, but my hubby and I felt like we were staying in someone else's grandma's house and weren't entirely comfortable. We prefer the hotels/motels where I guess you could say the 'help' is more on the less intrusive side. haha Either way, I recommend staying in a B&B and making a decision on your own. I'll also point out that these two B&Bs were actually more expensive than the hotels we stayed in. But if you like that personal service and you like chit-chatting with complete strangers, then B&Bs are for you! Have a great trip!

Hi Ktyson (apparent fellow cheesehead?)

You mention that this is a driving vacation. Speaking just for me, when I am on the road, in late and out early, I prefer a Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn Express, something along that line. At those times I am not looking for local info and charm, just efficiency and convenience to the road, (maybe a pool to relax a bit after the drive)and I don't always know where I will stop.

Perhaps you and your friends could reseach a really interesting place to stay at a point where you will have a few nights, and want to feel a little more homey and local. If this is going to be your first time you want it to be great!

There are some pretty good B&B guides out there - I think Karen Brown has some good recommendations, and you can spend a couple hours at the bookstore checking other sources.

Have fun! Go Badgers!

Next month, be prepared for possible SNOW, of course!

We love B&B's and have stayed in a number of them.

In midcoast Newcastle, Maine, we stayed in "The Tipsy Butler" this spring and it was wonderful. Only a few rooms, but they have reasonable rates (wethought), very nice beds, TV and A/C (A/C not needed next month I'm sure!), parlor, lobsters nearby on the dock at Shaw's or elsewhere, etc. The innkeeper is wonderful and makes lovely breakfasts (a plus in B&B's), too.

In CT, we found a place called "High Meadow Farm", in Wallingford, CT, close to the town (which has several restaurants, etc.) but maybe 400 feet or more off the road, quiet, nice rooms, etc. Also reasonable. (We paid $125 for a suite that had it's own bathroom, and a separate TV/sofa sitting room as well as a king size bed.) Small, though, so book early.

I suggest you check either of these places (or others) on line.

Good luck -- and enjoy!

Vermonter

I agree with what's been said. I think in order for people to help we need to know more specifically your route, your budget and how long you plan to stay in each area. If it's just an overnight in each of the places til you get to Maine, I would do the accomodation picking on an individual location basis. In some towns there may be a nicer b & b than a hotel. In others the reverse. It doesn't have to be all one or the other.

We usually prefer "country inns" to B&Bs. A country inn would be a small hotel that serves breakfast. All the rooms have their own bathrooms (sharing bathrooms - ugh). You're more likely to find charming regional ambiance in a country inn than in a regular hotel. Plus, they are big enough that you don't feel like you're staying in someone's extra bedroom.

Hi,
Thanks to everyone for all your help. Some of you asked for the route, and this is just tentative. Our plan is to leave southeastern WI then drive through IL, IN, OH, PA, and NJ then up the coast to ME. We thought it would be a much more beautiful trip if we drive up the coast through NJ, CT, RI, and finally ME.

If anyone has any suggestions on B&B's along the coast please let me know. We are also looking for B&B's in northern IL, IN, and OH.



My idea of a B&B was that it is similar to a hotel, but in addition you get a great breakfast. Thanks to all of you who advised me to ask questions. I assumed all B&B's had private baths, but that is obviously not the case.

Thanks
Kathy

Two good resources are about.com where they have a bed & breakfast area including a forum, and bedandbreakfast.com. They also have a forum with experts to help you gather information. Another good resource is the state association of innkeepers for each state you are interested in. Just google bed & breakast association and the state name and if they have one it will come up. They should be very helpful. I do have a b&b but in Florida. You will find that the majority of urban area inns now have private baths and lots of other amenities such as wireless Internet, TV's/DVD/CD's, etc... Most will have wonderful linens, clean bedspreads, plush towels, robes, great soaps and other bath amenities.....great breakfast too, and often late afternoon snacks. You should ask some questions though to make sure it suits your taste. A lot can be told by a good website though!

Kathy, you want more of an inn than a B&B.

Inns are typically larger with much better amenities.