Recently this bit of backwards thinking about Bed and Breakfast Inns was published in Bon Appetit:

The CEO of the Professional Association of Innkeepers International gave “The Foodist” a rather thorough education:

“While I appreciate Mr. Knowlton’s classic criticisms of B&Bs, the provincial nature of his commentary is akin to someone saying that all food editors are snobbish, self-aggrandizing, know-it-alls. But we know that just isn’t true, right Andrew? If one just opens his or her eyes, the B&B industry in 2013 is not what it was in 1983. Are there some properties that do it the old-fashioned way? Yes. But you’ve reduced your analysis of the B&B experience to cherry-picking a few oddities or idiosyncrasies that are by-and-large either gone or endangered species, or not nearly as ridiculous as you make it seem. Let us dissect your skewering, shall we?

Arrival limited to 4 to 4:30 pm? Most all B&Bs have check-in after 3 pm, just like hotels. Guests can check in really at any time in the afternoon or evening. Since so many innkeepers live on premises and will usually retire in the evenings after taking care of the guests during the day, they will often give instructions for self-check-in for late arrivals. It’s usually as easy as finding your named envelope with the room key somewhere near the front door, or reading the email you received with the code to the front door numbered lock, and letting yourself in. Seems like a pretty cool and easy way to check in, no? The fact is, check-in at B&Bs and inns can actually be easier and more accommodating than hotels.

Sharing a shower with the couple from “The Rose Room”? Our industry research shows that 95% of all rooms at B&Bs in the U.S. have private baths. Shared baths are certainly more common in Europe, but travelers in America prefer private bathrooms. Strange how shared baths in Europe are seen as quaint and just part of the experience, but in the U.S. the thought is dreadful. Were you recently forced into a shared bath situation against your will, did you accidentally stumble into the adjacent room and join those guests in their private shower, or are you just digging up some old, false stereotype as fodder for your piece of journalism? Unless you are seeking a shared bath situation, such as in some family travel or close-friend scenarios, the notion you offer is about as common as a fly in your soup, dear food editor. The fact is today’s B&Bs have some of the most beautiful, private bathrooms one could imagine.

Breakfast at 7 to 7:30 am with strangers? Many innkeepers enjoy serving plated breakfasts at certain times in the morning, but my observation is that there is quite a variety out there in our industry. Many innkeepers offer a large window for breakfast (come down anytime between 8 and 10 a.m.) – sometimes it’s a plated deal, sometimes it’s quite a buffet spread. I’ve also observed many inns and B&Bs breaking up the old family table for a small collection of two and four tops. But the nature of the classic B&B – warm hospitality served up in a small setting – involves guests gathering together, and it typically happens at the breakfast table. That being said, it’s funny how those who are most doubtful about the horrifying thought of dining with fellow guests are the same ones innkeepers are typically dragging out of the dining room at 11 am, because they won’t stop talking and laughing with their fellow diners! Having an aversion to getting to know other people sounds more like a personal problem, Mr. Knowlton, than a systemic problem in the B&B industry. The fact is, while you might have an aversion to having some limited interaction with other guests, millions of travelers love it. It’s part of what makes a B&B stay more memorable than the unimaginative breakfast experience one gets at a typical hotel.

Being asked about why you skipped the scones? What you’re getting at is the concept of an innkeeper who might bother you during your stay. I see this as no different than if you didn’t touch your desert at a fantastic restaurant, and the waiter asking if there was something wrong with the desert or if you were ok with things. The fact is, innkeepers are professional hosts and do a better job observing and responding to the needs of their guests. It’s a lot better than being ignored.

Tiptoeing after a 10 pm curfew? Staying in an historic property built before cinder-block walls came into fashion does mean that you *might* sacrifice the partying atmosphere of the typical hotel corridor for a more peaceful setting. The fact is, though, no B&Bs have curfews and plenty of good times are had at inns and B&Bs, despite the tiptoeing you might have done for whatever reason.

No minibar? That all depends. Many B&Bs offer complimentary beer, wine and/or spirits either during a happy hour or with 24 hour access (local laws dictate what’s allowable). Sounds better to me than paying $10 for a tiny plastic bottle of bourbon. The fact is that most B&Bs offer complimentary goodies, snacks, drinks, etc. throughout the day, rather than nickle and diming – or should I say “four dollaring” for that bottle of water in the room.

It sounds like the kind of lodging experience you are looking for is a solitary stay with no interaction from staff, with the ability to eat breakfast whenever you’d like, the ability to be the loud, annoying guest in the next room, who likes cleaning out a minibar and partying til 2 am. If that’s the case, then please disregard my attempts to have you think differently about B&Bs and inns. I’m not sure we’ll ever be able to please you. But, again, the fact is if you read TripAdvisor reviews of B&Bs and hotels, by and large you will find those who stay at B&Bs love what they experienced considerably more than those who stay at hotels. B&Bs are the local, independent, “organic” style of lodging – and we are loved and adored by millions of travelers.

You have quite a bully pulpit here at Bon Appetit to share your opinions and findings about food, food culture and the like. I encourage you to use it more responsibly, and not waste the good brand’s web space with such puerile writing. Bon Appetit can do better, and I know you can too. I read some of your other work. I have an idea – contact me personally (Twitter @paiiceo), and I’ll get you a complimentary stay or two at some of the best places I’ve enjoyed, and I guarantee you’ll end up writing a mea culpa piece shortly thereafter. And let me apologize if the tone I take seems acerbic. It really isn’t. You’re capturing us at a time when the B&B industry is shedding its old skin, but you have yet to take notice. We are growing tired of the stereotypes and those who perpetuate them. Regards from Charleston, SC (Maybe I’ll see you at the Grub Crawl in June? Maybe we can arm wrestle at my favorite table at the Charleston Grill?)”

Jay Karen – President & CEO, Professional Association of Innkeepers International

Well played Mr. Karen… well played.

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2) Summary: In Praise of Okay Coffee

Name: Charles Passy The Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy blog

Category: Lifestyle and Fitness

Email: query-2use@helpareporter.net

Media Outlet: The Wall Street Journal’s Speakeasy blog

Deadline: 8:00 AM EST – 25 February

Query:

For all the fuss that’s made over Starbucks and high-end coffee, I want to hear from folks who like a plain ol’ cup of joe –something more traditional, as in the no-nonsense blend you
might find at a diner or at Dunkin’ Donuts. What about this coffee actually tastes “better” than the high-end versions? And is it more versatile? (It seems to me that the plainer the coffee, the more you can enjoy it alongside a wider range of foods.) I’m looking to hear from coffee experts, gourmet folks and just plain everyday coffee drinkers. Looking for answers in writing — just a paragraph or two is fine. Need answers ASAP.

NOTE:  You are responding to a message on the HARO Report.   Put HARO-Coffee in the subject line.  You may be asked to register to receive the HARO (Help A Reporter Out) report when you send your response.

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2) Summary: Media trip to Nashville and Charleston

Name: Debbie Martinez Miami’s Community Newspapers

Category: Travel

Email: query-2uqi@helpareporter.net

Media Outlet: Miami’s Community Newspapers

Deadline: 7:00 PM EST – 1 March

Query:

I am a travel editor wishing to take a media trip to Nashville and Charleston in order to share my experience with the residents of Miami, Florida. Article will be published in
Miami’s Community Newspapers and distributed throughout its 13 communities.

Note:  If you are located in or near Nashville or Charleston, and would like to provide complimentary accommodations to this editor, please contact her at the blind address above.  Put your location in the subject line.  You are responding to a request from the Haro Report.  You may be asked to register for the HARO (Help A Reporter Out) when you respond.

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I am working with a journalist at MSN.com on a blog posting about inns and B&Bs offering special room promotions to benefit a cause.  Examples of such programs might be the Maine Innkeeper’s May promotion where half price rooms are offered in exchange for a donation to Habitat for Humanity or Distinctive Inns of New England’s DINE at 9 program where guests receive $9 on the 9th of the month in exchange for a $100 donation which goes directly to the local food pantry.

Is your inn or B&B involved in a program where rooms are offered to benefit a cause?  Please send details to Marti Mayne at info@maynelymarketing.com by March 1, 2013 if you are involved in a program like this.  Thanks!

Contact:  Marti Mayne, info@maynelymarketing.com

Deadline: March 1, 2013

Details:  Please send no more than 2 paragraphs describing your program.  You must include complete contact info including your email, your inn’s name, address and phone number.

BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs

BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs

New year’s resolutions are as reliable as the turning of the calendar pages to a new year.  The question is how easy are they to sustain? Inns and B&Bs come to the rescue to help you fulfill your 2013 resolutions and make it as easy as a rhyme to take better care of yourself in the upcoming year.

Did your resolution for the new year resemble one of these? Here are some solutions for your resolution rescue.

Treat her like a queen in 2013

She’s the love of your life, but how often do you tell her that?  More importantly, how often do you treat her like the queen she is?  This year, give her the treat of a better way to stay.  Book a B&B getaway each quarter.  Return to some of your favorites or try a new one. Better yet, if you’ve never experienced an inn or B&B, make this the year you do.  She’ll feel like a queen and your resolution to pay closer attention to both her welfare and yours will be accomplished in some memorable travel.

Break the routine in 2013

If your resolution was to spice life up a bit, we’ve got the answer for you.  No cookie cutter, always-the-same-look lobbies at inns and B&Bs.  Each one offers a unique experience, with plenty of welcoming hospitality and everything from modern to traditional and local/sustainable to high cuisine.  Take a cooking class, try a couples massage, eat a good breakfast, get a good night’s sleep for once; all of these experiences will help you break out of the routine in 2013.

Try new cuisine in 2013

Dieting not only tops the list for the most popular resolutions, it also tops the list for the most broken one too.  Make 2013 the year you commit to trying new cuisine.  Start with a good breakfast, which you’ll find with a focus on locally sourced and homemade healthiness at inns and B&Bs throughout the country.  And while breakfast is the second half of the B&B’s name, good food doesn’t stop there.  You’ll find complimentary snacks, or afternoon teas and stocked guest pantries at the majority of inns and B&Bs throughout the country.

Looking for a good B&B to help you fulfill your new year’s resolutions?  Visit www.betterwaytostay.com where you can select inns and B&Bs via unique specials or through a state-by-state search. Let this be the year your new year’s resolution is achieved via B&B travel and the better way to stay.

BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs

Recently we were asked for alternatives to hotels for business travelers.  That’s a no-brainer for those that know that inns and B&Bs are the better way to stay. From the free hot and hearty breakfast to conference facilities and more, here are 5 reasons why B&Bs make a great alternative to hotels for business travelers:

 Complimentary breakfast

No need to spend that per diem money on breakfast.  It’s complimentary, hearty and home cooked at inns and B&Bs.  Have an early morning meeting?  No worries, just tell the innkeeper and they’ll fix a to-go breakfast or schedule yours when you need it.  Have special dietary restrictions?  No problem! Your innkeeper can accommodate vegan, gluten-free, low-sugar, you name it! But don’t forget to mention it the night before, so the innkeeper can prepare the kind of breakfast you prefer!

Corporate rates & facilities

Many inns and B&Bs offer corporate rates for business travelers.  However, you must ask for the corporate rate when booking.  If  business travelers need the breakfast fee pulled out of the rate because food and lodging must be separately accounted for, simply ask the innkeeper to help with this. Additionally, there are plenty of inns and B&Bs that make the perfect location for corporate retreats.  From inviting a business colleague to breakfast to holding a multi-day conference, inns and B&Bs throughout the country offer personalized service and excellent facilities for small conferences.

Amenities galore, no extra fees!

Stay at an inn or B&B and say good bye to exorbitant mini-bar charges, wi-fi fees, safe fees and resort fees.  You’ll find guest pantries stocked with soft drinks, coffee, teas and snacks.  You’ll often find complimentary afternoon or evening refreshments offered to guests too.  You’ll always find free parking, and you’ll always find the light on and someone to greet you by name when you return home (depending on what time you get home – remember your innkeeper’s up at 5am to prepare your breakfast!).

Security

If you don’t come home, heaven forbid, you will be missed.  Unlike the impersonal hotel, your innkeeper will miss you if you don’t show up at breakfast.  This is a comforting thought especially for women business travelers who travel alone at night.  Just the fact that there’s someone to greet you with a warm hello when you arrive or at breakfast the next morning is a huge plus over hotels. And guess what?  They’ll know your name too!

You’ll get a great night sleep! 

Lovely linens, incredibly comfortable beds, even Jacuzzi tubs and fireplaces are options at inns and B&Bs who cornered the “Heavenly bed” concept long before hotels snagged it from them.

 Best of all, in a comparison between resort hotels and distinctive inns, we found at least a $150 savings in additional fees and rates for the inngoer.  Between the lower rates and the lack of wi-fi and resort fees, not to mention the cost of breakfast, the inngoer was destined to save at least $150 for a two day stay.  Thus it pays to stay the better way!

BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs

      Celebrate Small Business Saturday on November 24, 2012 along with independently owned businesses throughout the country and not only will American Express put $25 in your  pocket, but you will support small independently owned businesses in your community. Small Business Saturday is a day for everyone to support the millions of small businesses that invigorate the economy and keep communities thriving. It began in 2010 when American Express founded Small Business Saturday to help small businesses get more exposure just prior to one of the biggest shopping weekends of the year. Last year, over 100 million people came out to shop at independently-owned small businesses on the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Now, in its third year, Small Business Saturday will be even bigger because American Express is offering a $25 credit to cardholders who register at www.shopsmall.com and then make a $25 or more purchase at a qualified small business. To make it easier, just click here to go immediately to the card registration site and get your card registered.  They are limiting the registrations, so don’t wait.

     The B&B industry is partnering with Small Business Saturday, and we’ve been assured by American Express that all small inns and B&Bs qualify for the credit.  Why not jump start your holiday shopping by purchasing the gift of B&B travel for that person who has everything but time to relax?  Many inns and B&Bs are offering special bonuses for their gift vouchers prior to Christmas.  For example, the Swift House Inn and Jessica’s Restaurant in Middlebury, VT are teaming up with the American Express  to promote Small Business Saturday at the inn and its restaurant. According to their program, after registering your AmEx card at www.shopsmall.com, make a purchase of $25.00 or more on November 24, 2012 at The Swift House Inn or Jessica’s Restaurant and American Express card and you’ll receive the $25 credit. This can be done by purchasing Gift Certificates in denominations of $25.00 or more. Gift certificates can be used for lodging at The Swift House Inn or dinners at Jessica’s. To sweeten the deal, The Swift House Inn is offering an additional $25.00 off the purchase of a $200.00 gift certificate! So if you buy a $200.00 gift certificate with your American Express card (that you have registered) you will only be paying $150.00!Your Certificate will be mailed to you.

Another way to receive your $25 American Express credit is to make a reservation for your next B&B getaway on November 24th and pay the deposit on that day with your AmEx card. This not only means your getaway will be $25 less, but it’ll give you something to look forward to throughout the holidays!  If you happen to be staying at an inn or B&B on November 24th, be sure to pay for your reservation that day with your registered AmEx card to receive your credit too.

According to American Express, the $25 credit will appear on your statement within 8 weeks, as long as you’ve made a purchase from a qualified small business.  For complete information, visit www.shopsmall.com.  We hope you’ll shop the better way to stay on Small Business Saturday.

Best Thanksgiving wishes from the B&B industry to you and your family.

BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs

More than 400 innkeepers in the U.S. have joined more than 200 Canadian innkeepers to honor veterans on November 11^th in the 4^th Annual B&Bs for Vets celebration.  Thousands of active and retired military will be treated to a complimentary overnight stay on Veteran’s Day followed by breakfast the next day from innkeepers coast to coast in the US and Canada.  Many innkeepers have teamed up with local restaurants and businesses to offer everything from gifts to receptions and meals in an effort to thank veterans for their service on Veteran’s Day.

It’s not too late for veterans to reserve their rooms.  New inns and B&Bs are joining  in daily.  Simply visit www.bndbsforvets.org for a complete list of participating inns and B&Bs in the U.S, searchable by state.  In Canada, visit www.BBCanada.com or go directly to www.bbcanada.com/bb_vets.cfm.  Additionally, BnBFinder.com offers a list of special year-round “Salute our Heroes” offers.  Together, the B&B industry hopes to host thousands of veterans in the largest known veteran-thank you within the hospitality industry.

The Inn at Bowman’s Hill in New Hope, PA, for example, will be home base for one soldier coming home on leave from Afghanistan to surprise his wife on Veteran’s Day.  A moving patriotic piano concert will follow by pianist Rio Clemente, who performed recently in the White House.

For more information and to find an inn offering a free stay on Veteran’s Day, visit www.BetterwaytoStay.com and click on the B&Bs for Vets logo or go directly to www.bnbsforvets.org or www.bbcanada.com/bb_vets.cfm.

BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs

It’s not often that a new luxury inn comes on the scene, especially a newly constructed, purpose-built inn. Yet, Colin and Deanna Crossman, owners of the King’s Daughters Inn in Durham, NC, will be expanding their hospitality business to include a new 45-room boutique inn in downtown Cary, North Carolina.  The town has been collaborating with the Crossmans to develop a project that will blend with the historic character of the area while also increasing downtown density.  The site is a 1-acre parcel on the corner of S. Academy St. and Park St. and will include the new construction hotel, as well as 2 historic homes that will be moved to the site – the Waldo-Rood House and the Mayton House.  
 
Construction plans schedule the ground breaking for April 2013 and date of completion is projected for April 2014. While the upper two floors will consist of 33 spacious rooms and 11 deluxe suites, the first floor will boast over 13,00 sq. ft. with a library, full bar & restaurant as well as event spaces including meeting rooms and an outdoor terrace that will be open to the public. A high tech gym facility and spa rooms will be on the ground floor and available for guest use.
 
To create the luxury atmosphere, the Crossmans will work with Center Studio Architecture to develop the Georgian-style inn and will implement green technologies in all aspects of the building. To create the Art Deco style of the Mayton Inn, the Crossmans will work with Megliola Beal Interior Design for interior design and aesthetics.  The Inn will offer High Tea, as well as turndown service with port and chocolates.  A gourmet hot breakfast will be served every morning in the full service restaurant.  In addition, the Inn will offer complimentary wireless Internet, in-room iPads, and 42” HDTVs .
 
For more information or questions, please contact info@maytoninn.com. To follow the project, follow us on the Mayton Inn’s Facebook Page or our blog: Musings at the Mayton Inn.

BetterWayToStay.com - Experience Today's Inns and B&Bs