Recently, Distinctive Inns of New England offered an informal question asking Facebook fans what they’d like for Valentine’s Day.  Four times more people responded they preferred a romantic getaway to flowers, chocolates or lingerie. One person  offered that all she wanted was for her husband to take the garbage out without being asked!  Clearly, women aren’t asking for much this Valentine’s day, but romantic getaways to today’s inns and B&Bs are on the top of the list for Valentine’s Day and beyond.  Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, a birthday, anniversary or other reason to celebrate, women want to go to inns and B&Bs.

Ladies, here’s another in our series of ways to convince your guy to fulfill your wish to be swept away on a romantic B&B escape.

It’s not Grandma’s Attic

For some reason, guys think they’ll be buried in teddy bears, lace and doilies when they visit a B&B. Popular TV shows like Parks and Recreation perpetuate this myth depicting B&Bs with harpsichord playing innkeepers surrounded by 15 cats offering gruel for breakfast. While B&Bs vary widely in their décor – which is actually one of their selling points – increasingly innkeepers are declaring death to doilies and replacing floral wallpapers with bold contemporary colors and urban chic furnishings.  Step aside Grandma’s attic; today’s inns and B&Bs offer everything from beer on tap to wine and cheese receptions, flat screen TVs and iPod docking stations. We’re actually even seeing a move toward inns and B&Bs offering iPads to guests with their own personalized app filled with customized itineraries and fun suggestions for places to go, see, and eat.

Today’s inns and B&Bs are as varied as snowflakes.  No two are alike and that’s what makes them fascinating.  You’ll find everything from traditional and historic decor – sometimes the kind you’d see in your grandmother’s house with historic significance.  You’ll also find hip, chic and avant guard decor at inns throughout North America.

The Better Way To Stay campaign is dedicated to busting the myths, one of which is that all inns and B&Bs look like Grandma’s attic.  Be on the lookout for a fun promotion coming up in April where we’ll bury the notion that all inns and B&Bs resemble Grandma’s Attic.  We’re about to launch a campaign that will offer brief pause from the Presidential race and plenty more humor!   Be on the lookout.