Other stories in "B & Bs"

• Hosts with the most
  At small inns, a knack for hospitality makes a few stand out.
• Dwelling in the past
  Around Lake Superior, overnight guests can try out life at a lighthouse.
• Chocolate on the St. Croix
  For a spring tour, inns overflow with goodies.
• A view of a room
  On B&B tours, guests can see a prospective getaway for themselves.
• How to find a bed-and-breakfast
  To travelers, B&B usually means 'best bet.'

Five things to look for in a B&B

Here's how to find an inn you'll like.

Everyone looks for something different in a B&B. Some people just want to relax in fancy environs, and their search is relatively easy: Look for high-end inns and be willing to pay for them.

I'm always on the move when I stay at a B&B, so I look for one that's near whatever I plan to do — biking, hiking, touring. If the proprietor is reasonably friendly and the room clean and comfortable, I'm happy.

But I like inns best if they have a unique character and reflect their surroundings. When we stayed at the Silver Star Inn in Spring Green, Wis., last May, for example, the owner didn't lavish wine or chocolate on us. But the inn was filled with unusual art that reflected her interest in photography and days as a Madison art dealer, and we went home with dried morel mushrooms she and her family had gathered from the surrounding hillsides. Spring Green is a famous center of art and idiosyncrasy (House on the Rock, Frank Lloyd Wright), so that was perfect.

Of course, it's also nice when an innkeeper does dote on a guest and anticipate every need (See Hosts with the most).

Everyone likes something different. Some seasoned travelers don't want to know too much about an inn, because the surprise is what they like best. If that's not you, here are a few guidelines to consider when looking for a B&B.

1) Make sure the owner wants you to come. A wise inn proprietor told me this when I was new to travel writing, and I thought, 'Huh?' Now I understand completely. Some owners get into the business more because they love decorating, not because they love hosting. If a proprietor doesn't sound happy to see you, don't make the reservation.

2) Look for an inn whose proprietor has a professional attitude. It should belong to an inn association or, at least, be a member of the local chamber or tourism bureau.

Today, an inn must have a web site, and it's a good sign if the owners put their full names on it.

It's even better if the site includes information on local attractions and events. This means innkeepers are thinking about how they can enhance your vacation — possibly because they're nice people, but also because they want you to remember your trip (and their inn) fondly, tell all your friends about it and thereby increase their business. That's how it should be.

And when you call, make sure the phone is answered with the name of the inn, not just "Hello?'' If it isn't, don't reserve.

3) Be skeptical of inns that boast top ratings or mentions in guidebooks or magazines. The inns that offer the most free rooms to guidebook and free-lance travel writers and buy the most advertising in magazines generally are the ones most frequently mentioned in travel stories. Can these stories be trusted? Maybe, maybe not.

You won't find independent reviews at such directories as Lanierbb.com, BBonline.com and Bedandbreakfast.com. Inn owners pay for these listings, and generally, they're the ones who write them. However, these sites may list specials the inn is offering.

4) Word of mouth is the best way to find a B&B. But friends don't know everything, so you can look on-line for reviews. TripAdvisor has the most, but its reviews should be taken with a grain of salt, especially if there's only one or two about a property. If it has 25, however, and nearly all of them are good, you can be fairly confident. For more about using TripAdvisor, see Word of mouse.

5) Look for an inn that has a point of view. Good innkeepers know no inn can be everything to everybody, so they play up what they can do best. The new Cable Nature Lodge in northwest Wisconsin is surrounded by Chequamegon National Forest, so it emphasizes outdoor adventures. In southern Wisconsin, the Earth Rider Hotel is on the Sugar River State Trail, so it offers bike rentals and rooms named after winners of the Tour de France. If you want to hike or bike, you're set.

I also like an inn with a democratic bent. For example, if an inn has one inexpensive room, and a room accessible by disabled travelers, and a room with two beds, for friends traveling together, that says to me, "We welcome guests of all kinds.'' Those are the best inns.

And once you're staying at an inn, remember to be a good guest. Innkeepers are there to serve you, but not wait on you hand and foot. This is their home, so be sure to respect it and them.

For more information about staying in a B&B, see a 2004 story in SmartMoney magazine,  "10 Things Your Bed & Breakfast Won't Tell You.''

Last updated on June 23, 2008