Bed and Breakfasts vs Big Hotels

A friend was just asking me for suggestions for an early Autumn vacation.  I suggested going somewhere up north to enjoy fall foliage.  The trip could be enhanced, I said, by staying at a Bed & Breakfast.

She shook her head and said, “No, I’d feel weird staying in some stranger’s house.”  I shared my own experience that most B&B hosts are very welcoming.  They want you to see them not as a stranger but as a warm, welcoming friend who you can trust to give you good advice on what to see and do while visiting their hometown.

“But I like my privacy,” my friend said.  I reassured her that guests are usually given a large private room with a door that locks.  If other guests are staying in the house at the same time, there might be someone in the communal TV room, but what’s so bad about that?  You could either strike up a conversation and make a new friend; watch whatever they’re watching, or go back to your room and watch something on your laptop or tablet.

If you’re tired of generic looking name-brand hotels, maybe you’ll want to think about trying a bed & breakfast.  Such accommodations are usually in beautiful buildings with tasteful and interesting décor.  Hosts are usually excellent sources of information if you’re looking for directions, information about mass transit,  restaurants, etc.

And what’s not to love about a nice homemade breakfast to start each day?

Do you ever stay in Bed & Breakfasts?