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Questions to Ask Before You Make Your B&B Reservation
Edited reprint from Elizabeth Arneson - Your Guide to Bed
& Breakfasts
Bed and breakfasts are not like hotels. Each one is unique and has its own charms.
Guests are usually expected to pay for their stay upon or before arrival and may be asked to leave in time before the next guest arrives so that their room can be properly prepared. This policy is not unlike any regular hotel accommodation; but the innkeeper, in fact, may have more discretion being the owner of the property. Innkeepers often have a good idea as to when the next guest is arriving and may be able to be more flexible than a hotel. This is all part of the personalized service Innkeepers can offer guests due to the property's smaller size.
Because most B&Bs are small, typically with room for only 2-12 guests, it is advisable for anyone wanting to stay at a particular B&B to make reservations reasonably well in advance of their travel date. Location and time of year play an important role in room availability. Consultation with a qualified travel agent or the innkeeper with this type of accommodation may be helpful. Many B&Bs increasingly belong to associations and have a web presence.
Be aware that prices and tariffs described in various books and paper travel guides are often obsolete by the time they are published - Online guides and directories or B&B owner websites may contain more up to date information.
Before you make a reservation, you should be sure that you'll be comfortable in the bed and breakfast you've chosen. Asking these questions can help a lot.
Location
Is the B&B really located near the places you want to visit? Bed and breakfasts can be found in the middle of nowhere, so even if the address says "Nashville" (or any other city), it doesn't hurt to double-check. (And if you want to be in the middle of nowhere, make sure you really are!)
Breakfast
A full, homemade breakfast is one of the things that attracts my husband and me to B&Bs. But not every inn provides a full breakfast -- some offer continental fare while others only have cold cereal available for guests. If you don't want to be surprised, make sure you ask before making a reservation.
Bedroom
Be sure that the room you're reserving has the kind of bed you want, whether that means king, queen, or two twins. And ask about the closets and drawers -- some inns have rooms with no closets and very limited drawer space. As long as you know what you're getting, that's not necessarily a problem. But you want to know before you arrive.
Bathroom
Some B&B inns, particularly in Europe, have bathrooms which are shared by more than one guest room. If this is important to you, make sure you have a private bathroom. (Most private baths are actually in your room, known as en suite, but some private baths are accessible only through a public hallway. You miay want to ask about that as well.) If bathroom lighting is especially important, you should ask about that as well.
Allergies
If you're allergic to anything, especially food or pets, be sure to let the innkeeper know before committing to a stay. Most B&Bs will make every effort to accommodate dietary needs. Pet allergies can be more difficult to work around since the inn is often the innkeeper's home -- the B&B's web site should mention it if they own pets, but be sure to ask anyway.
Children: Yes or No
If you're planning to bring a child or children to a bed and breakfast, definitely talk to the innkeeper first. Some inns have strict no-children policies, some allow children over a certain age, and others might allow children but discourage them except in unusual circumstances. Even if an inn allows children, it's often best not to bring them out of respect for other guests.
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River House Bed & Breakfast Getaway Retreat
GETAWAY LODGE & TIMEAWAY LODGE
11052 Ventura Boulevard
Machesney Park, Illinois 61115 USA
Metro Rockford, IL
bed and breakfast hotel
travel lodge inn