Bed and Breakfasts

Dear Linda:

I loved your column on cruise-ships, but my vacation budget for this year allows only for a rowboat. Got a luxurious but low-cost idea for me and my wife?

Need A Get-Away


Dear Need A Get-Away:

Though an exotic vacation in a far-off place sounds attractive, it's not the only prescription for refreshment and rejuvenation. A change in scenery, attentive service, and someone else in the kitchen can do the trick, so consider a Bed & Breakfast in a town you've never visited.

The home styles are as varied as the locales-rustic cabins in the forest, sumptuous villas in the mountains, and charming Victorians with antique lace curtains and embroidered pillows in quaint little towns are just a few of the possibilities.

Visit www.bedandbreakfast.com (particularly on Wednesdays when it lists hot deals) for information about B&B's in your price and travel range. Then decide if you'll drive and see the country side, or fly to another part of the country or world. Be sure to include in your search any special dietary or housing needs like access for the disabled, vegetarian meals, whether or not pets are allowed, and senior discounts.

Ask the innkeeper if the room has comfortable chairs for reading, there are grab bars in the tub and shower and good lighting, particularly in the bathroom, to prevent falls in the night. If stairs are a problem, request first-floor accommodations, and see if you will have phone and email access.

Rather than choose the least expensive inn, select the least expensive room in a more expensive inn to get the most for your money. The reduced cost in the better inn is generally because it's the smallest room. Typically, however, even it has a queen-size bed and private bathroom, and you'll enjoy the same ambiance and amenities as those paying twice the price.

To further reduce the cost, travel off season (avoid holidays and school vacations) and stay mid-week. Ask for a reduction in price for staying multiple nights, and be flexible. Take advantage of last minute, get-away packages.