A decade ago there wasn`t much to write about when it came to bed-and-breakfast accommodations in the Midwest.
Now there are B&B homes, B&B motels, country inns, guesthouses, homestays and guest cottages or apartments.
The Midwest is in the middle of a B&B boom. Every tourist destination and many metropolitan areas have had to deal with requests to open at last one B& B, and nearly every town council and planning commission has needed an education on what a B&B is.
So do many travelers. There`s no pat answer. Each B&B is different. Wisconsin defines it by law as an owner-occupied establishment with no more than eight guest rooms, serving only breakfast to guests. Beyond that, there`s no agreement on what a ”typical” B&B is.
Whatever the definition, the appeal is so strong that in Michigan, where only a handful of B&Bs existed a decade ago, there are now about 350. Wisconsin comes in second in the Midwest, with nearly 275 licensed B&Bs.
Galena, Ill., is the Midwest B&B capital. The tourist town of 4,000 residents has more than 50 in town or close by.
Huge growth in Midwest
”We`ve seen significant growth across the country, but particularly in the Midwest, where there were very few B&Bs six years ago when we started,”
said Norman Strasma of Kankakee, who publishes Inn Review Newsletter, a trade newsletter for innkeepers.
The rapid growth has pluses and minuses for travelers. B&Bs now provide a variety of accommodations-in mansions, farmhouses, North Woods cabins, large urban or suburban homes.
But the boom also has brought on a rush of unprofessional innkeepers eager to cash in on what appeared to be a deceptively simple business. Their disappointed guests didn`t get what they expected, thought they paid too much or probably shouldn`t have chosen a B&B at all.
B&Bs are popular because staying in one is like being welcomed into someone`s home-it usually is someone`s home. It can be a welcome change from the cookie-cutter layout and schlocky decor of many motel rooms. Having a caring local resident talk with you about your travels, answer questions and fix a homemade breakfast is what a motel or hotel just can`t duplicate.
Lots of first-timers
Following heavy news media coverage and with a number of guidebooks available, plenty of travelers still are trying a B&B for the first time.
”We get lots of first-time guests because a lot of guests are placed with us by companies and educational institutions,” said Pam O`Conner, owner of Hall House, Kalamazoo, Mich.
People who want to try a B&B for the first time should know that, in the Midwest, many B&Bs do not allow children because they specialize in quiet, romantic weekend getaways and are furnished with antiques. Few want smokers, and none want late-night partiers. Also, don`t expect a TV in your room, but there may be one available in the B&B`s parlor or living room.
Other advice:
– Know your expectations. ”Because of the variety of types of B&Bs, it is important when you call to be clear that the B&B is the type that you`re looking for,” Strasma said. ”Be sure whether it`s a B&B home or more of an inn, depending on whether you want to be close to the innkeeper, or where you can be more alone.”
The more guest rooms that are offered, the more privacy you probably will have.
Going for a romantic getaway weekend is much different from finding accommodations during a family reunion, on a business trip or halfway between home and Grandma`s. A private bathroom may be essential sometimes, but you easily can share with one other guest room other times. Also, know if you want a lingering, four-course gourmet breakfast or if juice, muffins and fruit will do, and whether you want to sit at a breakfast table talking with others.
– Know what the policies are. Do allergic guests need to worry about house pets or down comforters? Are there three flights of stairs to drag a suitcase up? What is the cancellation policy? Is the only good restaurant 20 miles away? Can you smoke on the porch? Anywhere on the grounds? Call the innkeeper and ask about your particular needs. Mention dietary requirements when making the reservation, not at the breakfast table.
– Do your research. Not every place will be for you. Not all B&Bs are decorated with designer linens and fluffy pillows, nor do they all have gingerbread Victorian exteriors and whirlpool baths in each guest room. A number of newsletters, magazines and guidebooks profile inns nationally or regionally.
Here are some suggestions that might make enhance your B&B experience:
– Read between the lines. ”Cozy” rooms often mean”small”; innkeepers who display ”collectibles” often have a cluttered mess. Be aware that brochures, B&B association directories, state tourism brochures and guidebooks that accept fees from inns are essentially advertising vehicles.
– Know what you are paying for. ”Overall, B&B lodging is a good value when you consider the facility, the personal touches and the amenities,”
Strasma said.
Prices of rooms depend on location, amenities (whirlpools and fireplaces almost always mean a rate of $75-per double room-or more, and full breakfasts may cost more) and travel dates (midweek discounts are common in some areas and off-season discounts are possible).
Other innkeepers are finding their guests are veterans of B&B stays and are becoming more sophisticated in their demands.
”Maybe only one in 10 is a first-time guest” at the Fargo Mansion Inn and Bayberry Inn in Lake Mills, Wis., said Tom Boycks, owner-innkeeper. ”The first question I get on the phone is, `Do we have our own bathroom?` Guests also want a whirlpool, if possible, a queen-size bed and sometimes a fireplace.”
The two whirlpool suites at the Fargo Mansion Inn are booked for Friday and Saturday nights for months in advance.
He and partner Barry Luce are considering putting TVs and VCRs into armoires because more guests are requesting them. O`Conner recently installed phones in each of her four guest rooms because business travelers want them, she said.
Still, the Midwest has relatively few larger ”country inns,” which usually are ”full-service,” offering guests three meals a day and sometimes use of the property or lake shore as well. New England is loaded with them, operating as B&B resorts, offering good food and quaint lodging to only a few travelers at a time. The reason, innkeepers say, is because it is a different business from a B&B alone. Restaurant licensing often requires expensive kitchen modifications. The restaurant business extends an already long workday while adding the headaches of managing a larger staff.
Nevertheless, O`Conner has noticed a small increase in full-service inns in Michigan, such as the new Nickerson Inn in Pentwater. The trend may come later to this part of the country as more well-traveled B&Bers want to try something new and as innkeepers find that locations near urban centers can support such a business.
O`Conner, an innkeeper for six years, and Boycks and Luce, who opened their first inn in 1987, are among a group of experienced innkeepers promoting professionalism in the industry through state B&B associations. Such organizations now exist in 25 states, Strasma said. If the associations don`t have ratings systems or standards set for their members, they often have a code of ethics or insist that inns must have been open a year or more before joining.
Incompetents opening B&Bs
Unfortunately, some innkeepers are getting into the business without a background in the hospitality business or even having stayed themselves overnight in a B&B. They may have ”read a lot about them,” had a sister-in- law who suggested the use for their big old home or the tourism development consultant who came to town said someone should open one.
That doesn`t mean travelers should stay away from new-to-the-business innkeepers. It does mean, however, that because innkeeping is a profession, those who are less professional about it probably offer a less satisfying experience.
At the same time, more innkeepers are getting out. Many have found there is nothing quaint about scrubbing toilets or waiting up late for overdue guests, all for relatively little profit. Or they found the part of the work they really enjoyed was rehabilitating or redecorating the house, not maintaining an existing business.
All of this means travelers need to stay on their toes to find what they want. There is something for everyone.
