Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bedandbreakfast

How best can I help a naive teen spend a week in Paris

tavegyl — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 03:57:32 -0800

My baby sister will spend a week in Paris alone and is travelling overseas for the first time. What practical arrangements can I make from a distance to help her have the best time she has ever had? My 17 year old sister and I were supposed to meet in Paris for her birthday in early November. She's flying from Pakistan, I was taking the train from London. Unfortunately it's looking increasing unlikely that my visa will arrive in time. This is the first time she'll be out of South Asia, let alone travel in a non-English-speaking country by herself. Given this, I am looking for suggestions on the following:

- Good, comfortable friendly B&Bs, centrally located in a safe area, where the owners and staff will take good care of a foreign teenager who doesn't speak French. I'm paying for the holiday as a present, but would prefer it to not bankrupt me (say under 80 euros a night, preferably much less). Ideally it would be a nice little place, very comfortable, with staff whom I can speak to and who will help her navigate the city, keep an eye on her, but not be pushy or enfolding.

- Any long distance arrangements I can make? Eg ensure there is a mobile phone SIM and a guidebook waiting for her? Week-long tickets to public transport?

- How can I ensure she has cash once she's there? I was planning to do all the spending, and her Pakistani card may not work overseas. Is there a way I can make sure there's money waiting for her once she arrives?

- Any tips for a kid in this situation? My own feeling is that a week alone in Paris as your first trip abroad should be a superb adventure. At the same time I don't want her to feel intimidated or nervous alone. Any suggestions on how I can make it easier - or indeed if I should help at all? Any off-the-beaten-track places and events?

- Finally, here's the big sister worrying. I've never been to Paris, and whilst I've been travelling alone since 16, I was the dorky gawky teen, not the one who gets modelling offers. My sister is naive, beautiful and completely lacking in street smarts. In Pakistan there are societal structures (eg chaperonage, class, honour etc) protecting her when she's alone. What sort of warnings should she have about being taken advantage of, sleazy men, mugging, etc?

B&B in Montreal (The Plateau)

terrapin — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 08:22:39 -0800

Looking for reasonably-priced bed and breakfast in Montreal, preferably in The Plateau. Turtlegirl and I are looking for a weekend get-away to celebrate our 7th anniversary. Some friends who live in Montreal suggested The Plateau but do not have a recommendation for a specific B&B in the neighbourhood. Looking for recommendations for reasonably-priced places that are clean. First-hand experience preferred, and not just a list of places, please Thanks!.

Subway to Boston from where?

starman — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:50:51 -0800

Place to stay on the outskirts of Boston? We're looking for a place to stay in Boston for a night or two this summer. We'd like to avoid crazy traffic and stay somewhere we could subway into the city. Any recommendations for specific places or areas?

Extra points if it has some nice walks/neighborhoods/etc. around it. (Is the Harvard/Cambridge area a good way to go?)

WeddingFilter: Recommend a B&B within 3-hour drive of NYC

agent99 — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 09:34:04 -0800

Help us find the perfect B&B! Agent86 and I are tying the knot and we'd like to celebrate by spending the weekend at a nice B&B not too far from NYC. We'd drive out on Friday, probably come back Sunday or Monday, and it would be soon (so, fall or early winter). While we love Vermont, we'd prefer to spend less than five hours on the road, so Berkshires/Catskills seems like a more reasonable distance, but we'd go farther for the perfect place. If the weather is nice, we'd like to hike or do some cycling, if not, bookstores, antiques, markets, odd museums would be just fine. Big bonus points for good restaurants, or for a B&B that has an especially good breakfast. The place doesn't have to be luxurious, but should be clean, quiet. Picturesque is nice. I'd take a hot tub and/or a fireplace, but it's not essential.

Anyone been to a place they would recommend that would satisfy the above criteria? THANKS! (I've taken a look at the similar questions already posted, but none of the answers seem particularly enlightening, so I'm giving this one another shot. Oh, and the Poconos are out.)

How does running a B&B work?

YamwotIam — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 15:06:02 -0800

So, my sweetheart and I are going to dump the city life, head down to eastern Canada, open a bed & breakfast, and live happily ever after. It's that last bit which is a little hazy. Neither of us have any experience running a B&B. This question is for MeFites who have. Is there anything you know now about running a B&B that you wish you’d known before? We don’t what the ideal configuration is for a B&B (e.g., where should our living quarters be in relation to the guest rooms?), or if running a B&B means the total death of privacy (our own, I mean), or whether B&B operators qualify for seasonal unemployment benefits (in PEI, say)... I suspect I’m only scratching the surface of our ignorance.

We do know one thing: this is a very very good idea, and we probably can’t be talked out of it. But I’d be grateful for any advice—warnings and tips alike. Likewise, any pointers to credible websites are welcome. Thank you.

Great places for a honeymoon in Northern Minnesota?

bristolcat — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:03:59 -0800

Please help us find some unique destinations and lodging options in Northern Minnesota for our honeymoon. We are leaving the first week of May and have yet to get any firm plans for our honeymoon, so we need to decide soon! We just haven't been able to find any places that really grab our attention yet, though. It would be nice to have a place where we can relax, enjoy nature and see and try interesting activities. We won't be doing anything too involved, as we are really just trying to get away to be with each other, but we do like to cycle and hike.

We're interested in resorts, cabins and bed and breakfasts. We will probably skip around locations a few times throughout our week. Any personal experiences would be welcomed!

I don't think we'll be looking to "rough it" too much and there is such a thing as too unique, but please share what you know about vacationing in Northern Minnesota.

Your help and input would be appreciated! Thanks!

Accomodations in London, Belgium & The Netherlands

dhammond — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 23:49:14 -0800

I'm going to London, Belgium and the Netherlands from May 10th-24th, and I'm looking for great places to stay. My tentative itinerary:

London (5 nights - 5/10-5/15)
Brussels (1 night - 5/15-5/16)
Bruges (2 nights - 5/16-5/18)
The Netherlands (6 nights - mostly Amsterdam, but other cities as well - 5/18-24)

I'm traveling alone, and I'm interested in hearing from those who are quite enthusiastic about a certain place and want to tell me how great it is.

My basic requirements:

-- Located in or very to close to the city center, preferably away from tourist areas as much as possible.

-- Decent value. Less than $200 a night in most places, though I will go up on that in London or if it's a really spectacular place and gives a nice bang for my (floudering) buck.

-- No hostels.

--Big bonus points for buildings with nice, old-timey architecture.

For the Netherlands, I'll be spending a good deal of time in Amsterdam, but I would also be interested in hearing about other towns and cities that might be worth an overnight stay or long day trip.

As a point of reference, I stayed at the Strand Palace in London last year and, though I found it a bit shabby, it was a steal at under $200 in an incredibly central but not too touristy area. I don't mind staying there again, but would love to try something different if you can recommend something.

Thanks, y'all!

Getting away with my lady for the Yule.

atayah — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 10:04:23 -0800

My partner and I would like to go away over Christmas week. Is this a lost cause at this point? How about LGBT-friendly bed and breakfasts driving-distance from DC? She's in law school; I recently started a new job. Our vacation time is limited, but I will have some over Christmas (22-29). We'd like to go away for at least part of that week, most likely locally, as flights will most likely be out of our price range.

We've both never stayed in bed & breakfasts, but know that it'd be nice to go to a gay-friendly site if we were going to be cute and cuddly in front of a fireplace.

We live just outside of DC and have heard a few recommendations and I've read those on MeFi, but we are interested in others' experiences with b&bs in the area, or any other ideas for a quick, fun getaway that won't be a dead end in a holiday week, either with unavailability or otherwise.

Oxford: Parking for myself and a car?

MasonDixon — Mon, 23 Jul 2007 05:35:29 -0800

Oxford UK: Want to know where I can park myself at an inexpensive B&B and my car. (There is an older AskMe B&B Oxford question, but it is two years old.)

Looking for an inexpensive B&B for myself --as a student I always liked the cheap ones where I got to stay with an "old" couple whose kids had moved out or somesuch. Needn't be in city centre, but I would like it to be no more than a half hour by foot, bus, train or car.

As for the car, I know this is somewhat dependent on where I lodge, but will I be ticketed without a permit for street parking? How is parking generally in Oxford? Are daily or weekly car parks available for a reasonable rate?

Lodgings in Munich during Oktoberfest without spending an arm and a leg?

chillmost — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 08:04:10 -0800

My parents decided they want to visit Munich during the Oktoberfest. Every hotel or B&B near the town center seems to be booked or prohibitively expensive during this time. Can anybody recommend lodgings or other areas in which to look for lodgings that are not directly in the town center? My American parents are going on a German Rhine cruise in Sept-Oct and they decided that when they are done they want to swing by Munich for a few days to check out the sights and possible swing by the Oktoberfest. Naturally, decent rooms near the town center are hard to find because almost everything is booked out a year in advance. Although I live in Germany, I am not familiar with Munich or the surrounding areas and neither are my German friends. Can anybody recommend..

nice areas in which to look that are not in the town center but are still accessible by S-Bahn or a short taxi ride?
Lodgings in said areas?

We will be 4 adults (girlfriend is coming with) and are looking for either 2 double rooms, a family suite or something similar in a B&B/Pension type of thing. My girlfriend and I would have no problem with a hostel but for my parents that might be too much.

Vielen Dank im Voraus!

Castle Banks Cottage B&B?

suisse — Sun, 20 May 2007 12:07:33 -0800

Has anyone been to Castle Banks Cottage B&B in East Sussex, UK? Reviews, good or bad, would be appreciated.

Getaways near Cincinnati?

LobsterMitten — Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:44:40 -0800

Nice weekend places near or within 2 hrs' drive of Cincinnati OH, for small group getaway? Trying to find a place where a group of thirtysomething friends can go for a relaxing weekend. There will be 4 to 6 of us, maybe with a couple of babies. Could be a rent-a-cabin/cottage deal, maybe a b+b, maybe even a hotel in a town.

Idyllic quiet setting preferred, but all recommendations welcome - including in Cincy itself. (I don't know the town; we're arranging an easy, peaceful weekend getaway for someone who lives there and is stressed out.)

Looking for a good Long Island B&B

incomple — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 23:25:31 -0800

I'm looking for recommendations for a quality, reasonably priced bed-and-breakfast in the NYC tristate area (preferably in Long Island)... It's my girlfriend's birthday on the 25th and I'm planning on surprising her with a one-day jaunt out to the "country" this Saturday afternoon, leading to Sunday afternoon. I'm a wage slave and rent's due in a week, so I'm trying to keep my total budget (including transportation from Manhattan) below $400.

The "breakfast" part isn't at all necessary, but it reflects the sort of lodging I'm after. Quiet, maybe a bit secluded... I'm not looking for anything particularly posh or fancy, just a nice place to get out of the city for the weekend and get a nice rest.

I was thinking Hamptons/Montauk/Amagansett, but if anyone has any suggestions for Connecticut or Westchester, or even the five boroughs, I'm all ears. I've found plenty of results via Google, but I'm on a schedule that's about as tight as my budget, so I'm after personal recommendations and suggestions. It seems that most places require a two night stay for a weekend booking, which automatically blows my budget, so any suggestions on dodging that (short of offering them an extra $50 or something) is appreciated. I'm not expecting much help, but if anyone can offer me some hope I will be extremely grateful!

Rating site for b&b's

Sara Anne — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 09:40:39 -0800

Does anyone know of any websites where the public can rate a bed & breakfast? The owner of the bed & breakfast (Casas de Suenos in Albuquerque, NM) where I booked a room for my sister's wedding night has been a real asshole, rude & unprofessional. I think people should know that before they go looking for a place to stay.

Inns Montreal this summer?

desuetude — Fri, 26 May 2006 09:57:05 -0800

I'm looking into planning a trip to Montreal in late July and seek accommodation recommendations in the US$ 70-90 range. Not too difficult, right? But the room must have a private bathroom. Am open to suggestions for neighborhoods, but should be convenient (i.e. not outside of town.) Vastly prefer inns to big hotels. (I can't talk thre SO into shared bath, which is how I scored great B&Bs for cheap last time I was there.) Yep, I already bookmarked the suggestions from this thread., but give me more!

Weekend getaway locales and lodging near Portland, OR

matildaben — Mon, 15 May 2006 13:29:01 -0800

I'd like to gather some recommendations for good bed & breakfasts or rental cabins for a weekend couple getaway in the Oregon Coast area or other areas of Oregon with great natural beauty. Requirements are listed on the inside. The town should be small enough to let the natural beauty be its main attraction, but big enough to have a decent bookstore, good breweries, and quirky/arty stuff (Port Townsend, WA is a good point of comparison here). It should be the kind of town where non-mainstream people and non-traditional couples won't be given a second glance. The ability to find vegan-friendly restaurants is important. As for the lodging, we're not into "roughing-it" - fluffy pillows and hot baths are a must. It should be a place where the guests can have a lot of privacy and come and go as they please without being on top of other guests all the time. And it shouldn't be more than an hour or two drive out of Portland.

A good bed and breakfast around Seattle?

MasonDixon — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 08:49:57 -0800

Any recommendations for a good Bed and Breakfast near Seattle-- either in town or out in the scenery? My wife and I are going for a wedding in September and thought we'd make a vacation out of it. A few decent places are listed here, but here's the rub. My wife and I want to stay either in the city or within a short drive (an hour or less, let's say) from the city in a scenic location.

B&B or nice little hotel in San Francisco?

DakotaPaul — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 12:56:27 -0800

Can you recommend a bed and breakfast or some other non-chain hotel in San Francisco? I'd like to take a weekend to spoil my wife there soon. I've run through these threads, but I'm looking for some more personal experiences. We'll stay two nights, and less than $150/night would be nice but $200/night is doable. Our preferences would lean more towards something like The Inn San Francisco rather than Hotel Diva (just judging on the atmosphere of the room). Thank you!

Do any comprehensive and searchable B&B Databases exist?

abbyladybug — Sun, 18 Sep 2005 06:56:03 -0800

I live in the Boston area and would like to go to a bed and breakfast for a long weekend. I have found a number of B&B sites, but each site only has a limited number of inns. I'd like to find a site that is a clearinghouse for B&B's which is more searchable. For example, I'd like a place that is 2 1/2 hours or less from Boston within a certain price range, etc. So far, all the sites I've been two have been so limited. Any ideas? Or am I going to have to start creating a wiki/web site/Googlemaps Mashup that provides this information myself! (Like I have the time for that!!) Certainly this wheel has already been invented. These are the sites I've found so far. It seems you have to know where you're going before you start looking, and that's the point... I just moved to Boston. I don't know where I want to go!