March 2010 Archives

The Arizona bed and breakfast Casa de San Pedro is known for its Birdwatching but also increasingly for its homemade pies offered to guests in the afternoon. Innkeeper Kari says, "We make home made pies each day - often 5 or 6 pies, mostly fruit but also pecan (the best you've ever had) and some unique pies - ccoconut, lime, buttermilk is a favorite." She also says, "Guests really do come just for the pies." 

One guest, William R. from Hummelstown, Penn., wrote a review entitled "Birdwatching in Comfort".

"We spent three memorable nights at the Casa de San Pedro in mid-March. We felt at home as soon as we arrived. Freshly baked pie and coffee was available in the afternoon to eat in the lovely dining area or at the table in the courtyard outside our room. Birds were at the feeders and during a short walk more were found. The Casa is comfortable and tastefully decorated..."

Coming back to the office after a four-day getaway in Palm Springs and the nearby mountains, I was ready to go back on the road when I found these two bed and breakfast packages posted by innkeepers.

"Science Storms" Special At Songbird Prairie Bed And Breakfast 

You get a Free Night at this inn in Valparaiso, Indiana when you weather the storm. Here's how: "Step inside a tornado, trigger an avalanche, unleash a tsunami, and prepare to be blown away by the new exhibit "Science Storms" at the museum of Science and Industry only 37 miles from Songbird Prairie Bed and Breakfast. Stay in a Fireplace/Whirlpool suite and enjoy a three-course hot breakfast, then take the train to Chicago for this awesome exhibit. "Science Storms" will stir your sense of wonder at nature's power. Stay two nights at Songbird and receive a certificate for a future complimentary one night stay."
 
Free Class to Those Aspiring To Own And Operate A B&B
Walnut Lawn B&B in Lancaster, Penn., is offering a free 3-hour workshop to aspiring Innkeepers: This is a free topic-driven discussion between aspiring innkeeper(s) and working innkeeper(s) seeking to clarify and enhance the motivation, interest and capability of the innkeeper-to-be. This discussion is limited to three (3) hours and you just need to book a room at the Walnut Lawn B&B for at least one night and indicate you'd like to be part of the Dreamin' B&B program."

We just today received this elopement story - picture you and your loved one relaxing at home and you are looking for a quick getaway and note that one of the inns you survey on iLoveInns;com has an elopement package and because of that fact you decide to get married now! Here's what we heard from Christy B. about a Pennsylvania inn, Campbell House B&B..

"My fiance found this b and b online and said honey they have an elopement packeage, lets look into it. Well we did and on March 13 2010 we were married at the Campbell house in the beautiful parlor! Patti took care of everything! Flowers, cake, set up, dinner after breakfast before. all we had to do was show up with our license. Talk about stress free!!!  The Dolcetto suite was so cute and comfy. We felt like we were starting our new life in our little apartment!  Thank you Patti for makeing things go so smoothly and our wedding day so enjoyable! We will be back!!!"

The cost for this wedding? $595.

Look under wedding specials on our specials tab and you will discover so many B&Bs that are eager to make this option one of beauty and grace for your special day and at a price you can't believe.

If you really are serious email me with the state you are interested in and one of our staff will help you find an elopement package if we can. We so love weddings!

We just discovered a reference to our bed and breakfast and country inn application, InnTouch on FastCompany.com.  We were delighted to have been included in 12 "Top Apps that are helping to reshape the total travel experience":

The famous Urbanspoon for iPhone, WeatherBug for Android, GateMaps for iPhone, Trapster for BlackBerry and   tah dah

InnTouch for iPhone!!

We hope you will tell all your iPhone friends about this free application. We want to keep making it easier and easier to find the very best inns and bed and breakfasts. InnTouch lets you find inns anywhere in the US and Canada. And best of all is the giant green call button and the ability to surprise yourself with the "Nearby inns" when you are traveling. 

If you have an iPhone will you please rate InnTouch on iTunes. We've been having a rash of Europeans unhappy because we haven't yet added their countries to the application. So if  you appreciate our new iPhone application InnTouch like Travel & Leisure, Sunset Magazine and now Fast Company do, we would be extremely grateful and excited to be rated by you.

Deborah and Staff at iLoveInns.com

PS. Way to go David and Chris for developing this great application.

The thing about America's little inns is that they are all so very different. Here's something way over the top - An inn where your breakfast basket is brought to you by a retired elephant. We just received a review about this adventurous B&B sans lace/and Bradbury and Bradbury Victorian wall paper.

Vision Quest, Salinas, Calif.

"Our first visit to this wonderful place was on Valentine's Weekend, 2010. We took the 1:00 tour, fed Buster the African Elephant & stayed one night in Giraffe Manor. The staff was friendly & helpful. The animals looked happy & well cared for. Our "tent" was clean & comfortable. We had such a GREAT time, we're going back in April & taking friends!  Can't wait to return to this unique & awesome place!" Jan & Kent

Innkeepers learned this week that BedandBreakfast.com was purchased by HomeAway.com Incorporated. The articles below detailed some of the news about the sale.(Bbonline was purchased 4 years ago by Internet Brands in a similar thrust for taking a company public.) 
 
1. Washington Post Link http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/03/AR2010030301126.html    
HomeAway Buys Up BedandBreakfast.com   
Leena Rao
TechCrunch.com

Wednesday, March 3, 2010; 4:10 AM
Vacation home rental site  HomeAway is acquiring BedandBreakfast.com, a site for finding bed-and-breakfast properties all over the world. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, but BedAndBreakfast.com will continue to operate as a separate site from HomeAway. Austin, TX.-based BedandBreakfast.com lists more than 10,000 B&Bs across 100 countries. HomeAway, which is also based in Austin, was valued at $1.15 billion back in 2008 when the company raised a massive round of $250 million. The site has acquired at least  twelve vacation home rental sites, including Homelidays, VRBO, VacationRentals.com, Abritel.fr and OwnersDirect.co.uk.Rumors were recently swirling about a possible IPO for HomeAway, but the company was quick to dismiss the possibility of a public offering this year. HomeAway also aired a SuperBowl commercial in January, which proved to be popular amongst viewers. CrunchBase InformationHomeAwayInformation provided by CrunchBase

2. On BedandBreakfast.com blog : HomeAway Acquires BedandBreakfast.com
March 3, 2010 13:25 by Marti
 
HomeAway, Inc. - the world's leading online vacation rental marketplace - today announced its acquisition of BedandBreakfast.com. With this acquisition, HomeAway strengthens its position as the No. 1 source for unique lodging alternatives to hotels. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
"HomeAway already provides the most trusted sites and broadest inventory for searching for the ideal vacation rental home," says Brian Sharples, chief executive officer of HomeAway. "With the addition of BedandBreakfast.com, we're providing travelers with another option to find home-like accommodations for a vacation experience that delivers far greater satisfaction than staying in a traditional motel or hotel."
BedandBreakfast.com was founded in Austin, Texas, in 1994 by CEO Eric Goldreyer, and has grown into a top travel site listing more than 10,000 B&Bs across 100 countries. The site specializes in providing travelers with a way to have a more personal travel experience for a weekend getaway, business trip, or extended vacation.
"We are thrilled to be joining the HomeAway family," says Goldreyer. "The missions of our two companies are closely aligned - to help consumers easily find and experience a better lodging option than chain hotels and to help property owners effectively compete for and serve the traveler."
HomeAway plans to operate BedandBreakfast.com as an independent brand.

More About HomeAway, Inc.
The HomeAway, Inc. websites connect homeowners and property managers with travelers who seek the space, value and amenities of vacation rental homes as an alternative to hotels. With more than 400,000 global listings across the sites, travelers may easily search for budget to luxury-priced vacation rentals on HomeAway.com, VRBO.com, VacationRentals.com,CyberRentals.com, A1Vacations.com, GreatRentals.com, TripHomes.com, Holiday-Rentals.co.uk, OwnersDirect.co.uk, FeWo-direkt.de and Abritel.fr. The sites also feature Reviews and the HomeAway Rent with Confidence Guarantee, which help ensure a memorable HomeAway from home® experience. HomeAway is headquartered in Austin, Texas and funded by Austin Ventures, Redpoint Ventures, American Capital, Institutional Venture Partners and Trident Capital.

Here's another take on the benefits of Bed and Breakfast travel,.If you had a million and a half hotel points would you use them on your personal vacation. No! That's according to Arthur Bresse, a B&B guest of On Cranberry Pond Bed and Breakfast who wrote this note about his 16 years of visiting this inn.

"Although OCP B&B is beautifully located next to a working cranberry bog; as much there is plenty of open and wooden property for children and adult alike to play, explore and become completely lost to the workings of everyday events - it was the inn keeper Jeannine LaBossiere and her son Tim who made all experiences truly a wonderful and unique experience. It is for these reasons that we have been back at least once each year for the past 16 years and we have no plans of ever changing, from what has now become a family tradition.

"My job has me traveling on a regular basis, which you may imagine means many and many hotel stays; including international travel. In fact I traveled on such a regular basis that I have 1.2 million hotel points with a multi-national hotel chain. For all the benefits that my hotel status offers me, it is in no way what I and my daughters receive when we are quest of Jeannine, her son Tim and now her husband Ken Krushas.

"I could gone on and on and on, for quite sometime - as you might imagine for the sixteen years of wonderful visits with Jeannine, Kenny and Tim . I will say that if you are fortunate to visit, just for one evening, you will be delighted at the presence that Jeannine and Kenny bring to your stay and you will most likely have the opportunity to meet many of the regular repeat friends who have visited easily three or more times. Best regards, Arthur T. Bresse

Discount if You Shop in Your Pajamas

Arbor Hill Inn in La Porte, Indiana is offering a creative package for women who want to take a break and build bonds together. And who wouldn't want to shop in their pajamas with their friends and then return home together to a bed and breakfast ready to be pampered by innkeepers with snacks, a brightly burning fireplace and hot drinks.

Pajama parties have always been a girl thing and to relive that brings to your new and old girlfriends a wonderful bonding opportunity. Most inns I know are offering all kinds of Girlfriend Getaways and this is one of my favorites:

Friday night starts with "Chick Flicks" and Pizza, Soda, and Popcorn. Saturday morning's breakfast of Belgium Waffles, Sausage and Fresh Fruit.  Shop at our Local Retail shops (Discounts given for shopping in your pjs). At 9pm, it's hot chocolate and cookies and our last "Chick Flick" of the weekend. Stuffed French Toast, scram eggs, bacon & sausage and fruit.  Depart rejuvenated with memories of laughter and fun from your Pajama Party Weekend.