Bed & breakfast, city-style - Travel Views

Travel America, Nov-Dec, 2002 by Alice Ross

We usually associate bed & breakfasts with small towns, yet more and more are appearing on the urban scene. Often, they're a money-saving alternative to expensive hotels, but more importantly, they mean a personal touch in what sometimes feels like an impersonal city.

San Diego sightseers find all the comforts of home and more at the Heritage Park Inn (800-995-2470). Centrally located to many of San Diego's attractions, the Victorian landmark in historic Old Town is actually two structures--a main house and neighboring two-bedroom suite with Jacuzzi. Furnished with antiques, claw-foot tubs, and canopy beds, the inn serves homemade breakfasts on fine china and invites guests to enjoy a delightful afternoon tea.

Taking its name from Chicago's sobriquet, the Windy City B&B Inn (877-897-7091) in the Lincoln Park neighborhood offers eight elegant guest rooms, each named after a Chicago author. Fireplaces, sitting rooms, and Jacuzzis enhance the Victorian mansion with its Chicago-themed decor, and an ivy-covered courtyard adds charm.

The Inn at 2920 (410-342-4450) in Baltimore boasts great access to downtown attractions. In a previous life, the inn housed taverns and a bordello, but Debbie and David Schwartz transformed the rowhouse into respectability and the Canton area's only B & B. The inn offers all the modern amenities yet focuses on natural products and holistic living: guest rooms feature such touches as all-cotton sheets and botanical soaps. David whips up gourmet breakfasts--fresh-baked breads and organic fruits and vegetables he finds on daily excursions to a farmers market.

The Shellmont Inn (404-872-9290) in Atlanta offers standard rooms and whirlpool suites and a location in Midtown's restaurant and cultural district. On the National Register of Historic Places, the 1891 mansion features stained glass, carved woodwork, guest rooms furnished with antiques, verandas, even a Victorian fish pond in the gardens. The day begins with a gourmet breakfast and ends with evening chocolates.

Freshly baked cinnamon rolls may be on your breakfast plate at the Towle House, (800-938-6953) Mobile's oldest B & B. In the heart of the historic district with easy access to attractions and antique shopping, Towle House--actually three combined structures originally used as a boys boarding school--offers three charmingly decorated guest rooms, a separate cottage, and evening hors d'oeuvres and cocktails.

Some cities such as Savannah wouldn't be the same without B & Bs, where many are part of the local history. The Ballastone Inn (800-822-4553), built in 1838, was once home to the Civil war commanding officer and later to a mayor of Savannah. Jean Clair Hagens, owner of the 16-room inn, is a distant cousin of Jefferson Davis. Period antiques and Scalmandre wall coverings are some of the elegant touches in what became the city's first B & B inn, which serves a full breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening hors d'oeuvres.

The Plantation Manor Inn (904-384-4630) in Jacksonville offers three stories of turn-of-the-century charm. In the National Historic District in one of the Florida city's most beautiful communities, the Plantation isn't far from Jacksonville Landing and downtown attractions. Antique furnishings, crystal, and brass chandeliers are some of the gracious touches inside; Doric columns and a veranda beautify the outside. Guests can enjoy a lap swimming pool and spa in the garden area. In the same historic Riverside district, gardens surround the Cleary-Dickert House (904-387-4762), overlooking the St. Johns River. The gracious hosts combine English tradition with Southern hospitality in the all-suite B & B.

Even New York City has several B & Bs, including The Inn on 23rd (877-387-2323), located in a five-story classic townhouse, complete with elevator. The Suite is popular with guests, offering skylights and views of the Empire State Building. The Inn is convenient to public transportation and attractions and provides passes for many museums. Breakfast, prepared by the New School Culinary Arts Program, always includes New York bagels.

Many cities' visitors bureaus have B & B listings, and the Internet has numerous directories, including www.bbon line.com, to help locate lodgings with a personal touch.