Forget about the romance and the quaint four poster beds with period furnishings and friendly hosts who can give you directions to the best nearby sites and restaurants and bring you logs for your bedroom fire place. The bed and breakfast experience offers a better bang for the buck than most normal full-service hotels or no-frill national chains. A true B&B means a morning meal filled with heaps of bacon, pancakes, maple syrup, eggs, popovers, croissants, local fruits and vegetables, and fresh coffee -- all included in the price of your room. This fall, whether you're leaf-peeping in New England, beachcombing in Santa Barbara, or patrolling Civil War battlefields on Confederate ground, Bed and Breakfasts provide a charming weekend getaway for the historical and money-minded traveler.
Start your B&B search at BedandBreakfast.com (www.bedandbreakfast.com), a general interest website that provides comprehensive state-by-state and country-by-country listing. On the left-hand of the home page, a "Traveler's Favorites B&B Hot Deals" section shows you how much money you're saving off regular prices. For example, you'll save 20 percent off normal rates or get a third night free for a midweek stay at the Comfi Cottages (tel. 888/774-0731; www.comficottage.com) in Flagstaff, Arizona. Accommodations are in private cottages or small houses ranging in price from $120 for a one-bedroom bungalow to approximately $360 for a four-bedroom house. Since there's no central dining room, the kind folks at Comfi Cottages fill up your fridge with eggs, bacon and the works to fill your breakfast needs. Make sure when you call the inn to make your reservation you mention the "Bedandbreakfast.com Hot Deal." In most cases, these deals represent a savings of at least 20 percent and they are not applicable to previous reservations. Availability is limited so call as soon as you spot one of these deals at the site. Comfi Cottages is only 85 miles from the Grand Canyon's South Rim, a beautiful place to watch sunsets, and it's an eight-block walk to downtown Flagstaff.
In Delaware, an original 13th Colony where natives rave about its colonial architecture, large river, rolling estates, and small coastline, we found a Bedandbreakfast.com Hot Deal at the Lazy L at Willow Creek (tel. 302/644-7220; www.lazyl.net). Set in the marshlands near the beach town of Lewes, Delaware, the Lazy L is very pet friendly, encouraging you to bring any well-mannered. It's a great space for kayakers, bird-watchers or beach goers looking to stay in a quiet inn off the beaten path. Amenities include a heated swimming pool, hot tub, game room, pool table and wireless Internet access throughout the five-room inn. Best of all for you eaters, the B&B offers a gourmet breakfast which includes waffles, eggs, pancakes, breakfast meats and fresh baked bread. Fall specials include half-off your third night at the inn for weekday stays and through Bedandbreakfast.com, 20 percent off midweek stay. If you call the inn, ask about the special. You can't get both specials at once, so you have to figure which one is best for you. Rates range from $75 for a cabin without running water to approximately $160 for a "Nature Lighthouse" room.
Online resources for B&B are so vast, most states or areas even have Web pages dedicated to the B&B and inn scene. From the Lazy L, we found a link to the Association of Delaware Shores Inn and Bed and Breakfasts (www.deshorebnbs.com) that focuses on accommodations around the local Rehoboth Beach area. Whether you're looking in the United States, Africa, Europe, or Asia, chances are a website lists phone numbers and B&B descriptions. Half the fun is in the looking.
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