Bed, Breakfast and Business
Bed-and-breakfasts are well-known among the romantically inclined. But now their charm is reaching road warriors as well.
To attract business travelers, many innkeepers have added amenities such as free high-speed internet access, in-room fax/copiers, voice mail, dual phone lines, desks and upscale bathroom amenities. Additional services often include airport pickup, corporate rates and frequency programs. Many B&Bs, like the Inn at National Hall in Westport, Connecticut, have extraordinary meeting facilities. And some offer breakfasts that put five-star hotels to shame. At the Bunker Hill Inn in Salem, New York, innkeeper Laura Coldwell makes breakfast using produce she grows in a massive kitchen garden. Many of her clients seek out her inn when they want to combine their business trips with leisure activities and enjoy the fresh air and astonishing views.
"They appreciate the quiet," says Coldwell--but more than likely, they come back for her cooking.
Julie Moline is a freelance writer, editor and editorial consultant in New York City.
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