Lodging

What to expect when staying

at an Iowa Bed and Breakfast

The Lesanville Inn is a 100-year-old Prairie Gothic style house near Mount Ayr.

B&Bs BY REGION:

CENTRAL IOWA: A variety of B&Bs provide a relaxing respite from the hustle and bustle of the Iowa's Capitol City. LINK

SOUTHEAST IOWA: From the scenic river towns to funky Fairfield to tree-canopied Iowa City, the selection of B&B in Southeast Iowa is amazing. LINK

NORTHEAST IOWA: The rolling hills and quaint river towns of northeast Iowa provides a host of recreation opportunities. LINK

NORTHWEST IOWA: Farm Country and home to the Iowa Great Lakes, this region knows how to work hard and play hard. And it knows hospitality.

LINK

NORTH-CENTRAL IOWA: Meredith Willson made it out of North-Central Iowa, Buddy Holly didn't. You might never want to leave. LINK

SOUTHWEST IOWA: Surprising Southwest Iowa is home to some of the state's most famous natives, its most successful homegrown businesses, and a variety of enjoyable lodging choices. LINK

B&BNews

A Bed & Breakfast is a private home whose owners welcome visitors to stay as an alternative to hotels or motels. It could be described as the next best thing to staying with friends or relatives - but hosts are aware of guests' need for privacy.

If you have never stayed in a bed and breakfast inn before, here are a few thoughts to help in your planning. Many B&Bs are homes converted to public inns because the house’s charm, size, geographic location, or a combination of all three, make it suited to welcoming the traveling public. What you probably won’t find are large wing additions, elevators, large check-in desks in the lobby, room service or a porter to carry your bags. However, the feel and comfort of the B&B or inn is maintained and often enhanced with niceties and amenities not found in institutional hotels or motels. Innkeepers encourage guests to take advantage of all the comforts and amenities provided.

Bed and breakfast inns provide private and very individually decorated quarters for their guests and usually common areas for the use of all guests at the inn. Innkeepers can be a great resource on the area you are visiting, and are available to assist you with whatever your particular needs might be, be it sightseeing tours or diet restrictions, since many B&Bs serve breakfast as part of the room rate. Any allergies (cats, dogs, goose down quilts) are very important items to mention in advance also.

Often, the inn’s owner will be your personal host throughout your stay. As such, it is helpful to ask at the time you make your reservation if there are particular check-in and check-out times. Most B&B inns do not have 24-hour check-in staff, so, if your travels delay you, call to arrange check-in, if that is possible. Some inns have both shared baths and private baths, and rates vary accordingly. Some allow children, pets or smoking, however many do not. Most require advance reservations and have a cancellation policy.

Many people travel to B&Bs for their individuality, the opportunity to interact with fellow travelers, and for the more home-like feeling. In recent years many travelers have enjoyed a measure of security and safety in the home of a local B&B InnKeeper; Hotel security is often regarded as a poor substitute. Each bed and breakfast is different, depending on the character of each innkeeper, so policies are different. If you book a B&B through a travel agent, be sure to provide the agent with any special needs or requests and to have the agent provide you with the needed check-in and cancellation information, plus any special details you should know in advance.

Bed & Breakfast section is expanded

The Iowa Lodging page, even during its early days when it was still being formatted, was one of the most visited of all the pages at Essential Iowa. That's because of the popularity of the large and varied choices of B&B and luxury hotels in the state.

We've listened carefully to our readers in the past month or so and have divided our directory into regions to make it easier to search for accomodations. In our centerpiece feature, you'll notice a sidebar that directs you to six sections of the state.

Every effort has been made to make this directory as comprehensive as possible. If your favorite spot isn't included, please e-mail us at jwagner@essentialiowa.com.