Some of our favorites

We have either stayed at these or heard about them from trusted friends that are also B&B lovers and with whom we share notes and stories. There are literally hundreds of absolutely lovely B&Bs in the country you could stay at and really “the best” is entirely subjective. If you are beach fans, then ones on or close to the beach would far surpass others, but if you are mountain or city fans, the opposite is true. If you are simply wanting a peaceful quiet place you can read and relax, then something in the country in the middle of nowhere might be the perfect setting.

In this review, we try to not put too much focus on geography, but focus more on the accommodation, hosts/hostesses, food quality, and other amenities the B&B offers.

Here are a few brief words about some of our favorites. These are in no particular order.

Magnolia House Bed and Breakfast in Fredricksburg, Texas.

Magnolia House is a wonderful place. It is somewhat formal, but loaded with love and amenities. If you love to be pampered, this is the place for you. Every detail is accounted for. Fresh lavender is everywhere and provides a wonderful smell. The breakfasts are world-class and served in a very formal dining room setting. The rooms are spotless, the towels fluffy, and luxurious robes are provided. There are I believe four guest rooms.

Fredricksburg is a nice town with hiking, lots of restaurants, shopping, live music, and plenty to do. A wonderful B&B in a great location, managed by people who are 100% attuned to their guests every whim. You can’t go wrong here.

Greenwoods Bed and Breakfast Inn, Honeoye, New York

This beautiful B&B is situated on a hilltop overlooking the Honeoye Lake, close to Canandaigua, N.Y. There are acres of woods and ponds surrounding the Inn. The Finger Lakes are nearby where there are a lot of things to do to keep one occupied. The property has a wonderful hot tub, multi-course gourmet breakfasts, a beautiful wood-burning fireplace in a large common area, and a real log cabin feel to it. The amenities are exceptional. You will feel right at home in this five star B&B.

Abbington Green Bed and Breakfast Inn and Spa, Asheville, N.C.

This was a wonderful place, warm, cozy, and inviting. Every room has its own fireplace, which is a really nice feature on a lot of chilly nights in the foothills of Asheville. Additionally, it has a whirlpool tub in every suite, which is another reason it is showing up on this page. It is just a short drive to the Biltmore Estates from here, and in fact this home was designed by the on-site architect at Biltmore. Nick, the owner, has spent years perfecting the property and has succeeded in making it absolutely perfect. The food is to die for and the hospitality is second to none.

Asheville is an absolutely charming little town with lots of entertainment, music, hiking, scenic drives, great food, and lots of friendly locals. We had a fantastic time here and fell in love with Asheville. Here is a link we used listing things to do here.

The Woods Cabins, Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Like several of these, Eureka Springs sits atop a mountain, with cobblestone walkways and even a waterfall. It is a short walk to the Eureka Springs village, a quaint and precious little town replete with great restaurants, lots of shops, and art galleries. The area is great for biking (both motor and pedal) and hiking. It is surrounded by woods and trails. Nature lovers will love this place.

The property is a collection of small one and two bedroom cabins that are well thought-out and extremely cozy. There is a hot tub in the middle tucked into the trees with fabulous views in all directions. Like most of the others, comfy bathrobes are provided. The rooms all have Wifi, coffee makers, some have whirlpool or jet-air tubs, and a full assortment of bath and beauty items. Gas fireplaces are in all of the cabins.

This is a wonderful place for relaxing and pampering, with plenty to do if you are so inclined, or nothing if you are so inclined.

One last thought before finishing this section. Several of these owners talked about the importance, and challenges, related to keeping the place clean. The issue is that with this many people coming and going, things like bathrooms tend to not get wiped down properly and if left alone, can develop mold issues. While this may seem a bit off the wall, mold in these types of environments can really cause some serious issues, largely because it can be difficult to spot and secondly because so many people are allergic to it. One of the owners above has a mold remediation company come in every six months and another once per year to check the places out and insure that if there are mold issues, they can catch them before they become big expensive problems. If you catch mold in the earlier stages it is relatively inexpensive to deal with. But it can quickly get into ventilation systems, walls, appliances, and other hard-to-reach places that can be costly to clean up. A B&B owner friend in Richmond was told by their mold removal company that as long as they keep up with water issues in bathrooms and under sinks, they should be OK to have the places inspected once every year to 18 months. But this requires some vigilance on the owners part.