Time to dispel a B&B myth or two. First, there’s this notion that innkeepers hover. Not true. They are there when you need them, but otherwise keep busy behind the scenes while respecting your privacy. Just like the best five-star hotels. Myth #2: You have to eat breakfast at a communal table. The answer in many cases is no. Some inns offer in-suite breakfast delivery like Otter Creek Inn in Eau Claire, while others like Honeybee Inn in Horicon have separate tables in their dining room that are nice for two-somes and small groups of friends who want to make the most of every minute they have together.
Wisconsin Bed and Breakfast Association Blog
Two More B&B Myths to Dispel
February 10th, 2010Performing Arts Season Is Music To B&Bers Ears
February 10th, 2010Seems some of our innkeepers believe in the sound of music to soothe the weary traveler. There’s a Jazz Brunch at Fountain Chateau B&B in Hustler. A regular sing-along to benefit local charities at the Audubon Inn in Mayville. And on-site concerts at the Parsonage B&B in Madison and Tufts’ Mansion in Neillsville. In Green Lake, Miller’s Daughter B&B partners with a local historic opera house for overnight packages. If you’re heading out of town for a show or concert, check out a local B&B. P.S. No need to sing for your breakfast at any of our member inns.
Winners of 2009 Wisconsin B&B Recipe Cook-off
January 11th, 2010A comfortable bed is just half of the B&B promise. The other half is food! The end of the year brought the second annual Wisconsin B&B cook-off with innkeepers around the state competing for bragging rights. This year’s featured ingredient was wild rice. Did you know it’s a grain and tastes incredibly good in both sweet and savory recipes? Check out the winners here: www.wbba.org/recipes.php
Love the In-Laws, But…
December 8th, 2009Are you heading out this holiday season to visit family and friends in Wisconsin? If you feel like too much togetherness is just, well, too much, here’s an alternative: Stay at a Wisconsin B&B. Just call ahead to see what December openings are available. Lots of Wisconsin B&Bs really go all out for the holidays…an added bonus if you love designer decorations and Christmas-y breakfast items, and who doesn’t!
No Curfews at Wisconsin B&Bs
December 8th, 2009Curfews at B&Bs, fact or fiction? Fiction! You can stay out as late as you like and, to prove this point, there are inns that wholeheartedly encourage late-night star gazing. Like Sunnyfield Farm B&B in Camp Douglas, located on 160 acres of farmland. And Cooksville Farmhouse Inn, 20 miles from Madison’s city lights with a wonderful view of the night sky, especially in the winter. In the community of Rio, the Mill House Inn, set on 40 country acres, offers prime viewing for shooting stars. And there’s Lindsay House B&B in Manawa, where travelers can take in a beautiful starry view away from the haze of city lights. Owner Judy Trull often jokes with her guests that they need not feel like teenagers who have to rush home before Mom locks the door. So stargaze as late as you like!
November Turkey Watching at Your Favorite B&B
November 16th, 2009Don’t mistake the headline to this blog for watching an innkeeper prepare a turkey dish. What we’re actually referring to is wild turkey watching. In the wild. First, if you’ve never seen a wild turkey up close, it’s quite a sight – probably much larger than you’d expect even before they puff up their feathers and fan their tail. Country estate B&Bs that abut wildlife preserves include Eagle Centre House B&B in Eagle, situated on 20-acres in conservancy, where deer, wild turkeys, fox and redtail hawks are a common sight, and Moondance B&B in Fond du Lac, located on 3.5 wooded acres with a bird’s eye view of the wildlife that wanders in and out of the area from the second-story deck off their deluxe suite. Speaking of bird’s eye views, at Justin Trails B&B in Sparta, you can gaze out over their 210 acres from the vantage point of a 12-foot observation tower; you’re sure to catch glimpses of wild turkey and eagles. At the Kinni Creek Lodge & Outfitters in River Falls, guests who like to hunt turkeys and pheasants are always welcome and they even offer guided hunting excursions.
Our New B&B Cookbook Is Not Just for Breakfast
November 16th, 2009Are you a foodie? Do you have friends who are foodies? Then maybe the seventh edition Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast Association cookbook should be on your holiday list. This lay-flat spiral-bound gem houses 158 all-new recipes from 114 of the Association’s inns and it’s hot off the press. If you’re expecting spreads of just breakfast goodies, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to discover the innkeepers divulged recipes for sides, soups, salads, appetizers, entrees and desserts. One chapter is devoted to the collection of 2008 Wisconsin B&B Association Innkeeper Cook-off entries, all of which have a common ingredient – Wisconsin’s #1 crop, the cranberry. Of course, breakfast is not slighted in the least, with innkeepers sharing their most-requested recipes for breads, muffins, coffee cakes, pastries, pancakes, waffles, French toasts, egg dishes and breakfast entrées. You can purchase by clicking this link or by calling 715-539-9222. It’s $21.95.
The March of Fall Color in Wisconsin is On
September 15th, 2009Sunny days, cool nights - September is delivering perfect conditions for fall color, starting in the northwoods and marching south. As you plan your Wisconsin B&B getaway, you might want to log on to TravelWisconsin.com for up-to-the-minute fall color reports; you can even request the report be delivered to your e-mail. The Department of Tourism has dozens of spotters around the state, so it’s a great little tool. On your drive, maybe set aside time for a little detour to enjoy a Wisconsin Rustic Road. Lest you think “rustic roads” is a clever title for unimproved roads, think again. These roads, with their terrific natural features, offer hikers, bikers, and motorists a less-traveled escape into some of the finest scenery the Midwest has to offer. There are more than 500 designated miles of Rustic Roads in 54 counties of the state, many with B&Bs close-by.
A Taste for Culinary Travel and Wisconsin B&Bs
September 1st, 2009Our bed-and-breakfast visitors have a taste for culinary tourism, which is why we decided to participate in the first ever Wine Dine Wisconsin tasting event, set for October 10-11 at the Midwest Airlines Center in Milwaukee. There will be vintners, microbreweries and artisanal food producers there. And we’ll have a booth too (with giveaways, of course, since that’s all part of our hospitality credo). Our very own Pat Fischbeck, owner of the Speckled Hen Inn and the winner of our 2008 recipe contest, will take to the Chef’s Stage on Saturday morning to prepare her Wisconsin Breakfast Panini for the crowd. There’s a price break if you order your tickets in advance. For out-of-towners, Milwaukee-area B&Bs are listed here.
Two other culinary fests we recommend:
- Wisconsin Dells on Tap, part of Autumn Harvest Fest in Wisconsin Dells, will take place October 17. More than 25 Wisconsin microbreweries participate in this tasting event, and there are food pairings from Carr Valley Cheese and the National Mustard Museum too. To order advance tickets, click here.
- The first Wisconsin Original Cheese Festival set for November 6 and 7 at the Monona Terrace in Madison. There will be bus tours to cheese factories, seminars on the art of cave-aged and pasture-grazed cheeses, and a gala reception featuring 100 different Wisconsin cheeses. Tickets for the cheese-a-thon are available by clicking here.
Taking B&B Myth Busting into Our Own Hands
August 12th, 2009And now, a word from our innkeepers on the five most common myths in the B&B world. They want you to know:
A) You will not have to share a bathroom. Added bonus – many inns have spa-quality bathrooms.
B) A B&B does not have to be historic to be licensed by us. There are contemporary properties as equally B&B-worthy as historic mansions.
C) You do not have to eat breakfast with strangers. Interact as much or as little as you like – simply communicate your preference when you make your reservation.
D) There is no curfew. Some inns have separate guest entrances, so stay out as late as you like.
E) Innkeeping is not a hobby; it is a career and a passion.
Remember, our innkeepers like to be asked questions, so no need to be in the dark or under a cloud of misperception when it comes to your B&B getaway.
