If you are still stumped about what to give friends, family or newlyweds, consider giving them the gift of travel. Bed & Breakfast gift certificates, available at ILoveInns.com, are an easy and thoughtful gift for anyone who loves travel and adventure. The certificates, which can be printed instantly after purchase, are valid at thousands of country inns, B&Bs and boutique hotels.
The certificates begin in value at $50 and go up to as much $1000; they have no expiration or blackout dates, so your recipient can take their time and plan their special trip. The certificates become valid seven days after purchase, and this date will appear on the certificate so there is no guesswork involved. You just have to buy, print, tie on a pretty ribbon and you’ve got an instant travel gift. Here is a small sample of the many inns that accept these certificates:
Located in a historic, late 19th-century farmhouse, Graycote Inn is a charming Bar Harbor bed and breakfast. This Maine inn offers guest rooms with period dcor, canopy beds and clawfoot tubs. Multi-course breakfasts include locally grown and produced items, such a fresh blueberries, buckwheat and coffee. The home is located just a few blocks from the main part of Bar Harbor on a quiet side street, and guests can walk to shops and restaurants. Borrow one of the inn’s bicycles and explore the area or hike along one of the scenic “Carriage Roads” of nearby Acadia National Park. These special, unpaved roads cover more than 60 miles and afford excellent walking, biking and snowshoeing.
Enjoy country comforts at the Corner Oak Manor, located a half mile from the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The grounds are dotted with pine, maple and oak trees, creating peace and privacy. The guest rooms feature country dcor with quilt-topped beds, antiques and hand-made crafts. The innkeepers also offer a cottage with a bedroom, bathroom, small kitchen and living area. Breakfasts feature an ever-changing menu with specialties created by innkeeper Karen Spradley, who is a culinary school graduate.
For beach lovers, the Casa Tropicana in San Clemente, California provides the perfect seaside location. Directly across the street from the beach and San Clemente pier, this eight-room boutique inn is decorated in a romantic, luxurious style and most of the rooms offer an ocean view. Some have a fireplace or whirlpool tub. The Casablanca suite, which covers the entire fifth floor, has its own private deck with an outdoor Jacuzzi. Stroll across the street to the beach or walk around the corner and up the street to the shops and restaurants along Avenida Del Mar. This Southern California inn is located halfway between Los Angeles and San Diego.
In addition to offering printable gift certificates, iLoveInns.com, which has published more than 60 travel guides, also offers the guidebook “Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns.” The book, which can purchased on the website for $24.95, includes a buy-one-night-get-one-night-free certificate which can be used at any one of the more than 1,400 boutique inns and B&Bs. The average savings is more than $150, so consider purchasing a copy for yourself, as well as a friend. ILoveInns.com also features detailed listings to more than 19,000 unique lodging choices, from lighthouse bed and breakfasts to posh city boutique hotels.
