Getting rid of the dull rooms, the loud hallways and the vending-machine-like breakfasts can do a lot to lift the weight that business travel throws on your shoulders. By turning your trip into a quick bed and breakfast getaway, you also might find that the creativity and enthusiasm for return to your work.
ILoveInns.com, the best source for distinctive B&Bs and Country Inns, has some timely proposals for your consideration.
Louisville: Inn at Woodhaven - The 1853 Inn at Woodhaven is a Gothic Revival farmhouse and the exterior is painted bright yellow. The inside features outstanding carved woodwork, crisscross window designs, winding staircases, decorative mantels and hardwood floors. The rooms are appropriately decorated with antiques, while the 12-foot, nine-inch tall ceiling provides more than ample headroom in the Attic Suite! Businesspeople enjoy the Wi-Fi Internet access, free coffee and tea station and other amenities and there are corporate rates.
New York City: 1871 House B&B - On a tree-lined street on the fashionable Upper East Side, this classic Brownstone offers stylishly elegant accommodations. Old World charm is evident in the decorative ironwork covering the front door, ornate moldings around windows, high ceilings and floors, and marble and wood fireplace mantelpieces. It was named one of the 100 best little hotels in New York City in 2003. A quote from a recent business traveler reveals the difference in staying in a little inn versus a business hotel, "I lived in New York for several years, and perhaps my favorite thing about the 1871 House was that it felt less like staying in a cold and touristy hotel, and more like I was using a friend's really fabulous apartment. I haven't felt so much like a New Yorker since I moved away".
Sacramento: The Amber House - This California bed and breakfast is within blocks of the capitol. The inn utilizes two 1905 historic homes. Enjoy the inviting guest rooms and relax in front of a fire or in the whirlpool tubs in each of the Italian marble bathrooms. The gourmet morning meal is served in your room. Desks come with each room and a variety of services are available for those who travel on business. Impress your clients by using the inn's dining room for your meetings.
If you are looking to save a little extra on your business travel, some of the inns featured above also participate in the Free-Night-Stay program. Purchase the first night at the regular rates and get the second night free. Gift certificates are also available for many of the bed and breakfasts.