Our "Inn-vestment" In Our Marriage

Glorietta Bay Inn

Coronado Island, CA

I am fond of referring to the 60+ Bed & Breakfast Inn trips my hubby Steve and I have taken since 1987 as our "magnificent obsession." I'm sharing a list below of the inns we have stayed in, and while we have enjoyed all of our trips, I've put a * by our personal favorites with a note as to why we liked them. Some of the inns are still in business and some are not since we began staying in inns way back in 1987. At the bottom of the list below you'll find the website that I love most when searching for an inn to visit. You'll love that inn site! Guaranteed! Enjoy!

Steve and Kathryn Bechen Marriage "Inn-vestment" List

*1. The Abigail. San Francisco, California.

Faded European charm and easy walking access to trolley, sights, restaurants.

*2. Singleton House. Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Cozy, comfy, welcoming with a beautiful backyard garden in an adorable little village sometimes referred to as "Little Switzerland."

3. Offutt House. Omaha, Nebraska

4. Thompson House. Brownville, Nebraska

5. Whispering Pines. Nebraska City, Nebraska.

6. Milford House. Kansas City, Missouri

*7. Hillcrest Inn. Scottsdale, Arizona

Lovely inn owned by a fascinating woman from New York, but no longer operating as an inn.

8. Dixie Cottage. Eureka Springs, Arkansas

*9. Meadowlark Manor. Red Cloud, Nebraska

Red Cloud was once the home of famous author Willa Cather. Lovely little prairie town.

10. Apple Orchard Inn. Missouri Valley, Iowa

11. Beal House. Brookings, South Dakota

12. Gardener's Cottage. Eureka Springs, Arkansas

*13. Chestnut Charm. Atlantic, Iowa

Beautiful historic home with a lovely sunroom and carriage house suites.

*14. La Corsette Maison. Newton, Iowa

Sophisticated; had a ballroom.

*15. Plum Creek Inn. Thurman, Iowa

Lovely sedate home with French touches in a quiet rural setting.

*16. J.C. Robinson House, Waterloo, Nebraska

Beautiful historic home with gorgeous antiques.

*17. Magnolia Inn. Savannah, Georgia

Exquisite architecture and antiques located across from a beautiful park. True Savannah.

*18. Villa de la Fontaine. Charleston, South Carolina

Huge exquisite Old South mansion with beautiful antiques.

*19. Delamar Inn. Beaufort, North Carolina

Prettily comfortable and lovely flower gardens.

*20. Silver Thatch Inn. Charlottesville, Virginia

Large historic inn with beautiful grounds.

*21. The General Lewis House. Lewisburg, Virginia

Large historic inn with beautiful grounds in a sweet little town.

*22. Sills Inn. Versailles, Kentucky

Impeccable decorating. Beautiful Kentucky horse country.

23. The Rogers House. Lincoln, Nebraska

24. Nostalgia Inn. Blair, Nebraska

25. Walnut Creek Station. Walnut, Iowa

26. Bed and Breakfast of Fremont. Fremont, Nebraska

*27. The Redstone Inn. Dubuque, Iowa

Gorgeous mansion in a pretty Iowa town.

*28. Mansion Hill Inn. Madison, Wisconsin

Incredible spiral staircase and a revolving wall in our room. One of my absolute favorite inns.

*29. Inn at Pine Terrace. Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

Beautiful historic mansion in a lovely lake town.

30. Benson Bed & Breakfast. Oakland, Nebraska

31. Carriage House. Beatrice, Nebraska

32. St. Martin's House. Atlantic, Iowa

33. West House. Lincoln, Nebraska

*34. Bed & Breakfast Inn at La Jolla. La Jolla, California

Beautiful seaside location in a lovely sophisticated village. Tucked back in a sweet neighborhood within walking distance to all. Comfy inn.

35. Aunt Betty's. Ravenna, Nebraska

36. English Mansion B&B. Sioux City, Iowa

37. Conner's Corner. Denison, Iowa

38. Grandma's Victorian Inn. Hastings, Nebraska

39. Seal Beach Inn and Gardens. Seal Beach, California

40. The Atwood House. Lincoln, Nebraska

*41. Four Columns Inn. Sherburne, Minnesota

The sweetest owners/innkeepers who made us feel like family. An Old South style mansion on the Plains.

*42. Lumber Baron Inn. Onalaska, Wisconsin

Cozy, lovely decor, and wonderful breakfasts.

43. Westby House. Westby, Wisconsin

*44. Strawberry Creek Inn. Idyllwild, California

Cozy and comfy and set amidst the pine trees in a sweet quiet mountain town.

*45. Zosa Gardens. Temecula, California

Panoramic California views from the deck in a peaceful rural setting.

46. The Venice Beach House. Venice, California

*47. Blue Lantern Inn. Dana Point, California

The photo in this blog header was taken from our room. Need I say more?! A favorite.

48. Heritage Park Inn. San Diego, California

*49. Casa de Elena. San Clemente, California

Exquisite California mansion on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Beautiful grounds. No longer an inn, but one of my favorites.

50. Cardiff by the Sea Lodge. Cardiff, California

*51. La Casa del Camino. Laguna Beach, California

Step out back to the beautiful Pacific Ocean below. Lovely lobby.

*52. Garden Cottage at the Green. San Clemente, California

Sweet hosts, exquisitely manicured gardens, beautiful home near the golf course in a lovely seaside California town.

53. Bracken Fern Manor. Lake Arrowhead, California

54. The Carriage House. Laguna Beach, California

*55. Korakia. Palm Springs, California

A touch of Morrocan magic in the beautiful Palm Springs, California desert. Very unique; attracts Hollywood sorts who want to get away for a quiet stay.

*56. Edgewood Manor. Providence, Rhode Island

Absolutely gorgeous antiques, mansion, and exquisite sunroom. My award for the most comfortable B&B bed!

*57. Inn at Stonington. Stonington, Connecticut

Cozy New England elegance in a picturesque seaside village that's home of my favorite lifestyle author, Alexandra Stoddard. A favorite.

58. Glorietta Bay Inn. Coronado Island, California

59. Adobe Rose Inn. Tucson, Arizona

*60. Britt Scripps Inn. San Diego, California

Exquisite Victorian. I wrote a national magazine article about this inn and it's one of my favorites ever. $6 million restoration.

61. Doryman's Inn. Newport Beach, California

*62. Villa Royale Inn. Palm Springs, California

Cozy elegance in the desert with a touch of faded Hollywood grandeur. A favorite understated getaway of ours. Wonderful patio breakfasts, FAB restaurant for dinner, great prices during the summer desert heat. One of my absolute favorites!

*63. The Willows Inn. Palm Springs, California

Exquisitely tucked right into the desert mountainside with a 50 foot waterfall view from the dining room. An absolute favorite of mine where we stayed for our 30th wedding anniversary. Gorgeous antiques. Blissfully quiet.

*64. Inn at Rancho Santa Fe. San Diego, California

Can you say "genteel?"

65. Simpson House Inn. Santa Barbara, California

66. Apple Farm Bed & Breakfast. San Luis Obispo, California

67. Inn on Summerhill. Summerland, California

"The incognito of an inn is one of its striking privileges." --William Hazlitt--

My favorite website? You guessed it: I LOVE Inns.

Happy Inn Travels!

Kathryn :)

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

Inn Love at Christmas Time!

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Dear B&B Friends,

If you'd like a restful California getaway to get out of the cold this winter, check yourself into The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe in San Diego County. My hubby and I have stayed here more than once and always enjoyed it. It's especially fun at Christmas time, when it's decked out for the holidays and they put on their annual decadent and delightfully delicious Christmas Eve and Christmas Day buffet. To see more about our stay during Christmas, go here:

Happy B&B Travels!

Kathryn

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

The Villa Royale--Palm Springs, CA

My hubby Steve and I recently returned from the beautiful Villa Royale Inn and Villa Europa Restaurant in lovely Palm Springs, CA where we celebrated my 52nd birthday. I hope you enjoy my photo tour and review!

I'm INN Love!

Kathryn

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

"Where Beauty, Order, & Business Bloom"

The Willows of Palm Springs, CA

If you're looking for a an elegant and private refuge in the desert, or a beautiful place to get married, look no further than The Willows B&B in Palm Springs, CA. You can see my review and more photos of the inside and outside here.

Happy Travels!
Kathryn :) www.KathrynBechenInk.com

My Britt Scripps Inn B&B Article Is Published In Country Victorian Magazine!

Magazine cover used with permission of Harris Publications.

The magazine article I wrote about the beautiful Britt Scripps Inn bed & breakfast inn in downtown San Diego, CA is published in the Winter 2010 Special edition of Country Victorian magazine, available at Borders Books and national drugstore and grocery store chains. You won't want to miss this article as the Britt Scripps Inn is one of the most beautiful Victorian inns you could ever visit and is impeccable down to every detail. My hubby Steve and I stayed there and were enthralled by their gorgeous authentic furnishings, scrumptious organic breakfasts, and wonderful hospitality! Owner Gordon B. Hattersley III orchestrated a $6 million historic renovation to return the inn to its original beauty. You can read the article online at Kathryn Bechen Ink. Enjoy!

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, CA

The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Dear Bed & Breakfast Friends,

If you're looking for a lovely place to rest your weary head after the busy holidays, try The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, CA. It's a genteel place with a wonderful restaurant and beautiful expanse of lawn and garden. My hubby Steve and I stayed here for Christmas and it was just lovely; it's one of my favorite inns, ever. At Thanksgiving and Christmas they have wonderful holiday buffets that you won't want to miss. To see more of their lovely Christmas festivities, go here:

http://kathrynbechenink.blogspot.com/2008/12/hope-your-christmas-was-merry-bright.html

Bed & Breakfast Bliss!

Kathryn :)

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/

Treehouse Bed & Breakfasts

My "Tea/Tee for Two Urban Cottage Treehouse"

Dear B&B Friends,

When I found my current apartment home, I was smitten, because from every window in every room, I view beautiful trees in San Diego, CA....palms and other lush tropical sorts, and I can also see the lovely La Jolla Hyatt hotel. So I named my new place my "Tea/Tee for Two Urban Cottage Treehouse!"

Want to stay in a "real" treehouse B&B? Check out this link for more info.

http://bandb.about.com/cs/uniquegetaways/a/treehouses.htm

To tour my "urban cottage treehouse" home, which is as comfortable as a B&B since I've gleaned many decorating ideas from my B&B stays over the years, go here:

http://kathrynbechenink.blogspot.com/2008/02/my-urban-cottage-treehousethe-inside.html

Bed & Breakfast Bliss!

--Kathryn--

http://www.kathrynbechenink.com/