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There are so many interesting bed and breakfasts in unexpected places. My neighborhood in Chicago (Andersonville / Edgewater) has a couple that are located on very residential streets.

I wrote a profile of one on Strange Closets (http://www.strangeclosets.com).

http://www.strangeclosets.com/2008/05/open-house-house-5863.html

If you're ever in Chicago, check it out.

T8
Strange Closets
When design takes priority, the result is often strange closets.

we stayed in a b and b for our honeymoon in nantucket. though it was charming, i do wish we'd gone somewhere a bit more private!

i have never stayed in one and when i look for them, i always get a sort of creepy feeling that it won't be a very private getaway - like miss sparrow says. but i'd like to try it sometime, maybe.

As someone who owns a B&B, frequently stays in B&Bs and who has several friends that own B&Bs, I don't agree with a parts of this article, although I do appreciate the enthusiasm.

B&Bs vary widely in style and amenities. Most that I have seen have private rooms (otherwise, imho, it is a hostel) but often because they are private homes, the bathroom is shared and is not en-suite (in your room--not being snotty here but some people don't know this is the terminology).

Often you are welcome to hang out in another room such as the living room or a study with the owner or other guests but just as often there isn't another public space available. There may only be one living room and it may be the only private space the owner has for themselves. And believe me, as much as we like our guests, owners do need a private space other than their bedroom.

Also, although the term Bed and Breakfast implies there is breakfast, it can be a continental or 'no-host' breakfast, meaning you prepare it yourself. This is often the case when the owner has a job or other business lines that require their attention. Some owners don't serve breakfast at all but they reduce their prices accordingly. No matter what, if it is not a full, hot breakfast, you should be told before you make the reservation.

I have seen hotels with 10 plus rooms call themselves a B&B because they serve a continental breakfast. Imho, it's not a B&B if the host(ess) cannot manage the place on their own, interact daily with their guests or recognize ALL of their guests. This doesn't mean I don't have help. I have an assistant and a house cleaner but if I had to, I could manage cleaning, check-ins, check-outs and breakfast on my own, in a timely and friendly manner.

Most communities have regulations about hotels and B&Bs. While hotels need a license to operate, generally, BnBs do not they are limited to the number of guests they can sleep per night. This is true both in America and in Europe but varies by community. Usually the number is between 2-8 guests which equates to no more than 4 rooms. I personally don't consider any place with more than 6 guest rooms to be a B&B but there are a few, rare places that have a house big enough to have a couple more rooms.

Over the past 5 years I have found that there are B&B people and hotel people. B&B people will choose a B&B first but will also stay in hotels. Hotel people can't stand the thought of a B&B and will almost never stay in one. If you aren't comfortable interacting with a host or hostess, if you prefer room service or want to be waited on, the B&B experience is probably not for you. While I like B&Bs, my best traveling companion prefers the anonymity of a hotel so that's where we go when traveling together. Also, I don't care how nice the B&B looks, ask how many rooms and guests share the bathroom. I would never share a bath with more than one other room that sleeps 2 guests. I think that more than 4 people sharing a bath is a disaster waiting to happen.

Sorry for the length of this comment but there are so many misconceptions and assumptions about B&Bs that it's difficult to know when to stop.