Lodging

The White House Bed & Breakfast in Brussels is a 3-star establishment, housed in a mansion in the cozy Bruxelles Louise residential area. The B&B is ideally located for all three – Bed, Breakfast & Brussels.

The White House B&B, Brussels

Brussels because the location, with the city center nearby, offers a great spot as a base for visitors and tourists, if you want to stay for a weekend, a week or even an extended stay, while getting to know Brussels and all its wonderful attractions. Avenue Louise is just a short 5-minute hop from the White House.

Breakfast because the White House is surrounded by all kinds of shops, restaurants and markets. You can simply walk down to the Maison Felix, one of the most popular delis in Brussels. You can also use the kitchen if you feel like cooking. Fresh local produce is available at the Châtelain Market every Wednesday afternoon.

Bed because the beds are nice and the residential surroundings offer a peaceful locale without any disturbance. There are three types of rooms, with the ‘Sitting Bull’ room offering the best value. Includes an extra sofa bed, living room, terrace, private bathroom and toilets.

In addition to the shared kitchen, common facilities include wifi internet, garage parking, multi-lingual staff, luggage storage, and a TV lounge. Rates from €67.32. If you book before Dec 31, 2009, you get a 15% discount on the rates. More details and online booking for The White House and other Bed & Breakfasts in Brussels here.

Info: Rue Washington, 142  1050 Brussels Belgium; +32 (0)2 850.77.19

Photo courtesy The White House Bed & Breakfast

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The Monte Cristo, a former bordello turned B&B.

Jack Su, the proprietor of the Monte Cristo Bed & Breakfast in San Francisco, is an elegant man with an extensive collection of art and antiques.  When he acquired this property in 2007, he found the perfect showcase for his fixtures and furnishings, as well as a very time-consuming new project — remodeling this long-neglected inn, with a checkered and fascinating history.

A former bordello, the colorful Monte Cristo Saloon was built in 1875, and operated during the turn of last century. The “saloon” survived the the 1906 earthquake and the great San Francisco fire, becoming a refuge to many who lost their homes in the disaster.

Though the building was added onto in 1912, if you peek through a skylight on the second floor you can still see the painted letters of the original Monte Cristo sign. Su and his partner discovered this artifact after cleaning years of grime off the glass panes.

Old green shag rugs were torn up to reveal original plank floors, that slope in places. Su has filled the 14 rooms with one-of-a-kind pieces he has picked up at auctions, as well as brand-new Simmons pillow-top mattresses. The flowered wallpaper has a dizzying effect that might remind you of a childhood visit to your great aunt’s house, and some of the rooms smell damp. New double-paned windows seal the cozy rooms from urban noise.

Rooms at the Monte Cristo are filled with antiques.

Rooms range from $129 to $149 including breakfast, and all have small but sparkling new bathrooms. The junior suite rents for $200 per night.

Wi-fi is free and a computer with printer is available to guests.

Top photo by Lisa Dion, adjacent photo courtesy of the Monte Cristo.

The elegant Victorian buildings that make up Inn 1890 in San Francisco.

They don’t advertise. There isn’t even a sign.

I must have walked by the elegant Queen Anne Victorian on the corner of Page and Shrader streets hundreds of times on my way to the Haight.

It stood out to me only because of the gynormous geranium bush, easily the largest I’ve ever seen, that completely enveloped the steps to the side entrance.

It wasn’t until a friend who lives in the ‘hood told me that his family stays at Inn 1890 when they visit from Ireland.

Turns out the stately white building is an unassuming Bed & Breakfast inn that blends seamlessly into the residential Panhandle neighborhood of Edwardian and Victorian homes, just a block from Golden Gate Park.

Innkeeper Steve gave me a tour of some of the 17 rooms, the 24-hour kitchen and the peaceful garden. Many of the guests are short-term lodgers, relatives of patients at nearby UCSF. Others have heard of the Inn from locals and through word-of-mouth.

Inn 1890 has a homey vibe, with cheerful yellow walls and lots of windows. All but two of the unique rooms have private baths, two are suites, and almost all have refrigerators and microwaves. Many have kitchenettes. Period details abound, and some rooms have working fireplaces.

I was a little put off by a old, musty smell in a couple of the rooms, but I guess that goes with the territory in a house that was built in 1890…

A relaxing garden.

Classical music played in the sunny, well-stocked kitchen where guests are invited to make meals or tea any time of day.

The owners live in an adjacent property on Shrader St. that houses a few more rooms including the “cottage” as well as a one-bedroom apartment that rents out by the month.

Prices are exceptionally reasonable — $99 to $179 per night. Parking is an additonal $10 (and worth it).

Amenities include, free Wi-Fi, computer and printer, free in-room phone service, robes and slippers, queen-sized beds and down comforters.

Steve and the staff put out a large spread of breakfast items and goodies — fresh fruit, quiche, assorted cheeses, breads, muffins, cakes, and “always pie” — throughout the day.

It really feels like coming home. If your idea of home is a beautiful Victorian in San Francisco.

The Old Monterey Inn in Monterey, CA.

We’re smack in the middle of the slow season for many hotels — winter — which means now is a good time to shop around for deals on getaway packages. Sorry, none to be had in ski country, but coastal California is slashing prices.

If you’ve been jonsing for a trip to Big Sur, Carmel or the Monterey peninsula, the Old Monterey Inn, a  B&B with adjoining spa, is a sweet spot to base yourself and take advantage of the winter doldrums pricing.

Elegant and charming, the historic Tudor-style inn was built in 1929 and was the residence of Monterey’s first mayor. Luxury and romance abounds. With fireplaces and featherbeds in the rooms, you won’t want to leave except to sip sherry in the acre of lush gardens that envelop the grounds.

Full disclosure — I visited the OMI with my husband a few years ago BC (before children) and I have some words of advice — leave the kids at home.

This is a place for both young romantics and more mature travelers looking to enjoy each others’ company  in a plush, restful ambiance. Think honeymoons and anniversaries.

While I didn’t indulge in the spa during my visit, the menu offers the usual suspects — Swedish, deep tissue, sports and aromatherapy as well as stone massage and exfoliating wraps.

Right now you can take advantage of OMI’s mid-week winter promotions offering their lowest rates ever. They also guarantee a room upgrade when available. Check the website for detailed descriptions and to read their charming blog.

Winter Promos include:

• Winter Pampering — $640 – $1,100 (save $200)
• Romantic Sunset Bonfire at Carmel Beach — $250 (this is truly fabulous!)
• Basque in Romance Dining Package — $250-$440
• Romance on the Menu — $260-$440
• It Happened…In Monterey — $269-$440
• The Ultimate Luxury Getaway Package — $2,356-$2,531

Photo by AlliRose

Giraffes are among the exotic animals at Safari West.

Scimitar-horned oryx cavorting with antelopes, a dromedary camel lumbering lazily behind a herd of giraffes, and East African cranes bobbing around as if they were in the African wetlands.

Probably not the scenario that comes to mind when thinking of a B&B in the Sonoma Wine Country.

Safari West may not be a typical Wine Country experience. But it’s as close to Africa as you’re likely to get without a passport.

You won’t get a flight of old vine Zin or a seaweed wrap here, but you can get up-close-and-personal with ring-tailed lemurs, ostriches, and zebras.

Neither drive-through park nor zoo, Safari West Wildlife Preserve is home to some 500 exotic mammals and birds, living in their natural habitat. The mission is wildlife preservation and education, but SW is also an adventuresome alternative to the typical weekend getaway.

Guinea hens roam free at Safari West.

Guests are transported via golf carts to their lodgings — canvas African tent cabins on stilts with hardwood floors, decks, ceiling fans, and electric blankets. Private decks allow for observing the wildlife.

On my visit, I had what was perhaps the most memorable breakfast of my life. As my fellow visitors and I were tucking into our morning meal, a young animal handler asked us to stand up and move aside.

“We’re bringing the cats through,” he said calmly. Moments later two magnificent female cheetahs — yes cheetahs — slinked  by the buffet tables on leads, and out the back door. Then everyone returned to their cereal and yogurt.

Lodging is in African tent cabins.

Naturalists at Safari West conduct two- to three-hour safari tours in modified jeeps with seats on top. Specialty and private tours are offered as well as special events, birthdays, wedding, corporate retreats and youth clubs.

Tent accommodations range from $170 to $295, depending on day of the week. Tours and dinners are additional.

Bed and breakfast? More like tents and cheetahs…

Photos by Thomas Pix.

Seal Cove Inn in Moss Beach, Central Coast, CA.

I was six months pregnant and felt the need for a weekend getaway with the family before the arrival of my son. I wanted to go someplace not too far from our home in San Francisco, yet far enough to feel transported.

We drove south along the coast and checked into the cozy, inviting Seal Cove Inn in Moss Beach, CA, a thirty minute drive from the city and just north of Half Moon Bay.

The Seal Cove is unequivocally romantic, but with a two-year-old on a rollaway next to your bed — not so much.

Still, our room was sumptuous and comfortable with a gas fireplace and a door to the impeccably landscaped gardens.

Kicking back here  on a weathered Adirondack chair with a juicy book as the ocean foams and roils beyond, is the essence of relaxation.

Behind the inn, a tree-lined path leads through the meadow to secluded beaches, tide pools and ocean bluffs.

A 10-minute walk from the inn, the Moss Beach Distillery is steeped in legend and mystery. A Prohibition-era hideaway for politicians, socialites, silent movie stars and pleasure seekers, its best known for the “Blue Lady,” a former guest who is said to haunt the building and grounds.

According to lore, the young woman ventured out to meet her lover during a violent storm some 70 years ago and was killed in an automobile crash.

Since then, sightings of a woman dressed in blue, and other unexplained disturbances have been reported at the building, particularly at night.

We decided to stop in for warm drinks on the back deck that overlooks the ocean. It’s often chilly and windy here, so we helped ourselves to the heaps of wool blankets provided for snuggling. Food is mediocre and overpriced, but the view of the rugged, wind-swept coast is staggering.

Back at Seal Cove, we had afternoon tea and homemade cookies in front of the massive hearth in the main sitting room.

In the morning, a generous breakfast buffet of freshly-baked muffins, quiche, fruit and Irish oatmeal awaited.

My daughter played in the garden and I wrapped myself in a shawl and gazed out at the fog-shrouded Pacific. My mind wandered to the Blue Lady. There’s a beautiful loneliness to this part of the coast. I did feel far away from my life in the city.

Mission accomplished.

Photo by Dan Dion

The Blackthorne Inn is perched high in the trees above Inverness, Ca.

The wedding was two weeks away. Lots of details still needed attending to, not the least of which were shoes.

So, on a Friday afternoon I was in Union Square in San Francisco, shoe shopping with my friend Katie. We found a pair that matched the dress and and would work for my choreographed swing dance.

Then it happened.

Running for the bus, my foot caught on broken pavement and I went down. Hard. I broke my kneecap.

Strapped in a leg brace for the next six weeks, I could cross my honeymoon — hiking through Roman ruins on the Amalfi Coast, off the list.

The Blackthorne Inn is a romantic indulgence.

Wait — there’s a silver lining. Though we didn’t end up roaming Pompei or the cobblestone streets of Ravello, we spent the days after the wedding in a glass tree house perched in the Rapunzelian tower of the Blackthorne Inn in Inverness, Calif.

The Eagle’s Nest aerie, the stand-out of the four rooms that make up this one-of-a-kind B&B near the Point Reyes National Seashore, is simply the most romantic place I’d ever been. It’s a private, rustic-chic chamber floating above the treetops. The ultimate love nest — it has a secluded roof deck and sky bridge that leads to the hot tub.

The inn serves a hearty breakfast in the morning. Guests can dine alone, on the 3,500-square-foot sundeck, or in the glass solarium. Much of the construction of this architectural stunner is from salvaged items — doors of the old San Francisco railroad depot are now solarium walls.

Prices range from $195 to $325, depending on the room, season and special promotions. Check the website for specials.

Informed of our honeymooning status, owner/innkeeper Susan gave us a sweet discount on additional nights, making the decision to stay longer a no-brainer.

Last year, when looking for a place to propose to his girlfriend, I told my brother about the Eagle’s Nest. He booked it. And, within the walls of a tree house in Inverness, so another romantic story goes. Fortunately one without a broken patella.

Photos by Dan Dion.