The Best Places to Bed and Breakfast in Ontario: A Selective Guide-Year 2000-01 Edition

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

This guide’s claim to fame is that inclusion is not for sale;
admission has to be earned through quality—and that’s a step up from
the typical bed-and-breakfast.

Over 30 percent of the more than 100 listings in this 2000/01 edition
are new, the result of Higgins continuing her practice of staying
incognito, and paying her way, at numerous B&Bs. Many are visited, few
are selected. And, in the author’s own words, she’s very picky.
Those selected offer a special ambience, more privacy, and more
amenities. Clean is a given.

The guide doesn’t skimp on information. Each listing includes chatty
descriptive notes and a sketch large enough to give an appreciation for
the architecture. Then there’s all the logistics of location, number
of rooms, rates, parking, language spoken, restrictions (smoking, pets,
children), address, phone, Web site and e-mail, seasons open, credit
cards accepted, owner’s (and owner’s pets’) names.

Often it’s the extras that influence the decision to book a visit,
and with these upscale B&Bs, the list of extras is impressive. You can
find B&Bs that offer guests the use of a computer, fax, library, air
conditioning, off-street parking, verandah, parlor, fireplace, ceiling
fans, fridge, television, phone, data port, hot tub, pool, sauna,
solarium, gazebo, bar, etc. Whatever you need, at least one listing is
sure to have it.

The homes are of various styles, with mansions from the early 1900s
predominating. County decor, antique furnishings, local crafts, fine
art, and heirloom accent pieces are the order of the day.

The work stands out from the flood of B&B guides by having identified a
niche. There are guides with more listings and with a wider range of
listings. Here, there’s no attempt to be complete, to serve all tastes
and budgets. For those seeking the exceptional B&B experience, this
one’s the guide of preference.