Looking for some inspiration for a new place to travel to? Why not plan your trip around some wonderful bed & breakfasts? America has bed & breakfasts of all sizes, ages and price ranges, but they all have one thing in common – cozy, personal service and delicious offerings to start off the day!

Perhaps you would be interested in…

Romantic RiverSong Bed & Breakfast – Estes Park, Colorado

In beautiful Estes Park, Colorado, this story-book charming B&B offers gorgeous views, first-class service and rooms that are perfect for even the most romantic occasions. Bedrooms have both antique and modern country furniture – clean and cozy. Walk barefoot on heated floors!

Bentwood Bed & Breakfast – Jackson, Wyoming

Definitely a luxury B&B! Very close to both Jackson Hole Resort and Grand Teton National Park. An lovely choice for skiers, but there are so many things to do at this B&B year-round. There’s an amazing three-story fireplace in the Great Room. Rooms have cozy themes. Bentwood was constructed in 1995 out of 200-year old trees that were destroyed in a huge fire in the area.

Grand Teton National Park near Jackson, Wyoming

The Grand Anne Bed & Breakfast – Keokuk, Iowa

This is an absolutely stunning Queen Anne Victorian B&B built in 1897. Outside, you’ll have spectacular views of the Mississippi River, which you can enjoy from the gorgeous wraparound porch (love it!) This B&B has gone to great lengths to maintain the period feel of the place, so those who aren’t completely in love with B&B’s that an “older” feel to them may not fall in love with this place as quickly as others. It’s beautiful, but may be more appreciated by the ladies.

The Don Gaspar Inn – Santa Fe, New Mexico

For some reason, I don’t immediately think of bed & breakfasts when I think about Santa Fe, New Mexico. Which is strange, since there is so much history to the area. This B&B will surprise you, and it’s one of Santa Fe’s best kept secrets. It’s barely a seven minute walk from central Santa Fe and there are twelve different accommodations to choose from including a three-bedroom home. Breakfast may be enjoyed on the sunny outdoor patio.

Santa Fe New Mexico

Photos: Dave Friedel, laverrue

guest post by Sherry Gray

Anything on the beach is going to have a certain amount of awe associated with it just by virtue of the natural environment.  But some beach hotels go the extra mile to make the most of their prime location.

Six Amazing Beach Hotels

The National Hotel on South Miami Beach, FL

The Naitonal - South Beach Miami hotel

Known for the elegance and luxury of a bygone era, the hotel sits right on the sands of Miami’s best known beach and features a unique 205-foot long infinity pool. The National was built in the late 1940s and boasts chic art deco style with all the amenities you expect in a luxury hotel.

itty bitty picture of big infinity pool

What’s to love: Style! Fully restored to its original glory in 1997, the National is loaded with charm and style.

The Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey Bay, CA

The Sanctuary Beach Resort in Monterey Bay

Built on the edge of The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, this luxurious resort offers the kind of unspoiled nature you’d normally have to sleep in a tent to enjoy. The isolated location of The Sanctuary Beach Resort offers stunning views of the Pacific Ocean or rolling dunes of seemingly endless sand alive with an amazing array of indigenous plant and wildlife. You can’t go wrong, either choice is simply breathtaking.

What’s to love: Put simply, raw nature. With the Marine Sanctuary just steps away, you’re surrounded by wilderness while being spoiled rotten by amenities.

The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort just off the coast of Charleston, SC

The Sanctuary

This five star resort hotel built in 2004 is designed to be reminiscent of an elegant seaside mansion, and to fit into the landscape as if it has been in place for hundreds of years. Sweeping, Gone With the Wind staircases dominate the expansive lobby, beautifully decorated in traditional southern décor accented by antiques, lending a homey feeling of casual elegance.

What’s to love: Gorgeous, oceanfront golf. Golf Digest ranks The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort at number 25 on it’s list of 100 Greatest U.S. Golf Courses and number 4 on the Best Public Course list.

The Wyndham Hotel Galvez in Galveston, TX

Tropical pool at The Wyndham Hotel Galvez

Recently restored to its full glory, the glamorous Wyndham Hotel Galvez dates back nearly 100 years. Dubbed the “Queen of the Gulf” when it first opened in 1911, the hotel was frequented by celebrities and public figures like Teddy Roosevelt, Frank Sinatra and the enigmatic Howard Hughes.

What’s to love: Aside from rich historical background, the incredible tropical pool complete with swim up bar is a sight to behold.

The Victorian at the Beachmere Inn in Ogunquit, ME

Beachmere Inn

This beautifully restored Victorian mansion built in the late 1800s was once a private residence. Comfortable, affordable rooms decorated in Shaker style and soothing seaside color overlook a panoramic view of the beach below.

What’s to love: Wood burning fireplaces in some of the suite-style rooms for cozy evenings in.

The Turtle Bay Resort in Oahu, HI

View from The Turtle Bay Resort

Forty-five minutes away from the high density overpopulation of Honolulu, the Turtle Bay Resort is an oasis of tranquility on nearly five miles of dazzling white sand beaches. Because of its unique construction, every room in the resort has a spectacular ocean view.

What’s to love: Surfing! The Oahu shoreline is home to legendary surfing spots including the Banzai Pipeline.

You might have guessed that I’m not a huge fan of cookie-cutter chain hotels. I look for unique factors that will make my beach vacation memorable. Fortunately it’s not that hard to find a hotel full of charm, grace and elegance. They key is to break away from the familiar and search for the original.

Strater Hotel in Durango, Colorado

For some reason, I don’t always think of the West as having as many “historic” buildings or events as the East Coast. It’s silly, really, because the Western U.S. easily has as much history to it as does the East, even if the history is a little more recent (though not by much). I remember being shocked when I traveled to Denver, Colorado a few years back and saw how many Victorian buildings are in the area; it’s a beautiful city.

This week’s Historic Hotel is the Strater Hotel located in Durango, Colorado, and it’s a huge, four-story brick structure dating from 1887. Most sites attribute the word “Victorian” to the hotel, which is correct based on the time it was built – but to me, the word “Victorian” conjures up images of Queen Anne architecture. Regardless, this hotel is gorgeous, and it’s steeped in interesting history to boot!

I like the history of the Strater because it was started by a really enterprising young man who had to lie about his age in order to sign a contract to get the project off the ground. Never mind that he had no money and he had absolutely no experience in the hotel business (he was a pharmacist, what he he know about hotels?) He had a vision though, and passion to go with it, and so he just plugged along until his dream came true. Pretty cool. Durango was pretty much a big, messy mining camp at the time, but Strater realized that building a grand hotel would help transform the camp into a nicer city, and it worked.

Strater Hotel

Here’s where it gets kinda funny. Young Strater put his pharmacy in the bottom of the hotel, and he had mind to simply run the pharmacy, not the hotel itself. So, he leased it to this proprietor named Rice. Well, Strater had forgotten to exempt his pharmacy from the lease, and Rice soon began to charge exorbitant sums of money for him to set up shop there. If you can imagine, this really made Strater mad, so he decided to build another hotel down the road to compete with his own hotel, the Strater, and to try and put it out of business. The two hotels were very competitive until about 1895, when the silver panic took them both out.

The hotel was saved, thankfully, and over the years it was outfitted with more “modern” looking conveniences and amenities. However, newer owners have decided to return to the hotel to its Victorian splendor, and that’s how it is today – a lovely time capsule to the Victorian era.

Basic rooms start at about $180/night. Durango is a very nice, historic town with lots of cute restaurants and shops and nightlife options. It’s about seven hours Southwest of Denver and four hours Northwest of Santa Fe, NM.

Photo Credits: Psuhockeychick, redlioness