Looking for a B&B somewhere other than the Cincinnati area?  Google works fairly well but often eliminates the unique old fashioned places run by people over “internet age” who have been the heart and soul of the U.S. B&B industry.  If having constant high speed access is important to you, then go ahead with your Blackberry or I-Phone search.

Be aware though, that the higher a B&B appears on Google, the more they’re paying.  Obviously, the bigger the place, the more it can afford to pay, running smaller properties out of the front page listings.  A number of hotel chains attempt to look like B&Bs, making it more difficult for us who offer the authentic family home B&B experience.

The site that always comes up is www.bedandbreakfast.com.  Owned by a conglomerate out of California, these people are out to make as much money as they can from everyone in every way.  Their listings are expensive and limit inn’s visibility on their site based on how much they pay and how many “extras” they are willing to buy.  If you only want to stay in one community and know its name, you’ll get inns that are located there and are willing to pay several hundred dollars annually.  

If you’re attending an event in a city on a state border, be sure to check across the state line.  For example, we’re 20 minutes from downtown Cincinnati, yet in a country setting.

Most information about B&Bs is written by the innkeepers and will give you a feel of their personalities and the environment at their inn.

Look carefully at photos.  Some B&Bs are in wonderful historic areas in inner cities that are not yet rebuilt.  We’ve had guests who arrived with great relief, having been fearful about their vehicle and its contents parked at an inner city B&B the night before.  There may be a reason if they don’t show exterior photos.  Ask if you are concerned.

Ask for anything you want or need.  First Farm Inn Kentucky offers discounted tickets to area attractions and restaurants as well as city maps and lots of tourism information.  We encourage guests to bring champagne to drink in the hot tub and provide big unbreakable stemmed glasses.  We set up appointments for a licensed massage therapist to give in-room massages.

Be ware of excessive superlatives that don’t really say anything concrete about the property.  “Great continental breakfast” could mean bagels that sit on a counter all day...