Service with a personal touch

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Personal Service: Reason #2 to choose a Michigan B&B over other lodging alternatives….

Its rich history attracted Yuning Wang and Jason Ju to purchase and operate the 120-year-old Grand Victorian Inn B&B
Its rich history attracted Yuning Wang and Jason Ju to purchase and operate the 120-year-old, meticulously maintained  Grand Victorian Inn B&B.

B&B owners are almost always self employed. They rely on word-of-mouth and repeat business to stay afloat. For you — the guest, that means your hosts will go above and beyond to make sure you have everything you need. B&B innkeepers enjoy pampering their guests and serve as a cross between concierge and friend, mixing insider advice on the best local places to eat and shop with good old-fashioned sociability.

Paul and Cheri are the chief cooks and bottle washers, your hosts and the owners of Prairieside Suites Luxury B&B in Grandville.
Paul and Cheri are the chief cooks and bottle washers, your hosts and the owners of Prairieside Suites Luxury B&B.

While hotels and motels can have hundreds of guests on any evening, a B&B generally has a handful. At most large lodging properties, the desk clerk is a paid employee. At a B&B, the person checking you in is likely the same one who earlier fluffed your pillows, will be your breakfast chef, will host you for an afternoon apertif and appetizers — and who owns the joint. These owners are 100-percent invested in you. They will ensure you enjoy more individual attention and a higher level of service than you would in any other type of lodging.

Jim and Dave are affable hosts as well as the owners of the Bellaire B&B.
Jim and Dave are the affable hosts as well as the owners of the Bellaire B&B and its lovely gardens.

Your experience with your hosts will be as personal or as detached as you want it to be. Innkeepers excel at determining the distance their guests prefer to maintain, and stand ready to be your new best friend or simply the person who waves goodbye when you leave the inn for a night on the town.

Marci and Debra are friendly competitors who, with their husbands, own and run their respective B&Bs from top to bottom. Each inn commands a breathtaking lake view -- Marci of St. Clair Lake from her spacious porch at The House on the HIll B&B; and Deb, who is visiting from nearby Torch Lake B&B with a nearly 19-mile view.
Marci and Debra are friendly competitors who, with their husbands, own and operate their respective B&Bs. Marci minds the store at The House on the Hill B&B; and Deb runs the Torch Lake B&B.

A B&B’s more intimate setting – feeling like a private home – makes for a sociable atmosphere. Over breakfast, some guests prefer separate table seating and many B&Bs offer that option. But many provide a lavish, hot and home-made breakfast family style. Here, guests find themselves sharing travel tips and stories and making new friends while lingering over coffee. What a concept!

Breakfasts can be enjoyed tete-a-tete at The Kalamazoo House B&B .
Breakfasts can be enjoyed tete-a-tete at The Kalamazoo House B&B .

B&B innkeepers are innkeepers because they are naturally hospitable folks. B&Bs may feel like private homes, but the fact is they are commercial lodgings. These innkeepers enjoy their own living quarters on site, but they equally enjoy sharing their views and beautiful rooms with you.

Guests love this deck overlooking Lake Huron at Adventure Inn B&B any time of day.
Guests love this deck overlooking Lake Huron at Adventure Inn B&B any time of day.

The dining rooms, the living rooms, porches and patios are as much for you as is your private room and bath. B&Bs are truly a home away from home and a way to get a taste of a life you may only have dreamed of. Right up there with breakfast, it’s another reason to choose a Michigan B&B over other lodging alternatives.

(Note: All B&Bs are not created equal. Be sure to guarantee a quality stay by ensuring your B&B meets the standards required for membership in the Michigan Lake to Lake B&B Association. Check here before you commit to a reservation.)