Fall is in the air. Once again, it’s time to color your world with hues and tones inspired by the harvest season.
 
Sprucing up for the fall is a common bed and breakfast ritual. Certainly, if you’ve a favorite B&B you routinely visit, you’ll notice the seasonal changes innkeepers will make in their décor. From the simplest of things like locally grown flowers in vases, to more extravagant efforts such as the changing out of curtains, B&B’s are known for keeping the spirit of the season all about the place.
 
Want to decorate in the manner of a B&B innkeeper? There’s no magic secret to it; all that’s needed is a little creativity, simple supplies, and the desire to have a wonderfully beautiful atmosphere in your own home. In no time, the metamorphosis from summer to fall will surround your family and welcome your guests, preparing them for the ever-shortening days and cooling nights to come.

Here are five great tips from B&B innkeepers for ensuring your own fall season home interior transformation:

1) Think colors.  With the foliage of the world around you changing green to gold to brown, and bold orange pumpkins chopped off the vine to populate grocer stocks, it’s easy to witness the colors of fall in all their glory. Have you ever seen the burst of a flaming red maple in October, or the rustic hues of winter wheat in the field?
Perhaps, you’ve passed a garden blooming with the pastel purple and white heads of kale? Fall is a time of earthen hues, and complimenting your décor with accessories that bring out these colors is guaranteed to bring that festive fall spirit into your home.

2) Think simple.  Unlike the dramatic (and laborious) overhaul that’s often undertaken for Christmastime
decorating, fall seasonal changes can be made with simple additions here and there. What could be easier than carving out the center of miniature pumpkins and dropping in votives or tea-candles? Imagine how much difference could be made by switching out bright throw pillow covers or table runners for ones in the more subtle tones of fall.  
           
3) Think flowers.  To be certain, fresh flowers in vases are nice any time of the year. They bring a sense of joy and creativity into the spaces they occupy. However, this is particularly true in the harvest season. Chrysanthemums are hardy fall flowers found in a wide range of colors and bloom shapes. Placed in the foyer or about your hearth, potted mums are elegant accents to any room or décor. Placed outside on your front steps in concert with flowering kale or sweet potato vine, mums are also a bright greeting for your guests.

4) Think nature.  As opposed to the bright boardwalk stylings of summer, fall is all about back to nature. Traditionally a time of giving thanks for the success of the harvest, fall is also when we gather and store stocks for the winter months ahead. In terms of décor, you can suggest these cornucopia feelings through simple expressions of the outside, inside. Pine cones are generally plentiful throughout the United States – often, you can find them just lying around the grounds of your office building or local park. Arranged in bowls or along the mantel, pine cones, multi-color corn husks, dried leafs, holly twigs, acorns, and other products of nature are simple ways apply a natural fall accent.

5) Think family.  Most homes exhibit the same family photos throughout the year, with the occasional update for new births, graduation, weddings, and so forth. However, as you might expect an influx of extended family to drop in, think about bringing out a few more oldies family photos to inspire nostalgic memories of days of yore. In inexpensive vintage frames found in resale shops or garage sales, old family photos brought once again into the
light of dens, libraries, or game rooms are sure to bring smiles to faces.

Sprucing up for the fall is often the inspiration you need for the promise of a joyous holiday season through the remainder of the year. It’s certainly something most B&B innkeepers do for their autumnal guests. Give these simple changes a try this season, and witness the elevated spirit that others get from being in your home in the fall.

www.galvestonbedandbreakfast.com

Ring-a-ring-a-ring!  It’s 9:00 a.m., and the phone sounds at the lovely, peaceful, Blossom Bed and Breakfast.
 
     Innkeeper: (lyrically) “Hello, this is the Blossom Bed and Breakfast, how may I help  you?”

     Guest: (less lyrically) “Yes, this is Bill Smith. We got into town a little early today, and we’d like to go head
     and check in.”
 
     Innkeeper: “Ah, Mr. Smith, your check-in time is at 4:00 this afternoon – another seven hours from now.”

     Guest: “Oh, that’s okay, you can get us in right now, can’t you?”
 
     Innkeeper: “Mr. Smith, the present guests haven’t even had breakfast yet, and won’t be checking out
     until noon. I’m sure you understand.”

     Guest: “Well. . .no, not really.”

As most travelers well know, there are a few basic courtesies they can exhibit to be considered good bed and breakfast guests. Some of these courtesies are commonsensical (or rather, they should be), others perhaps not so familiar. In case you're wondering what they are, here’s a short, sweet top five listing of qualities that make a good B&B guest:

     1)  As in the case of eager Mr. Smith above, don’t show up seven hours early for check-in.  Or, six hours, five ours, four, three, or two hours early. Certainly, while a little early might be fine, try to adhere to the check-in time frame arranged between you and the innkeeper. Unless you’re very close friends of the guest checking out (and I mean very close), watching them pack their bags might be a bit unsettling for you both!

     2)  It’s a bed and breakfast. Without advance notice from you, the innkeeper will be providing you not only a bed, but – voilà – a breakfast as well! It’s a great courtesy to let the B&B innkeeper know if you’re not showing up for breakfast. And, with the reduced energy costs from not making the breakfast you’re not having, it’s also another great way to save the planet.

     3)  Let’s just assume you do show up for the great, scrumptious breakfast the innkeeper has promised. Now, there are a few different styles of breakfast service at a B&B (covered in another of our blog posts). But, whatever the service style, it’s good to remember that it’s usually not an all-you-can-eat buffet. Don’t over-do it with ordering more than you can consume. Keep in mind that B&B’s are all about quality, not quantity.

     4)  Another thing B&B’s are all about is atmosphere; it’s why most B&B’s are in old-architecture homes. Don’t be surprised if you hear a creak or two underfoot as you walk around the place. And, as you do, remember those
creaks will be there when you come in later that evening after painting the town red (or, whatever it is you decide to do to the town). Step lightly when coming in late, lest you rouse other guests in their more sedate states in their comfy B&B beds.

     5)  Lastly, here is one of those overlooked guest things I spoke about earlier. With all of that wonderful B&B atmosphere comes some quaint décor accents. Things like velvet curtains, warm libraries, or even little gourmet
chocolates on your pillow. Another thing? Three words: Beautiful, fluffy towels. Yes, that’s what I said – beautiful, fluffy towels. After your town-painting (see #4), avoid the temptation to use the beautiful, fluffy towels for wiping mascara and lipstick off your equally beautiful mug!  

There you have it. Some basic elements innkeepers the world over have agreed upon in making this, the universal top five qualities of a B&B guest. Surely, there are others, and perhaps many that you might even consider to be more vital. In any case, practice makes perfect. So, when traveling, always stay at a B&B, if only but to practice your being-a-good-B&B guest skills. 
 
Even better, bring a friend and practice them together! 

www.galvestonbedandbreakfast.com

No matter where you travel, there will be special things about the destination and lodging to be found there. It’s the reason you decided where to go and stay there in the first place. Maybe it’s the scenic views, history, people, or attractions that make it a place you want to go to. And, when it comes to room accommodations, well, there are usually all sorts of rooms, beds, and services to fit just about every tourist’s need.

But, for those of us who absolutely love breakfast and can’t find enough ways in the world to experience it, there’s nothing like a B&B to make sure your day starts off right. In fact, some folks choose a B&B based solely on the types of breakfasts they serve and the menus they create. Once a B&B gets a word-of-mouth reputation as a great place for breakfast, the world beats the reservation path to its door.

On the other hand, if you’re visiting a B&B you’ve never been to before, the best way to find out what they serve for breakfast, and when they serve it, is simply to ask. Often this information is found on the B&B website, but if it’s not, be sure to give the innkeeper a call. They can give you a sense of the type of breakfast they serve based on the time of week you’re planning to visit. This sort of communication is particularly important if you have any food allergies that they need to be made aware of (or, other such issues as the need for dishes to be free of gluten or lactose, vegan or vegetarian, etc.).  

There are also a range of dining styles that can be found in B&B’s. Here are the most popular, but note that a B&B may use several of these breakfast serving styles based upon notions such as day of the week, season of the year, or other considerations.
               
    Buffets: Here, guests are served during a specific time to a variety of breakfast selections 
    that may include traditional and specialty items, as well as fruit, breads and cereals. Keep 
    in mind, in this style of serving, guests who arrive later in the breakfast service time frame 
    may find the yummies have been largely devoured by the early risers.

    Continental: Somewhat similar to buffets, continental breakfast service differs in that it 
    usually has a smaller array of food offerings. Whereas buffets might have casseroles, eggs 
    or other entrees in addition to dishes like pancakes, potatoes, and hot cereals, continental 
    type breakfasts are limited to pastries, muffins, toasts, juices, and coffee/tea. While certainly
    great tasting, expect lighter continental fare in a more casual atmosphere.

    Family Style: Though a less frequently found breakfast service method, the family style 
    breakfast is a B&B tradition going back to its very roots. Again, the innkeeper sets the time 
    everyone is to arrive for breakfast. Ten, dishes of food (sometime very deep and large!) are 
    passed around and between guests. Family style breakfast service is as interesting as it sounds – 
    a group of guests communing together over a meal.

    Breakfast Made-to-Order: In a B&B that offers made-to-order breakfasts, guests have more 
    flexibility about what they eat, and when they can eat it. Innkeepers offer breakfast during certain 
    hours, and when the guest arrives they can order from a limited number of entrees and a wide 
    selection of other items such as pastries, fruits and even innkeeper specialties.  The food is then 
    prepared and brought out to you. Some B&B’s will even provide second and third servings (the 
    rule of thumb: Be sure to only order what you can actually eat!). 

    Breakfast in Bed: The ideal romantic notion. Some B&B’s offer this as a matter of their routine, 
    while some will do it for an additional charge. In all cases, breakfast in bed is quite the charming 
    travel experience. With the breakfast in bed style, guests will usually order the night before from a 
    menu. The next morning, at the desired time, breakfast is delivered to the room, and then cleaned 
    up afterwards. No need to get dressed or, for that matter, even get out of bed. Again, check with 
    your innkeeper to see if this is something they offer.   
   
There you have it, a traveler’s primer to B&B breakfast styles. It's obvious from this list that in the same way the accommodation qualities of each and every B&B are unique, so too are so their many breakfast styles.  

Alas, so many B&B breakfasts, so little time to try them all!

www.galvestonbedandbreakfast.com

It’s the dream of every  traveler – going to paradise and find you have the whole place to yourself.  Well, there’s a place and time like this and I’ll tell let you in on it, but you must keep it to yourself.

With the advantage of a nearly year-round temperate climate, off-season travel on the island of Galveston, Texas is the super-secret paradise of the Gulf Coast.  From early fall through early spring, the Island is an exceptionally casual place, absent of congestion, and filled with beaches to comb, sites to see, and shopping galore. Even better, the many lodging and local attraction discounts give you the benefit of extending your stay for a truly relaxing get-away.  In fact, USA Today has included Galveston
amongst its “Top Ten Sleepy Beach Towns Perfect for Fall”.   

Certainly, it’s an understatement to say Galveston is a warm, if not hot place in the summer.  August is, on average, the warmest month of the year.  However, just after Labor Day, when kids are well ensconced in school and the beach tourists are gone, a miracle happens in Galveston.
  
The temperature cools to its most comfortable of the year with an average of mid-60’s to 70’s during the day from October through April, and the place comes alive as Galveston locals come out of hibernation to play.  A colorful and entertaining bunch, the locals are wonderful people to get to know while out and about day or night, or perhaps while watching the dolphins during a ride on the ferry (it’s free!). 

The local’s mantra?  It’s Island time.

If you’re a beach-comber, there is no better place to be in the fall and winter than on Galveston Island.  There are shells and birds aplenty on long stretches of mostly deserted pristine beaches.  Indeed, for shell-seekers and birdwatchers, it’s easy to lose yourself in all day excursions, only to later find yourself watching the horizon over the Gulf of Mexico turn a salmon-peach hue beneath a deep indigo blue sky at sunset.  

For history buffs, Galveston is famous for its 19th century Greek Revival and Victorian homes and buildings, such as Moody Mansion and the Bishop’s Palace.  And, while touring these sites in the summer heat might be a bit arduous, the pleasant climes of fall and winter in Galveston make the experience that much more enjoyable.  Oh,
and did I mention that not only do you often have the beaches to yourself off-season, but with the right bit of luck and the thinning of tourists about the Island your homes tours might end up being just as private. 

Another great secret of the well-traveled Galveston visitor is that an off-season stay in one the several bed-and-breakfasts in the area is a reward in and of itself.  From stately manors to quaint inns, the B&B experience in  
Galveston is really a must-do for the fall or winter traveler.  The hosts at each are well-versed in things to do around the Island, and the opportunity to stay in a uniquely historic accommodation makes great conversation upon returning your home.  There is more info to be found about Galveston B&B’s at their association website,  
www.GalvestonBedandBreakfast.com.

As interesting off-season destinations go, for climate, attractions, and history, Galveston Island is the best kept super secret of discerning travelers.  Give it try this year.  But, remember, once you do, try to keep the secret to yourself.

www.galvestonbedandbreakfast.com