Bed and Breakfast

Booklovers Read and Relax at Bed and Breakfasts from Oregon to DC

Story Published on July 29, 2008 ⋅  Email this Story ⋅  Print this Story ⋅ Post a comment ⋅

“The love of learning, the sequestered nooks, and all the sweet serenity of books,” mused poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Indeed there is nothing more relaxing than escaping into a great adventure, romance or mystery; which is why so many of us pack a book or two on holiday. What better way to combine the relaxation of a vacation with the excitement of a good book. We found some very bookish bed and breakfasts, which are literally lovely.

A Respite for Booklovers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Nestled in the historic district of a quaint Eastern Shore village between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, this bed and breakfast is a celebration of books and writers. Guests can relax by the fire and enjoy a good read in the Mark Twain Parlor and Library (with a diverse selection of books). Each room realistically reflects the life and times of a beloved author. Revel in the romance of Regency England in the elegant, yet sexy, Jane Austen; Immerse yourself in the jazzy Art Deco Harlem Renaissance of the Langston Hughes Room; or dream of pirates and treasures in the nautical Robert Louis Stevenson Room. The whimsically French Caf? Colette contains a collection of 34 cats in pictures and collectibles, in honor of Colette’s love of felines.

The Book & Blanket – Jay, New York

Reading is the sport of the hour at The Book and Blanket, a cozy, historic bed and breakfast in Jay, New York. Guest rooms are named in honor of Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Jack London. The library, as well as the whole inn, really, offer an abundance of books. If you don’t finish a book, the innkeepers are happy to let you take it along. Guests are also encouraged to leave a guest for the next booklover. The town of Jay and surrounding area offer plenty to do and see, including fishing, swimming and hiking. Lake Placid is a short drive away, and guests can plan a day trip to Fort Ticonderoga.

Curl Up and Read in the Nation’s Capitol

Located in a restored 19th century Victorian rowhouse, The Akwaaba Bed and Breakfast, is charming inside and out. The rooms are stunning, each individually decorated with its own theme. The Zora Neale Hurston room includes a brass king bed, antique writing secretary desk, bay window with a view of 16th street and a guest bath with a two-person Jacuzzi tub. The Inspiration Room is another memorable room featuring an ensuite clawfoot soaking tub. The opulent Writer’s Suite is its own little apartment featuring a galley kitchen, and main room that serves both as a living room and bed room.

Sylvia Beach Hotel – Newport, Oregon

Sylvia Beach Hotel, named not for a stretch of seashore, but a famed literary patron of pre-World War II Paris, is a haven for booklovers. The three-story hotel is set atop a bluff overlooking the sea, and the top-floor attic is a library, where guests can select a book and relax. Guest rooms, several of which boast stunning ocean views, are divided into three categories, Novels, Best Sellers and Classics. The Classics rooms offer the best ocean views, and all of the guest rooms are named for a famous author or poet. The inn’s restaurant, Table of Content, features an ever varying menu in an oceanfront dining room.

Savor the Classics at Concord’s Hawthore Inn

There could hardly be a more quintessential writer’s town than Concord, Massachusetts, once home to Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Nathaniel Hawthorne. The Hawthorne Inn, named for the aforementioned author, and rests across the street from that author’s home. The house next door was residence to both Alcott and Margaret Sydney, who wrote The Five Little Peppers books. The inn itself rests on land once owned by its namesake, and features charming guest rooms decorated in period style with antiques. Several rooms are named with literature in mind, from the romantic Sleepy Hollow room with its canopy bed to the Alcott Room, which includes original paintings and a view of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s home.

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