April 4

From LA to New York
By Jesse Schmitt

Traveling a great distance can be something of a daunting task. When my wife and I made the return trip from Los Angeles to New York City, we discovered a number of very interesting and outstanding inns in our travels. If you are considering any of these spots for vacation, it is under high advisement to try and find some of these less glitzy, but no less glamorous spots.

Las Vegas NV: The Four Queens Hotel & Casino

(202 Freemont St - 800-634-6045/702-385-4011 - www.fourqueens.com)

The first stop on our trip from Los Angeles to New York was at The Four Queens Hotel & Casino in the Old Downtown/Freemont Street area of Vegas. Because this is a hotel and because of the 24 hour a day lifestyle of Las Vegas, there wasn't a bad time to be in bed or a bad time to have breakfast. Four Queens hosts a few fine restaurants and all figured into the schism in a different manner.

Hugo's Cellar was for fine dining and opened up only in the evening hours for dinner. Go there if you enjoy wine and speak to their sommelier. Having eaten out at a number of very fine restaurants before, this was the first time which a sommelier was not only made readily available, even suggested; but he actually was roving about from table to table; finding out how people enjoyed their wine, offering up suggestions, and samples with the guarantee that "if the wine wasn't to your liking" he would pay for it himself.
The other primary dining facility at The Four Queens was more of a 24 hour establishment called Magnolia's Veranda. Overlooking the gaming floor, Magnolia's Veranda offered up diner style eats at all hours of the day and night. You could get a hot open faced turkey sandwich at four in the afternoon or a hot stack of pancakes and coffee at four in the morning to keep your engine revving.

Cave Creek, Arizona: Full Circle Ranch

(40205 North 26th Street - 877-465-7570/623-465-7570 - www.fullcircleranch.com)

Following Four Queens, the remainder of our stops took place at bed & breakfast style locations. Our first bed & breakfast destination was The Full Circle Ranch in Cave Creek Arizona. This place was a totally decked out single home with four separate and very well appointed rooms.

The Full Circle Ranch has the benefit of being close but also a world apart. The anonymity which people are able to enjoy at Full Circle was coupled with the fact that this B&B was also quiet and comfortable. These elements allowed for a great deal of relaxation. The owner and innkeeper, Cowboy Jim Langan, was always there and available to be at your service. In addition, the recent updates showed in many of the modern appointments which had been seamlessly integrated into the mix.

Breakfast was served early and included an array of the usual suspects; juice, coffee, cereals, oatmeal, eggs, and fruit; all of which helped get you up and out and on your way in short order and timely fashion.

Las Cruces, New Mexico: A Lodge in the Desert

(215 South Weinrich Rd - 505-523-9605 - www.alodgeonthedesert.com)

 The states out west are big and the travel time in between was definitely a challenge. But our second scheduled stop was in New Mexico and is called simply A Lodge in the Desert. Located in the West Mesa Desert, this is a lodge which is not only full and lush but also svelte.

It has become increasingly popular to host a "destination event" be it for a wedding, reunion, or any other special convergence of special people. A Lodge in the Desert is a perfect such spot for an event such as this; their elegant suites and classic trim in their rooms leaves plenty of room for simple elegance and your own personal touch.

The setting for A Lodge in the Desert is also rugged; there is some 26 acres of vacant desert on the property. This is the perfect spot for the RV or other large cluster of vehicles if you do decide to host a few friends or a whole family gathering; they can come from all over and still have plenty of room left to park.

The reclusive tenor of A Lodge in the Desert makes it the perfect location for peace, Zen, meditation, calm, and inner synthesis.

San Antonio, TX: The Painted Lady Inn

(620 Broadway St. - 210-220-1092 - http://thepaintedladyinn.com)

The Painted Lady Inn in San Antonio, TX was like a mirage sprung up from the desert sand. The Painted Lady is located in an industrial area of town, but don't let that scare you away. Once you're inside the domain; cast behind tall, wrought iron bars, The Painted Lady Inn is one of those places that makes so much sense just because it seems so out of place in the first place.

While it's always recommended to check out the images at a locations website (especially if you're sleeping there) this doesn't really apply here. Even if you have highly perceptive reasoning, the pictures don't do these fine rooms justice. There is a certain soft-spoken grandeur which goes along with things like pedestal sinks, ornate chandelier, floor to ceiling windows, and a hot tub for two; this is a grandeur which must be witnessed in the first person. The amazing ceilings and fun names of these rooms ("Truman Capote Suite") brought them to life in finer detail.

Breakfast at The Painted Lady Inn was all of the excitement of waking up. In addition to the fact that you can have the food delivered to your room or you can take it in the dining area, the food was fabulous besides. The breakfast portion of the day may have begun too early, but the peach muffins, eggs, sausage, coffee, juice, and yogurt which were served this morning more than made up for the early hour of waking.

Baton Rouge, LA: The Stockade

(8860 Highland Rd; 225-769-7358; www.thestockade.com)

Baton Rouge Louisiana is an interesting place and Janice DeLerno, the current owner and innkeeper of The Stockade Bed & Breakfast is indeed an interesting lady. As much a lover of people as of her adopted home, The Stockade has many of the traits of the current principal; but the roots run quite deep on these hallowed grounds. To get a better understanding of the locale, you should know a piece about its history.

The Stockade is located on a historic stretch of Highland Road near LSU and the downtown area of Baton Rouge. This six guest rooms at The Stockade were once an actual Civil War stockade and thus the name. The bed & breakfast is listed on the National Registration of Historical Places and there is a guarded entryway to the property. For the easily spooked, you may wish to tread lightly at your visit to the Highland Stockade as the wooded area surrounding the bed & breakfast was home to the original Stockade Cemetery.

On a more current note, The Stockade pays direct tribute to the local flavor of which it is an integral part. There is a wide variety of artwork from a number of local artists. Each room is pristinely appointed and the meticulous detail which goes into every element of the property is impressive. Despite all the individual nuances, The Stockade is still a great place for visitors of the area to just lay their head and relax. Each room comes appointed with a private bath, WiFi, TV's, and much more.

Breakfast at The Stockade was definitely an experience as well. Bed & breakfasts pride themselves on original flavors for their breakfast and the food served at The Stockade was deliciously original too. It was served in movements and the food started with these poached apples which were heated and served soft with this caramel/honey glaze. The second movement came out with a French toast which also was served with honey. The third act consisted of an omelet speared with an asparagus. By the time the remaining almond cinnamon bun thing was offered, I had to demur just because I was so full already.

New Orleans, LA: The B&W Courtyard Bed & Breakfast

(2425 Chartres Street; 800-585-5731/504-945-9418 www.bandwcourtyards.com) 

It's hard for anyone who is taking a vacation in Louisiana not to stop in New Orleans. The pain and devastation from Hurricane Katrina which many people still feel is very much alive. But life goes on and there is still so much life and vibrancy in this resilient town.

The New Orleans which surrounds The B&W Courtyard Bed & Breakfast was still very revelrous and celebratory. Co-owners of the inn, Rob & Kevin are both there for your every need. While Kevin is more of a host who is at your service, Rob is decidedly more practical. As soon as we got there Rob sits down with all his new guests and shows them a street map of New Orleans. This is not to necessarily tell you the sights but more to warn you of where you should go and where you should not go. It was reassuring to know that in a place so full of potential malady, there is someone looking out for your well being.

Located right in the thriving pulse of New Orleans, the inn is a very secure series of low level buildings which make up the inn "compound."  Our room had the typical accoutrements but really, when you're in New Orleans, you just want to be sure you can make it back to the inn in one piece. The location of the B&W on Chartres Street was ideal.

Any visitor to the B&W Courtyards would be wise to not skip over the breakfast offerings. Kevin make an apple turnover which was served with some sliced fresh fruit. Another integral element to my whole day was the very strong cup of coffee they offered; a strong cup of java after a late night in the Quarter is paramount.

Watkinsville, GA: Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast

(5 Harden Hill Rd; 706-769-2633 - www.ambedandbreakfast.com)

Located in a historic, 1893 Victorian Manor House, The Ashford Manor Bed

& Breakfast, in Watkinsville Georgia is a finely appointed property which has been a part of one family for more than 100 years.

Watkinsville, by itself, is a small town. Located about an hour east of Atlanta and quite close to the college town of Athens, GA; the Ashford Manor Bed & Breakfast prides itself as being both within and without. The privacy and seclusion you will feel here is very real but all you need to do is drive a short distance and you're in the fast lanes of one of America's biggest, still growing, and prettiest cities. From their own website, they "like to think of (themselves) as the best kept secret in Georgia."

The fact is that the seclusion you'll feel being at The Ashford Manor house is reinforced by being surrounded around magnolias, pines, red buds, and acres of carefully landscaped gardens. The town also offers art galleries, antique shops, folk talent, and a whole lot for any taste or persuasion.

The rooms at The Ashford Manor house are trimmed in only the finest, poster beds, dedicated phone lines, private baths, cable TV, wireless internet, and much more.

Breakfast at The Ashford Manor was excellent. In their elegant dining area which exists on the first floor, they served a crème brule French toast which was divine. Following that up were your fresh fruit and juice and coffee. Sitting there in these decadent dining rooms with these long tables and high backed wood chairs, one can't help being swept up in all the history which surrounds you.

Wilmington, North Carolina: Front Street Inn

(215 S Front Street - 910-762-6442 - www.frontstreetinn.com)

In Wilmington North Carolina The Front Street Inn is a beautiful complex of rooms which was actually once a Salvation Army. This fact gave the building some of its implicit gravitas as well as its impressive scope. Richard and Polly, the current innkeepers who run the place are the ones who have turned this place into a pure joy.

The Front Street Inn is also located on the Cape Fear river walk. This 1991 Martin Scorsese film probably lends a lot to the legend of this otherwise sleepy town but the fact is that on the February evening that we were there, there was such a positive vibe in the air that I was almost lulled into a sort of complacency. That's what happens right before the psycho killer strikes in movies, right?

The beds were nice and the rooms comfortable but the breakfast offerings are an integral component. There was fresh fruit, juice, coffee, cereals, two different kinds of quiches (I felt like I was at Grandma's breakfast table) along with a whole bunch of other foods which couldn't even register let alone be ingested. Being a respectful guest, I filled up on the breakfast which was offered me (and would have otherwise gone to waste, right?).

Washington DC: The Intown Uptown Inn

(4907 14th St NW - 202-541-9400 - www.iuinn.com)

While many people may think of the District of Columbia as being little more than offices and government buildings; there is actually a thriving and exciting underbelly to this place of which the Intown Uptown Inn is a vital component.

Located in a 5000 Square foot Victorian home, the Intown Uptown Inn is actually only a short jaunt from all the very famous spots in Washington DC; but it is in a removed enough spot that you can find on the street parking without incident. The Intown Uptown Inn is also just a short hike from the mainland of Maryland and the Walter Reed Medical Center and is therefore a great spot for people who find DC as their destination and those who are just passing through.

You should take a moment, though, when you are inside of the three story home to just take a look around you. There is a breathtaking attention to the more classical, finer details which sets this place apart from the bland hotel and motel options. Kohler faucets, Jacuzzi tubs, memory foam mattresses, and WiFi are all added elements of modern day that makes The Intown Uptown Inn a sight to see.

Breakfast at the Intown Uptown Inn included the likes of fresh fruit, yogurt, these great granola creations and a juevos-rancheros- sour-cream-salsa-muffins which were completely a unique creation and have to be seen to be believed. Orange juice, cranberry juice, and coffee sealed the deal and made the breakfast at the Intown Uptown Inn memorable indeed.

Washington DC was our final spot on our trip across this nation before reaching our destination of New York, NY. I hope to be back in a future segment to talk about these New York City destinations in some detail.

Bed & Breakfasts are a welcoming shift from your more traditional 'side of the road' hotel and motel options. While the price and availability tends to fluctuate greatly from week to week, the phone numbers and web contacts of these B&B's all have very helpful, very friendly innkeepers on the other end who are more than willing to help you plan your trip; long or short; big or small.