Amazon.com Review
On the hunt for a bed and breakfast that will graciously host a cat, two kids, and a vegetarian sister? Hankerin' for a true Montana log cabin weekend, a flyrod's cast from Yellowstone River? Yearning for an antebellum hideaway that-- you do declare--is simply oozing Southern hospitality? The search ends with Pamela Lanier's most extensive compilation to date of bed and breakfasts, inns, and guesthouses. This 15th anniversary edition packs more than 16,000 listings into a concise, easy-to-read format that's loaded with all the pertinent details--price range, number of rooms, meal plans, amenities, credit cards, children, languages spoken, and more. A seasoned traveler, Lanier is the author of a variety of other travel-inspired titles, such as The Bed & Breakfast Cookbook and Family Travel & Resorts: The Complete Guide.

In this compendium, her descriptions manage to capture the essence of each establishment in just a few lines, plus she highlights nifty deals offered only to travelers toting her guidebook. Although it proclaims worldwide coverage, the guidebook's primary focus is North America, with only about 50 of the 738 pages devoted to other destinations. If you're planning a trip outside the U.S. and Canada you'd be better off consulting a more region-specific guide. Travelers with particular interests, however, will be delighted to discover the "special features" pages, in which Lanier gives her top picks in categories ranging from antiques to farm vacations to gourmet. And, if the thought of planning it all yourself sends shudders down your spine, one of the numerous reservation service organizations listed in the back will be happy to do it all for you. --Brina Bolanz