MYTH: Of course you knew this would be a myth. The reality is that for a small lodging property to thrive in the very competitive travel market, the small lodging property has to keep up with the Jones or in this case the Hiltons, Marriotts, and the Hamptons. A professionally operated B&B inn will absolutely have internet access and will also probably have a guest computer and printer that you can use free to print out your boarding pass or to answer emails. But the benefit of the small lodging property like a B&B inn is that the B&B will also offer things that the Jones, Hiltons, Marriotts and the Hamptons are too big and serve too many strangers at anyone time to be able to offer.
In addition to having flat screen TVs, IPod docking stations, CD players and internet access in guestrooms to enable travelers to always be “connected”; there is also comfort in the fact that most B&Bs balance the presence of today’s technology with really some old-fashioned concepts that at one time were the way must people “connected”. Some examples of this would be a selection of complimentary board games and in-room fireplaces for quiet snuggles or competitive Scrabble games; libraries filled with books and porches with comfy chairs or a hammock to read in; and guest pantry areas stocked with complimentary coffee, teas, sodas, fruits or sweets like homemade pies that you can raid in the middle of the night like you used to do at your grandmother’s house! Many B&Bs also have extensive DVD collections and DVD players in your room or in a common area versus requiring you to pay additional monies to watch a movie in your room like at a chain hotel.
Most B&Bs have moved away from the thought that people want lodging choices without cell phone service, internet access or televisions in the room. There are definitely a few B&Bs that still hold this mantra to be their truth and have purposely not placed the TVs in the guestrooms but rather have them in cozy common areas are nooks throughout the inn. It will be pretty clear when reading the description of an inn on their website if this is the path they have taken and if this is not for you then just continue your search for another B&B property or if you really do need to unplug than plug into a B&B like that. You see variety and uniqueness is what you gain when you consider a B&B as a viable lodging alternative to just another ho-hum hotel room.
So do not use the myth that you cannot possible stay at a B&B because you won’t be able to FaceBook or stream House of Cards or answer emails as a reason not to be reminded of other choices that we used to have growing up to make lasting memories as we connect with our life partners without LOL or hashtags or the need for a microchip processor to entertain us.