Riding the Rails from Anchorage to Seward

Although people from time immemorial have been renting spare rooms in their homes to transient visitors, the activity came of age in the United States only with the creation of large-scale "reservations service organizations" (RSOs) in the early 1980s. Such early RSOs as Bed-and-Breakfast Rocky Mountains, Bed-and-Breakfast Nebraska, Bed-and-Breakfast Philadelphia, and dozens more, provided the marketing efforts and all-day telephone confirmations in their respective cities, states, or regions that no individual B&B household could afford to supply on its own. An explosion in the use of B&Bs soon followed. The cost-conscious public, on arrival in a large city, had only to look under "B" in the telephone book to find the area-wide reservations service that could recommend any number of B&Bs and then confirm space at them. To aid matters more, various telephone companies soon created a "bed-and-breakfast" category in the Yellow Pages, enabling travelers to find those few ornery RSO services whose names did not begin with "B": Sweet Dreams and Toast, Urban Ventures, Pinellas County Bed-and-Breakfast, etc. Suddenly, the public had a surefire means of always uncovering a nearby B&B. But more important, they were able at last to deal only with homes that had been pre-screened for suitability by a larger organization. The single greatest dread of the traveler--arriving at an improper lodging, to be met by an unshaven and bleary-eyed proprietor--was overcome, and Americans by the tens of thousands began flocking to guest-accepting homes confirmed and vouched-for by a regional "reservations service organization." The negative reaction And then the reaction set in. First from the hotel industry. Whether America's commercial innkeepers are behind the banning of B&Bs in Carmel and Santa Fe is hard to determine. But there are suspicions of their part in drafting fire regulations that impose unreasonable burdens (in my opinion) on the bed-and-breakfast industry. A recently enacted New York State fire ordinance (admittedly, the nation's most stringent) requires elaborate sprinklers, expensive extra stairs, and special fire doors of any establishment housing more than four paying visitors on a habitual basis. The application of such rules to an easily-evacuated, one-story ranch house or simple two-story home seems a bit much. Other attempts to put B&Bs out of business have focused on residential zoning laws that forbid the taking of "boarders." But most courts have responded that the boarder ban was meant to refer to guests who were full-time residents of the city, not transient visitors, and that other significant differences also made the rules inapplicable. Such zoning fights--the disputed interpretation of various vague prohibitions against commercial activity--are obviously the result of fears that a steady stream of B&B visitors will cheapen a residential neighborhood, attracting motor vans, backpackers, impecunious wanderers, and the like, to an area of quiet homes. As sensitive as we all might be to such concerns, there seems no evidence at all to support the prediction. Many B&B houses have no signs outside, nor are they open to walk-in members of the public--as in a hotel--but only to specific individuals who have made reservations in advance. Far from harming a community, experience shows that a thriving bed-and-breakfast industry attracts the best sort of additional tourism: sensitive and reasonably well-financed travelers who prefer the charm of a private home to an impersonal hotel or flashy motel. It brings considerable extra income, even prosperity, to the areas in which those homes are located. Why you're not seeking a B&B inn A problem of equal weight has been the adverse reactions of some travelers to the rates charged by B&B "inns," which are frequently higher than in a hotel. Confusing a B&B "inn" with a B&B "house," such disgruntled guests have proceeded to damn the entire movement. It is important that, somehow, both the B&B proprietors and the writers of B&B guidebooks adopt a proper semantic distinction between B&Bs that are inns and those that are homes. A B&B inn is a multi-room structure wholly devoted to transient visitors. It is often a place of exquisite decor, down comforters, punctilious attentions, and cinnamon croissants (or strawberry-flavored quiche) for breakfast. Its prices are, often justifiably, higher than those of hotels. By contrast, a B&B home is that of a normal, private family that has simply decided to supplement its income by setting aside one or two spare rooms--rarely more--for occasional paying guests. The family does not derive its entire income from that activity, but simply an extra $3,000 to $6,000 a year--the average earnings cited by most reports on the B&B industry (supplemented by the family's frequent ability to write off a portion of its home expenses or home purchase price on their taxes). Places that are B&B houses as opposed to B&B inns continue to charge 40 percent to 50 percent less than comparable hotels all over the country. Yet because they are confused with B&B inns, they are suspected of gouging. The industry needs different names for different categories. Becoming a B&B host What should someone do who is tempted to enter the bed-and-breakfast field? If you, for instance, should have a spare room or two in your attractive and well-located home, should you simply phone up the nearest "reservations service organization" forthwith (they're listed in the Yellow Pages under "Bed and Breakfast Accommodations") and ask them to list you? (The RSO fee is usually 20% to 30% of the sums they generate for you.) Greater deliberation is called for. If you live in a large city, check first to learn whether a local "urban independent night school" (a Learning Annex, Discovery Center, Open University or some such) is offering a one-night course in "How to Start a Bed-and-Breakfast Business." There you'll learn of additional pitfalls in addition to prospects. Or else order a copy of one of the several books on the subject, such as Open Your Own Bed & Breakfast by Barbara Notarius and Gail Brewer (John Wiley & Sons) Its chapters ("Is Bed and Breakfast for You?" "Financial Considerations," "Public Relations and Advertising," "Working with a Reservations Service," etc.) deal with just about every question you may have. Ms. Notarius, herself a successful B&B host, formed a consulting service that operates periodic weekend seminars January through April (costing $400 for the first person, $500 per couple) for would-be hosts of B&Bs, and also provides personal, one-on-one advice to persons contemplating the more serious step of opening a multi-room B&B inn. Contact Barbara Notarius, Alexander Hamilton House, 49 Van Wyck Street, Croton-on-Hudson, NY 10520 (phone 888/414-ALEX or 914/271-6737, alexanderhamiltonhouse.com). Or for a more intensive look at B&B inns, not homes, order "So ... You Want to Be an Innkeeper" ($17 through the mail from Professional Association of Innkeepers International, P.O. Box 90710, Santa Barbara, CA 93190 (phone 805/569-1853 or fax 805/682-1016 or e-mail them at: info@paii.org, or go to its Web site at paii.org) The PAII also issues an inn-keeping newsletter and will send you a list of workshops on the subject if you ask. Alternative book, alternative seminars: Carl Glassman's "How to Start and Run Your Own B&B" (for persons aspiring to let from two to 14 rooms) $15.95 from Stackpole Books, 800/READNOW; Glassman's own seminars and consultancies run $499 for one person, $550 for two, including overnight accommodations (call his "Inn School" in New Hope, PA, at 215/862-2570, or new-hope-inn.com). For slightly more expensive seminars, but scheduled more frequently and in more numerous and scattered locations, contact Oates & Bredfeldt, 886/720-INNS or 802/254-5931, or fax 802/254-3221, or Web site: oatesbredfeldt.com. A wise man once said that Hell consisted of being condemned to stay, each night into eternity, in a different Holiday Inn. Through the judicious use of B&Bs, that need not be your fate. They provide us with a refreshing and cheaper alternative to the stale and increasingly standard hotel. The leading B&B reservations organizations Regional in scope, each representing about 100 homes, these firms perform the function of pre-screening/inspecting each lodging to ensure its suitability for transient visitors. They also have the wherewithal to advertise (a bit) and to maintain extensive phone lines and reservations personnel. In booking a B&B, be sure to make a sharp distinction between "bed-and-breakfast homes" and "bed-and-breakfast inns." When I refer to a B&B, I mean a low-priced room in a private home--the term's initial meaning. Important: our selections will make reservations for you in 26 of the 50 American states, plus the United Kingdom, Canada and Italy. If the state to which you will be traveling is not listed, then your first recourse is to consult a "Yellow Pages" phone directory for the key cities in that state, or to ask the information operator to consult "Bed and Breakfast" in those Yellow Pages. The US, plus Canada & Europe bbonline.com This online listing of B&Bs contains nearly 5,000 properties of all types and in all price ranges, concentrated mainly in the U.S. Owner Randy Fought has been adding 50 to 125 new listings every month since the website's founding in 1995, and recently began listing international bed and breakfasts (including such far-flung destinations as Kenya, Thailand, Estonia and Peru). Website users can search by country, state, region and city to find listings, which include photos of the properties as well as all information needed to make a reservation directly with the B&B. In addition, the website has an extensive listing of package deals and last-minute or off-season specials to appeal to the budget traveler. Alaska Alaska's Travelers Accommodations 4672 S. Tongos HighwayKetchikan, AK 99901Phone: 907/247-7117 or 800/928-3308Web: alaskatravelers.comAlaska Travelers Accommodations is a free service for travelers coming to the 49th state. The company concentrates on southeast Alaska, offering travelers a choice of over 100 pre-screened B&Bs. Alaska Private Lodgings P.O. Box 200047Anchorage, AK 99320Phone: 907/235-2148Web: alaskabandb.comEmail: apl@alaskabandb.comIn business 24 years, representing almost 200 homes ranging from apartment suites to cabins throughout Alaska. The service includes not only the making of reservations, but complete itinerary planning if needed, specializing in adventure travel (kayaking, rafting, etc.) Homes range from $65 to $150 a night. Arizona Mi Casa Su Casa P.O. Box 950Tempe, AZ 85280-0950Phone: 800/456-0682 or 480/990-0682Web: azres.comE-mail: micasa@azres.comOwner Ruth Young boasts her service is one of the oldest in the country. Operating since 1981, she currently represents over 250 host homes, inns and cottages throughout the Southwest, including Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Nevada, as well as California, Mexico and Spain. Rates vary widely depending on location and type of lodging. California California Association of Bed and Breakfast Inns 2715 Porter StreetSoquel, CA 95073Phone: 831/462-9191Web: cabbi.comThis non-profit association represents over 300 B&Bs throughout the state. Victorian homes in the Napa Valley, inns in the midst of redwood forests, the former home of San Francisco's A'chbishop&CABBI can book em all. Double rooms range from a modest $55 up to $500 for the most luxurious of accommodations. Connecticut Nutmeg Bed & Breakfast Agency 1204 Main Street SouthWoodbury, CT 06798Phone: 203/263-4479 or 800/727-7592Web: bnb-link.comEmail: nutmegbnb@comcast.netNutmeg represents about 85 host homes ranging from simple rooms to luxurious suites in mansions, with both private or semi-private baths. Average cost is $80 to $100/night. The fifteen-year-old company has homes in Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. Delaware Bed and Breakfast of Delaware 2701 Landon Drive, Suite 200Wilmington, DE 19810Phone: 302/479-9500Email: bnbofde@juno.comMillie Alford handles a mix of comfortable modern and period homes in the quaint old town of New Castle, as well as Wilmington and in the Chadds Ford area of Pennsylvania. Ten of her properties are on the National Historic Registry, several are near museums, and others are near or on the beach. Rooms average $75 a night for singles, $95 to $160 for couples or families. District of Columbia Bed and Breakfast Accommodations, Ltd. P.O. Box 12011Washington, DC 20005Phone: 877/893-3233 or 413/582-9888Web: bedandbreakfastdc.comEmail: reservations@bedandbreakfastdc.comAn assortment of about 30 homes in every major area of the city; some of the houses are rambling Victorian mansions featured on local house tours. Most rates range, in this high-priced city, from $65 to $300 a night for singles, or $75 to $400 for a double. Hawaii Bed and Breakfast Hawaii P.O. Box 449Kapaa, HI 96746Phone: 808/822-7771, or toll-free 800/733-1632Web: bandb-hawaii.comEmail: reservations@bandb-hawaii.comThis firm pioneered in developing a broad network of bed-and-breakfast accommodations in Hawaii, at considerably lower nightly costs than are offered by hotels. Double rooms start at $65 and go up to a top of $150 in most (not all) cases. Bed and Breakfast Hawaii will send you a free listing of their homes upon request. Be Back Hawaii 3429 Kanaina Ave.Honolulu, HI 96815Phone: 808/732-6618 or 877-4-BEBACKWeb: beback.comEmail: beback@lava.netBe Back specializes in placing guests on all the islands, mainly in the undiscovered locations of Hawaii, that tend to be less "touri"ty." They"represent over 300 properties on all the islands. Average cost per room is between $75 and $125, although they can place guests for as low as $55 per night. Bed and Breakfast Honolulu 3242 Kaohinani DriveHonolulu HI 96817Phone: 800/288-4666 or 808/595-7533Web: hawaiibnb.comEmail: BnBsHI@aloha-bnb.com Represents 410 private homes at locations ranging from beachfront to mountainside, for a flat fee of $10 per unit actually reserved. Honolulu B&B has branched out in recent years and can now make bookings not only on Oahu, but on all the islands. Hawaii's Best Bed & Breakfast Phone: 800/262-9912 or 808/692-0100Web: bestbnb.comLocated on the so-called Big Island, this firm represents 100 rather upscale properties on all the islands. But while some of the rooms rent for $175 and $470 a night, the bulk range from $90 (like the private wing of a rambling ranch house, with exercise room and use of hot tub) to $105 (private cottage overlooking the high slopes of Mauna Kea.) Liz Hey's Bed & Breakfast Kaui Phone: 808/822-1177 or 800/822-1176Web: bnbkauai.comEmail: heyliz@bnbkauai.com All of Kauai is represented by Liz Hey and she charges between $65 and $400 for a double, but with 90% of the doubles available for under $130. Illinois Chicago Bed and Breakfast Phone: 800/375-7084Web: athomeinnchicago.comEmail: citybnb@sbcylobar.netFifty properties in brownstones, Victorians and high-rises, more than half of which are unhosted apartments with continental breakfast left in the refrigerator. Apartments overlook key neighborhood attractions, often with views of the Chicago skyline and Lake Michigan. Double occupancy rooms range from $105to $205; self-contained apartments, from $115 to $325, for the most part, but remember, many of the apartments are two bedrooms or larger. Indiana B & B Midwest Reservations Phone: 812/378-5855 or 800/342-2632Web: bandbmidwest.comRepresents more than 55 homes throughout all of Illinois except the city of Chicago proper, and Indiana. Owner Martha McDonald-Swan claims that her service offers one-stop shopping for travelers. Website includes customer comments with a rating system. Lousianna Bed and Breakfast Reservation Service P.O. Box 52257New Orleans, LA 70152Phone: 800/729-4640Web: historiclodging.comEmail: web@historiclodging.comIn business for nearly 25 years, Bed and Breakfast Reservation Service is one of New Orleans' oldest reservations services. It lists approximately 30 properties (over half of which are viewable on their website) located all over New Orleans, including the French Quarter, the Garden District, and the St. Charles Ave district. Co-owner Susan Smith stresses that while all of the properties are owner-occupied, they are all very private, many including private entrances. Prices in high season for the modern homes, Victorian mansions and all other properties range from $71 to $262 a night, and are lower in the off-season but higher during festivals and special events. New Orleans Bed & Breakfast & Accommodations 828 Rue Royal, Suite 259New Orleans, LA 70116Phone: 888/240-0070 or 504/561-0447Web: neworleansbandb.comEmail: nobba@cox.netThis reservation service has properties ranging from traditional bed and breakfasts to private cottages and efficiency apartments. Prices range from $75 to $400 a night, but the majority of the properties fall in the $125 to $150 range, with prices higher during festivals and events like Mardi Gras and Bowl games. A two-night minimum is normally required during the regular season, and varying by special event and property. Massachusetts Bed and Breakfast Cambridge & Greater Boston Phone: 617/720-1492 or 800/888-0178Email: bandb@gis.netSixty homes located mostly in Cambridge, with rooms available in Boston and the suburbs. Rates for rooms with shared bath are: $80 to $100 for singles, $75 to $95, doubles. Single or double rooms with private bath range from $130 to $150 a night. Bed and Breakfast Associates Bay Colony P.O. Box 57166 Boston, MA 02457-0166Phone: 781/449-5302 or 888/486-6018Web: bnbboston.comEmail: info@bnbboston.com Has over 150 homes, inns and unhosted apartments, both downtown and suburban, Victorian and Federalist, modern as well. Double rooms range mainly from $100 to $160; singles, from $78 to $175. Also handles Eastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. New England Bed and Breakfast P.O. Box 1426Waltham, MA 02454Phone: 617/244-2112Fifty generally less-expensive homes in Boston, Cambridge or other New England towns, charging $55 to $95 double, $50 to $65 single, with no extra fees or taxes (but there's a $10 surcharge for a one-night stay). All are within 15 and 20 minutes of downtown Boston via public transportation, and always within walking distance of a subway or bus stop. Berkshire/Folkstone Bed and Breakfast Homes 37 George St. Springfield, MA 01105Phone: 413/731-8785 or 800/762-2751Web: berkshirebnbhomes.comRepresents homes in western and central Massachusetts and eastern New York. It specializes, in particular, in aiding parents with college-age students to tour schools in the area (Amherst, U. Mass., Smith, Wellesley, and others.) Homes range from Victorian houses to working dairy and sheep farms. Mississppi Natchez Trace Reservation Service P.O. Box 193Hampshire, TN 38461Phone: 800/377-2770Web: bbonline.com/natcheztraceRepresenting about 40homes along the Natchez Trace Parkway, most properties are in Mississippi with a handful in both Tennessee and Alabama. Houses include early eighteenth century properties, antebellum and plantation homes, as well as Victorian structures and modern homes. While some accommodations start at $75, the average price is $100 a night for a single or a double. New Mexico New Mexico Bed and Breakfast Association P.O. Box 70454Albuquerque, NM 87157Phone: 800/661-6649Web: nmbba.orgEmail: info@nmbba.org Has over 60 guest houses throughout New Mexico, charging an average of $115 a night in high season. Choose an adobe casita, expansive hacienda or a cozy suite in a historic Victorian inn. Each New Mexico Bed & Breakfast Association inn is inspected, assuring high quality accommodations and standards. A free member directory is available on request. New York City Abode Limited P.O. Box 20022New York, NY 10021 Phone: 212/472-2000 or 800/835-8880Web: cimarron.net/usa/ny/adobe/htmlUnlike its competitors, Abode offers only unhosted B&Bs in town houses, high-rises and brownstones in Manhattan, requiring a minimum of a four-night stay. Groups can be lodged in a fashion that keeps all members close to one another. Unhosted apartments (they come with a refrigerator stocked with staples) start at an average of $100 a night for a studio, to way, way up for the two-bedroom and three-bedroom variety; most visitors rent the studios or one-bedrooms. City Lights Bed and Breakfast 1562 First Ave., #244 New York, NY 10028 Phone: 212/737-7049Fax: 866/513-6538Web: citylightsbandb.comEmail: frontdesk@citylightsemail.comClaims to be New York's olde't B + B registry, founded in 1985. City Lights represents 350 homes, most in Manhattan, but also in Brooklyn and Queens, and charges $95 to $135 a night for a double room in hosted lodgings, $75 to $125 for singles. New World Bed & Breakfast, Ltd. & All Around the Town 270 Lafayette Street, Suite 804New York, NY 10012Phone: 212/675-5600 or toll-free 800/443-3800Web: newyorkcitybestbb.comEmail: aroundtown@worldnet.att.netOne of the largest of the New York City firms, representing 60 fully inspected Manhattan apartments. B&B prices range from $100 to $175 double occupancy. If those seem high, wait until you inquire about rates at a hotel! Manhattan Getaways Phone: 212/956-2010Web: manhattangetaways.comOwner Judith Glynn, a former travel writer, personally inspects each of the 100 homes she represents. Of those 100, approximately 80 are unhosted apartments. Before booking, Ms. Glynn has all potential guests fill out a detailed questionnaire so that she can better match guests with hosts. She also has abundant photos of every B&B option. Rates start at $95 per night for hosted B&Bs and can climb up to $125 for the unhosted apartments. As the name suggests, all are in Manhattan. North Carolina Carolina Mornings/Asheville Cabins 109 Circadian WayChapel Hill, NC 27516Phone: 800/770-9055Web: asheville-cabins.comEmail: info@asheville-cabins.com100 varied properties, which range from traditional houses to log cabins in Asheville and western North Carolina. She emphasizes personalized services for her clients. Rates average at $120 per night for two guests and $180 for cottages housing groups of four or more. Oregon Ashland's Bed and Breakfast Network Phone: 800/944-0329Web: abbnet.comA cooperative group of more than thirty Ashland-area bed and breakfasts that will provide recommendations and availability information for any B&B in the network, as well as connecting customers to the inn of their choice to make reservations. The service lists properties of all types and price levels, from hand-crafted log cabins to Victorian or contemporary homes. Summer high season prices range from $100 to $300 a night, but a significant percentage are in the $125-$140 a night range. Pennsylvania A Bed and Breakfast Connection of Philadelphia Box 21, Devon, PA 19333Phone: 800/448-3619 or 610/687-3565 Web: bnbphiladelphia.comEmail: bnb@bnbphiladelphia.comRepresents 120 townhouses, historic homes, Victorian inns, quaint cottages, high-rise apartments, and estates in the Philadelphia area. Offers accommodations in Valley Forge and the Main Line, Brandywine Valley, Lancaster County, New Hope and Bucks County, the Pocono Mountains and Lehigh County, and Susquehanna. Rhode Island Bed and Breakfast of Rhode Island Phone: 401/849-1298 or 800/828-0000Web: bnbnewport.comLists over 90 homes throughout Rhode Island. Many are historic structures from the 1700s. "Yo"'re'never far from the water in Rhode Island," r"marks president Rodney Wakefield. Rooms range, for the most part, from $135 to $225 for a double. Bed and Breakfast Newport, Ltd. 7 Park St.Newport, RI 02840Phone: 800/800-8765 or 401/846-5408Web: bbnewport.comEmail: info@bbnewport.comLists 48 different properties largely in Newport with a few in surrounding Middletown and Portsmith, including colonial, Victorian, and modern homes in some of Newport's most central locations. Rates range from start at $85 per night in high season, but can get as high as $300 for the most deluxe accommodations. South Carolina Historic Charleston Bed and Breakfast 5341 Mt. View RoadSuite 150Antioch, TN 37013Phone: 800/820-8144Web: tennesseeinns.comEmail: stay@tennesseeinns.comEighty-five member bed and breakfasts, with the average price ranging from $90 - $120. Inns located all across the state, ranging from secluded mountain cabins and gracious log homes to elegant Victorians and contemporary city inns. While this is not a reservation service, if you call the Association it will suggest B&Bs in any area you please. Tennessee Tennessee Bed and Breakfast Innkeepers Association 5341 Mt. View RoadSuite 150Antioch, TN 37013Phone: 800/820-8144Web: tennesseeinns.comEmail: stay@tennesseeinns.comEighty-five member bed and breakfasts, with the average price ranging from $90 - $120. Inns located all across the state, ranging from secluded mountain cabins and gracious log homes to elegant Victorians and contemporary city inns. While this is not a reservation service, if you call the Association it will suggest B&Bs in any area you please. Texas Bed & Breakfast Texas Style, Inc. 6374 Ivanhoe LaneBeaumont, TX 77706Phone: 800/899-4538Web: bnbtexasstyle.comEmail: info@bnbtexasstyle.comOffers bed-and-breakfast homes in 61 Texas cities, from Austin to Wimberley, from Dallas to Waxahachie, in every important location. Rates extend from $70 to $170 for a double. Washington Pacific Reservations Service Phone: 206/439-7677 or 800/684-2932Web: seattlebedandbreakfast.comFeatures a wide variety of private rooms starting at $60 to luxury suites at $350, most averaging in the $75 to $100 range. Handles more than 225 properties including waterfront cabins, private apartments, condos, houseboats, and full scale houses located throughout the state, and in Victoria and Vancouver, B.C. United Kingdom Bed and Breakfast (GB)500 Chiswick RoadLondon W45 RGGreat BritainPhone: 011-44-871-781-0834Web: bedbreak.comEmail:bab@bedbreak.comHandles over 1,000 affiliated hosts throughout Britain, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France. Offers rates beginning at $29/night in London, and as little as $27/night outside of the capital, including B&B's in I'eland, Scotland, and Wales. BedandBreakfasts.co.uk Web: bedandbreakfasts.co.ukOffers B+Bs throughout Britain and Ireland, including many close to airports. Lodging ranges from modern city hotels to manor houses and castles, and national parks, including the Lakes District, Sherwood Forest, Scottish lochs and the Yorkshire moors. Home From Home 75 Wilton RoadLondon, UK SW1V 1DEPhone: 800/748-9783 or 011-44-207-233-9101Web: homefromhome.co.ukEmail: info@homefromhome.co.ukhout Chelsea, Belgravia, Knightsbridge, and Kensington. Rates start at 840 pounds/week and vary depending on the location. Apartments can be rented for a minimum of one week to a maximum of six months. Canada The Downtown Toronto Association of B & B Guest Houses Phone: 416/410-3938 or 888/559-5515Web: torontobedandbreakfast.comEmail: info@torontobedandbreakfast.comRepresents 30 homes, apartments, and condos in downtown Toronto within walking distance of popular shopping centers, restaurants, and tourist sights. Owner Linda Lippa believes the greatest asset to her services is its accuracy in meeting the needs of its guests. Single rooms range from $55 to $120 CDN and double rooms range from $65 to $100 depending upon property and guests' needs. Blue Dolphin Reservations Service Phone: 250/479-1986Web: bluedolphin-travel.com Email: gardencitybnb@shaw.ca Provides a variety of accommodations in Victoria, as well as some in Vancouver, San Diego and Temeula, CA. Rates for double rooms start at $48 USD and vary depending on location. Italy Bed & Breakfast Association of Rome Via A Pacinotti, 73, SC. E00146 Roma, ItalyPhone: 011-39-0-655-302248Web: b-b.rm.itEmail: inquiry@b-b.rm.itA terrific service, representing over 100 apartments--hosted B&B style and unhosted--throughout Rome. The staff is efficient, friendly and all speak excellent English. Single rooms start as low as $37/night, doubles start for $62/night per person. Most B&B lodgings have a two-night minimum. Unhosted apartments (a minimum of three-night stay) as low as 42 euro/night for accommodations that sleep two, 300 euro/night for triples and quads.

The Inns of Poland Spring, a sprawling resort of 179 rooms (212 including the ten cottages) located in Poland Spring, Maine, some 30 miles north of Portland in a town more famous for its bottled H2O, bills itself as "the last of the vacation bargains." And with room prices beginning at $25 per person per day-including hearty all-you-can-eat breakfasts and dinners, and for another $20 a day, all-you-can-play golf -it's an intriguing boast indeed. I'd heard mixed reviews-everything from "it's the best place on earth to take a vacation" to "what a dump!" - but quickly learned that this three-inn complex attracts a clientele as varied as its reputation (though generally on the older and blue-collar side). At one end of the spectrum are guests who faithfully visit every year, like Dee and Irwin, a cheery seventysomething couple from Florida. They've been vacationing here for two weeks annually (the resort is generally open from mid-May to mid-October) for the past 22 years. When asked why they're so loyal, they rattle off reasons: the price is always right; glorious sunsets; good farm food; and the stress-free environment (something constantly touted here). Then there are the Poland Spring "virgins" like Elizabeth and Charlie from Massachusetts, thirtysomethings I encountered playing bumper pool in the inns' game room. They were turned off by this unusual resort's quirks and house rules: no coolers allowed in the rooms; fixed meal times; simple food; and the old-fashioned, sometimes tatty decor (peeling wallpaper, worn carpets). The one thing both couples could agree on: They liked the no-one-under-18 and no-pet rules, in effect since 1978. This no-minors edict perhaps explains why the average guest age here is about 60 during the week, although it drops considerably on weekends, when the younger set - which appears to travel in packs-arrives for a weekend away from the city and to play a few rounds of golf. Rates, as advertised, start at just under $25 per night including two meals a day, which raises some eyebrows. "The most common question we get," remarked Cyndi Robbins, who has owned the place with her husband Mel for 30 years, "is, 'What's the catch?'" There is none, really, as long as you're not expecting the Ritz - or even the Ramada. Guests have to bring their own towels, soap, and in-room beverage glasses, park their own cars, and carry their own bags. There's even a warning on the Web site and in the brochure that "Poland Spring Inn isn't for everyone!" How's that for truth in advertising? Down to brass tacks But the brochure and Web site don't prepare guests for the real thing. Situated on almost 500 acres of land, of which about 200 are in a pristine state, it's an enormous property. The size and grandeur of the main building, where guests check in, is also a pleasant surprise; with five stately columns and an expansive front veranda, it hardly fits what one would expect from a low-cost vacation spot. The lobby resembles a hunting lodge with its wood-paneled walls and dark plaid carpet, and a huge fireplace complete with a moose head mounted above it. The check-in desk sells popcorn, sundaes, souvenirs (including T-shirts and Cyndi and Mel's Poland Spring Cookbook), and bottled water (Poland Spring brand of course, and a bargain too, at $3 for six half-liter bottles). As for the rooms, they do have A/C, but don't expect down comforters, 300-count Egyptian cotton sheets, or even telephones (the sole pay phone is in the lobby next to a bulletin board plastered with messages for guests and requests for bridge partners). Rooms in the 82-room Maine Inn (from $39.80 per person per night, double occupancy, including two meals daily) are simply furnished with comfy beds, a dresser with a chair, a night table, two lamps, two lounge chairs - and, yes, a 13-inch TV, but black-and-white (appropriate since the decor can best be described as '60s flashback); bathrooms are private but simply furnished. There are two other inns and ten cottages; the Victorian-style four-story Presidential Inn (from $35 per person nightly, again with two meals daily) has 64 rooms that are the complex's most recently renovated; some offer working fireplaces. The third and least-expensive component is the 33-room Motor Court Inn (from $23.80 including two meals), which has the smallest rooms of the three (some so tiny you can barely turn around without bumping into something). The cottages (from $35, including two meals), of various sizes, are scattered over the property and can accommodate two to five couples. Maid service isn't provided, but each has a collection of books, a small kitchen (equipped with toaster, coffeemaker, refrigerator, flatware, and glasses), and some have screened-in porches. Getting fed Breakfast (8 a.m.-9:30 a.m.) and dinner (5 p.m.-6:30 p.m.) are included (as we've already noted), except for Friday's dinner, which is $8.95 per person plus tax. Meals are home-cooked and served buffet-style in the Maine Inn's dining room (which reminded me of my high school cafeteria), and most of the food comes from local farms, so everything's impeccably fresh. Breakfast typically consists of scrambled eggs, ham, home fries, muffins, French toast, and the like. Dinner can be anything from baked chicken or lasagna with meatballs and Italian sausage to corned beef or chicken stir-fry. Desserts (pumpkin bread, apple crisp, and chocolate pie) are usually the best things on the menu. While the food is good and plenty, it tends to be on the bland side; if you have any special dietary needs, you're out of luck. For lunch - which most guests take on the property - Melee's Delee serves such fare as lobster rolls, corned beef sandwiches, burgers, and some of the best fries I've ever had. On the liquid front, dinner libations are limited to water, iced tea, lemonade, milk, and coffee, but from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. the Maine Inn's bar is open for business, mixing rum-and-coke specials for $1 and making a mean martini for $4.50. Keeping busy Although Poland Spring seems plunked in the middle of nowhere, it's not far from some engaging activities. Guests can drive to things like the city of Portland, remarkable discount outlet shopping in Freeport, the Maine Wildlife Park, the original Poland Spring House and Bottling Plant (now restored as a museum) or, right next door, the functioning Shaker Village, said to be the only remaining one of its kind in the world, still inhabited by four elderly Shakers. There's plenty to do on-premises, too, including 18-hole championship golf (Maine's first, and reputedly the first resort course in the country). Other amenities include a putting green, four grass tennis courts, shuffleboard, three bocce courts, and an "almost Olympic-size pool." Activities such as tai chi, bingo, movies, chair massages, and tours of the property with Mel, who knows everything about everything locally, make for pleasant pastimes. In the evenings, guests relax in Adirondack chairs on Maine Inn's porch, sucking in pine-scented fresh air and oohing and aahing at sunsets. Others indulge in spirited games of bocce (a.k.a. lawn bowling). Occasionally, music concerts are held in the gazebo; for something more lively, local bands entertain nightly in the dining hall and guests try to outdo each other boogying to country-and-western or oldies tunes. Tickets cost $10 at the door, $6.95 with a reservation. Finally, history aficionados will love highlights such as the octagonal Maine State Building, built in 1893 as the state pavilion for the World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The resort's founder, Hiram Ricker, bought it and moved it here, where it's now a museum with memorabilia on the inns, the founding family, and more. It's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, as is All Souls Chapel, dating from 1912, with its atmospheric stained-glass windows, a paneled oak ceiling, and a pipe organ. History buffs aside, is Poland Spring for everyone? Not for those who expect everything to be sparkly new and to be waited on hand and foot. As Elizabeth, the first-timer from Massachusetts, observed, "It's a few steps up from a motel, but several steps down from a hotel resort." But for those who can enjoy what it has to offer - fresh air, good solid food and lots of it, and a host of simple but fun activities - then we say it's a great place to spend a weekend (or more) without spending a lot. More information Info/reservations: 207/998-4351, fax 207/998-2811, polandspringinns.com. Season/pricing: In 2002, the inns are open from the third weekend of May through Columbus Day Weekend (May 17-October 14). There are three package plans; rates listed are per person, double occupancy, for the entire stay; two-night weekends (Fri.-Sun.) with three meals total start at $49 for a double-twin bedroom in the Motor Inn to $139 for a full suite in the Presidential Inn, Maine Inn, or Roosevelt House. Three-night holiday weekends (Fri.-Mon.) with five meals, $89 to $179. Five days midweek (Sun.-Fri.) with ten meals, $119 to $235. Getting there: Fly to Portland (about 30 miles away) or to Boston (125 miles) and rent a car. Otherwise, driving distance is 225 miles from Montreal, 230 from Hartford, 260 from Albany, 350 from New York City, 450 from Philadelphia, 570 from Buffalo, and 580 from Washington, D.C. Amtrak has service from Boston to Portland (800/872-7245, amtrak.com). By bus it's about two hours from Boston to Portland on Vermont Transit Lines (800/552-8737, vermonttransit.com), which runs seven times a day Monday to Friday, eight times a day on weekends, for $13.75 one-way and $24.25 round-trip.

We all know that it's impossible to put a price tag on love, but many are trying. With 2.5 million weddings in the US alone last year, the domestic wedding industry raked in and astounding $120 billion--a number that includes everthing from flowers to tuxedos to furniture for the couple's new home. Are weddings big business? You bet. "The average affair costs $22,000," says Gerard J. Monaghan, president of the Connecticut-based Association of Bridal Consultants, an organization that claims 3,500 members in 26 countries. And that price does not include what the guests pay to attend. At the average wedding, 40 percent of the guests fly in to attend the ceremony. They usually also shell out for hotel rooms and car rentals. With this in mind, a number of couples are turning to destination weddings or "weddingmoons". "The idea of the destination wedding is a movement that's grown up out of the disintegration of the family nucleus with family members scattered all over, and not necessarily living the same town. First came wedding weekends, and now we have destination weddings--a concept that really started to take root 15 years ago," says Monaghan. The cost of a weddingmoon can be much lower for the happy couple--starting at $2,500 for a three-day weekend, including airport transfers, accommodations, food, drink and everything you'd need for the ceremony and reception. Guests pay an average of $900 for their accommodations, transfers and non-wedding food. Location, location, location For those who can avoid familial pressure, the decision where to have your wedding will be personal, and likely one shaped by cost. It's sometimes but not always the case that the farther you go, the more you'll spend. In recent years, the number of resorts and hotels offering one-stop wedding shopping in such popular easy-to-get-to tropical destinations--Bahamas, Bermuda, Caribbean islands, and Mexico--has grown exponentially. (We'll get to some in just a moment.) "We decided to do a destination wedding for a lot of reasons," says Kim Frye, a resident of Atlanta who married her husband Tom in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico a few years ago. "We figured that guests would spend just as much to visit and stay in New York (they lived there at the time) as they would in Mexico. While it was the cost that got us started on the idea, what meant the most to us in the end was that instead of just the four to five hours spent at a normal wedding, our good friends and families really got to know each other, and most stayed for five days." If you decide a destination wedding is for you, then be prepared to apply the flexibility you've acquired in yoga class to planning your wedding; it won't always be possible--or affordable--to fly to your wedding reception site every time you need to make a decision, i.e. you might have to let someone else figure out the flatware or leave the seating assignments to email. Those experienced in destination weddings say micro-managers bent on control should definitely think twice before embarking on the long-distant odyssey of planning a wedding from hundreds, or thousands, of miles away. Frye adds, "Destination weddings are probably not for those people who've planned their wedding in their minds for years, and they're certainly not for control freaks. I liked the idea of doing something different, and I loved the idea of not having to interview a hundred florists. Our wedding wasn't free but we were able to negotiate a great rate at La Jolla de Mismaloya. We even had a huge mariachi band for the event." Rules, regulations and hurricanes Just a few of the important questions to ask before you decide where to have your destination wedding are: When is the best time of year to visit? Is there a hurricane season? Are there enough activities for family and friends to enjoy between planned events? Can you choose from wedding packages or is everything ala carte? And, is there an on-site wedding coordinator to help you with your long-distance arrangements? Wherever you decide to have your destination wedding, it's imperative that you get everything in writing and have agreements for catering, cake and flowers to refer to should problems arise. For ideas on where to plan your weddingmoon, check out the book The Most Romantic Resorts for Destination Weddings, Marriage Renewals & Honeymoonsby Paulette Cooper and Paul Noble. There are also travel companies that specialize in destination weddings--The Wedding Experience/305-421-1260 and Weddings on the Move are two prominent ones--that will not only help you make the most of your budget, but work with you to find the best possible locale. Additionally, these agencies tend to be knowledgeable about local marriage laws, a very important factor as these can vary greatly from country to country. You don't want to be caught at the altar without the proper documentation, which can run the gamut--from blood tests to residency requirements. For example, in the Bahamas there's a 24 residency requirement (easy enough to abide by), a $40 fee, and proof of arrival on the islands, among a handful of other official documents. In England there's a seven-day residency required and the fees can vary depending on region and the type of ceremony. St. Maarten tips the scales with fees reaching as high as $204 and a 10-day residency, a rule that's perhaps inspired some to take their honeymoon before going to the altar. Denise Hinman, a wedding coordinator for The Wedding Experience, says that the Caribbean is one of the easiest parts of the world to have a destination, and discourages against weddings in Europe. "For many, a wedding in Europe will be symbolic because of the strict residency requirements--30 days in Spain, 60 days in France. Greece is one of the few European countries where it's not so complicated." If you have questions regarding regulations we recommend contacting the consulate or tourist board of the country you'll be married in. (For a worldwide directory of tourism offices, go to: http://www.towd.com/). The Association of Bridal Consultants can also answer your questions by calling 860/355-0464, and destination wedding specialists at The Wedding Experience have an entire page devoted to marriage requirements and fees in the most popular destinations. Guess who's coming to the wedding Destination weddings provide the ideal excuse to limit your guest list to only the special people in your life, with many couples choosing quality over quantity when it comes to those with whom they want to share the event. This distillation process can also provide the perfect excuse for not inviting loud-mouthed Uncle Bob, but some still manage to pull-off a faraway wedding for 100. On the flip-side, be aware that it's not always easy for elderly relatives and friends to attend a destination wedding due to the general wear and tear of travel. If it's important to you for your grandmother to be there, then you may want to talk to her about your plans. More often than not, friends and family will be happy for the invitation, and the opportunity to roll the special event into a vacation--provided they can afford it. With destination weddings, guests will have at least a few days to get to know one another before the ceremony, something that serves to unite the different circles in one's life, thereby creating a relaxed (and often highly festive) atmosphere. The benefits of group travel Unless you run around with true jetsetters for whom flitting to Buenos Aires for a birthday party bash is run-of-the-mill, you will want to take the cost of travel for your guests into consideration. Ways to ease the damage on their wallets include inquiring if airlines will give you a group discount and insisting, if possible, on discounted blocks of rooms. This request is not unreasonable when you consider a long wedding weekend at a resort in a foreign country can easily bring-in thousands of dollars. Where the weddings are Many of the Caribbean's biggest resort groups--Breezes, Couples, Superclubs, Sandals--offer "free" weddings. The couple will still pay for room and board, and there are minimum stay requirements to ensure that the husband and wife don't just have the ceremony and bolt. But in order to lure guests, these companies do throw in all of the accoutrements of the wedding itself, which can be a money-saver. The basic packages vary from resort to resort, but most include:   Marriage license   Officiant   Flowers   Photo   Champagne and hors d'oeuvres   Wedding cake   Services of a wedding coordinator The following double occupancy rates were quoted for the lowest priced all-inclusive packages (room, meals, drinks) starting the night of Jun. 24, a time of year. That's typically considered shoulder-to-high season (with autumn dates costing much, much less). Again, to be eligible for the free wedding, you must adhere to the minimum stay requirements. [Editor's note: Some resorts like to advertise the dollar value of what its "free" weddng might cost if it were paid for out of pocket. However, we suspect these sticker prices are often inflated to increase the perceived sense of value associated with the "giveaway" wedding package.] In any case, here's a sampling: Beaches: 888/BEACHES, Beaches Turks & Caicos; 5 night minimum; $277 per person per night; claimed value of wedding package $750-$2,000 Couples: 800/268-7537, Couples Ochos Rios; $168 per person per night; 3 night minimum; claimed value of wedding package: $750 Sandals: 888/SANDALS, Sandals Royal Bahamian; 5 night minimum; $266 per person per night; claimed value of wedding package $750-$2,000 Superclubs: 877/467-8737, Grand Lido Negril; $282 per person per night; 3 night minimum; value of wedding package: $1,700; Breezes Montego Bay; $125 per person per night; 3 night minimum; claimed value of wedding package $850 Of course, these are not your only options; some resort offer weddings at cost, sometimes offsetting the extra price with lower nightly room rates. For example, the Westin and Sheraton at Our Lucaya on Grand Bahama Island has multi-featured packages starting at $1,500 (Tropical Bliss Wedding), with its most expensive option, The Fantasy Garden Wedding going for just $2,500 additional. The wedding packages include all of the items mentioned in the list above, along with such extras as steel pan player, breakfast in bed for the newlyweds the morning after, and a press release with the marriage announcement for your home town newspaper. The pricier offer folds in full spa treatments for the bride's beautification and relaxation. Perhaps best of all, its rooms come in at around $200/night (based on availability Jun. 24-27), and it's a very easy flight from the US, with some airlines flying there nonstop. Even though this lush property is large, it's divided into separate sections so you never feel like you're on a massive "compound." There's an array of restaurants and wateringholes, including a very sniffy cigar bar, and the resort overall, is extremely well maintained and manicured. If you're interested in tying the knot at the Westin and Sheraton at Our Lucaya (877/OUR-LUCAYA), then contact Seashell Wedding Coordinators at: 242/350-5350. If mega-resorts are not your style, then you'll want to look into individual properties that cater to the marrying public like Hotelito (little hotel), a rather luxurious and intimate property located 60 miles south of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico's Pacific side. For $1,500 you can be married on the beach with margarita in hand. The price covers the officiant, flowers, champagne/tequila and two hours of live guitar music. For $55 per person, you can have a traditional Mexican dinner with drinks and cake. There is no minimum night stay. Or, perhaps you'd like to get married on a white-washed cliff-side terrace on the Greek island of Santorini? The Wedding Experience (305/421-1260) can arrange everything for you for $3,450, a price tag that includes the whole shebang, from paperwork to wedding cake to 50 photographs with negatives. Lastly, we'll toss out an option for the true budgeteers out there. The sweet 28-room Emerald Escape Beach Resort in Montego Bay (876/952-6133), Jamaica has a low $65/night room rate. Marriage licenses go for all of $6 (call the Ministry of National Security 876/922-0800) for a town hall wedding. Rum drinks at the hotel, which overlooks Montego Bay, start at $4, and just down the road at The Native restaurant you can order enough boonoonoonos, a sampler platter for four of traditional Jamaican specialties such as curried goat, jerk chicken and escabeche fish for $23. If that's not an affordable destination wedding, we don't know what is. "Sometimes, destination weddings are simple one-stop shops, but sometimes they're not," says Vanday High, a wedding coordinator who owns Great Beginnings (914/967-4005). "For example, I helped to organize a wedding on St. Kitt's where I had to fly in with the flowers and enlist the local tourist board to get permission to use some of the islands most historic sites for the reception. But the hardest thing was the transportation; we had to hire every taxi on the island to take the 178 guests around." "The bride was happy and it goes to show you that you can arrange a personal event from far away."

World-class Carnival, calypso, steel drum music, and two masters of the English language--author V. S. Naipaul and playwright/poet Derek Walcott, both Nobel Laureates--all connect artistically with Trinidad in the West Indies. Among Caribbean countries, Trinidad ranks as an arts powerhouse. Yet for most Caribbean vacationers, Trinidad's small sister island in the twinned Republic of Trinidad and Tobago remains better known. That disparity follows an almost half-century-old national decision to promote tourism in picturesque, resource-poor Tobago while developing Trinidad's rich oil and natural-gas deposits. Result is that tourism in Trinidad remains a "Trini thing," distinct, pleasurable, homegrown, and largely outside the international mainstream, driven by local investment with few cost-inflating imports. That, plus the six-to-one exchange rate between Trinidad and Tobago's dollar and the U.S. dollar, ensures Trinidad's position as the best year-round buy in Caribbean travel. And even though farthest removed from North America and therefore more expensive to reach than, say, the Bahamas or Jamaica, among islands of the region Trinidad also ranks as the most complex and rewarding. Both American Airlines and BWIA West Indies Airways (800/538-2942, bwee.com) fly into Port-of-Spain. BWIA flies nonstop from New York, Washington, D.C., Toronto and Miami with recent prices of $400-$600 round-trip. American Airlines (800/433-7300, aa.com) flies nonstop from Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Port-of-Spain starting at $259 and $109 round-trip, respectively. (All prices in this article are stated in U.S. dollars. When calling Trinidad from the U.S., first dial 1, then the area code, 868, followed by the seven-digit number.) Trinidad has the flowers, rain forest, peaks, fertile valleys, and beaches beautifully common to most of the Caribbean. But Trinidad also claims exceptional natural features such as La Brea Pitch Lake, the wildlife-filled Caroni and Nariva Swamps, the mountainside Asa Wright Nature Centre, the bird-breeding grounds of the Pointe-à-Pierre Wild Fowl Trust, and exquisite birding everywhere. Its mineral deposits make the country comparatively wealthy. Result is a rare widespread worldliness among English-speaking islanders. This sophistication combines well with Trinidad's legendary blend of East Indians, Blacks, and mixed ethnicities. Trinidadians are one of the most racially tolerant people anywhere in the world, with a culture adapted from around the globe that, in everything from food to architecture, ranks distinctively as Trinidad's own. Sun, sand, and sea may constitute the standard-issue Tropics. But colorful, one-of-a-kind, and affordable Trinidad supplies travelers with the gift-wrapped version. A little geography Trinidad lies at the southern cusp of the Caribbean archipelago. It's whisper-close to Venezuela. Morning weather reports announce fronts moving up from Brazil. Yet Trinidad is only a five-hour flight from New York, less than four hours from Miami. The island is 50 miles north-south, 37 east-west, big enough to accommodate northern mountains that rise to 3,085 feet, with beaches that ring almost the entire coast (the best beaches skirt the Northern Range). The island is more than ten times the size of sister isle Tobago. Metropolitan Port-of-Spain, with 300,000 of Trinidad's 1.3 million people, is the second-largest English-speaking capital in the region but by far the safest for visitors and the most cosmopolitan. The city rises from a protected gulf in the northwest. The vast industrial complex at Point Lisas that taps Trinidad's oil and natural-gas reserves lies 17 miles south along the coast. Much of the interior remains planted in sugar that controlled the economy from the nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth. It's here, in dusty Chaguanas, where Naipaul first lived. Port-of-Spain and north-coast beaches are where most first-time visitors want to be. The contrast between urban sophistication and rural style captures what Trinidad vacationing is about. Street life is at the heart of it. People teem colorfully dressed, prone to hang out--what Trinis call "liming"--even in town, stopping their cars along narrow streets to chat. Buildings are colorful and ornamented, often topped by hand-painted signs. Tropical yards remain in the heart of the city full of broad-leaf palms that rattle in wind and suggest the sound and rhythms of "pan," the steel drum music that backs the ubiquitous calypsos. Port-of-Spain lays out like a hand. The palm is a great green and open space called the Queen's Park Savannah--Port-of-Spain's Central Park--that connects the old, narrow-street commercial city with its more green and spread-out residential districts. Through Belmont, St. Clair, St. James, and Woodbrook, Victorian houses with steep-sloped roofs and Asian-inspired architectural details are juxtaposed among family groceries, "pan yards" where bands practice, and shops that specialize in East Indian foods, notably the national dish called roti (which means "bread" in Hindi), a meat-, seafood-, or vegetable-filled, pitalike yeasted bread, and like-styled "doubles." The Savannah park is two-and-three-quarters of a mile around and hugely popular for informal recreation and special events. Carnival climaxes here each Fat Tuesday (late February or early March) after two months of heightening fervor. Traffic whirls around carousel-like. The immediately surrounding and mostly well-to-do districts contain famous sites: the National Museum and Art Gallery; the "Magnificent Seven," a row of landmark mansions that once sheltered rival plantation barons and that today includes the Prime Minister's office; the Emperor Valley Zoo; the Royal Botanic Gardens; and the "upside-down" Trinidad Hilton (one of two ritzy hotels, the other the Crowne Plaza, both government owned). Nearby is the Trinidad Theatre Workshop, where 43 years ago Derek Walcott established the island's theater tradition. Above Queen's Park Savannah, fingers of the hand reach up through the valleys of the Northern Range to lovely suburbs. Below, the old city improvises its twenty-first-century way along narrow nineteenth-century streets before emptying along a broad boulevard on filled land that connects south around the bay to Point Lisas, east to towns that array below foothills of the Northern Range, and west around Chaguaramas [shah-gwa-rah-mus], site of an American base during World War II and today a sprawling yacht haven with a fascinating military museum near a tasteless rich suburb. Many affordable places to stay The city's affordable lodging ranges from guesthouses and small hotels to homestays. They're found through all parts of the city and surrounding area. Of those described below, all include private bath and air-conditioning except when otherwise noted. Rates are for two. A standout in St. Ann's and only a five-minute walk from the Savannah is Alicia's House, a rambling old residence converted to guest use and popular with traveling West Indians. It's gorgeously floral under its entry arch with 17 rooms, all different, surrounding patios and courtyards and swimming pool. Alicia's is a best buy (7 Coblentz Gardens, Port-of-Spain, 623-2802, aliciashousetrinidad.com, $45-$50 including tax; full breakfast $8). A mile southwest across the Savannah and walking-close to restaurants along Ariapita Avenue and Tragarete Road is architect Bernard Mackay's Gingerbread House. The building dates from the 1920s but stylistically suggests the nineteenth century, ornamentally trimmed and thoroughly renovated by Bernard in 1989. He offers three guest rooms, all different, all high-ceilinged. Neighbors include famed Carnival designer Peter Minshall and fashion designer Meiling (8 Carlos St., Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain, 625-6841, trinidadgingerbreadhouse.com; $35 includes tax and full breakfast). Another top buy. Two blocks west just below Tragarete Road is Williams Villa, the home of retired nurse Edris Todd-Williams whose late husband was a mayor of Port-of-Spain. Health-consciously hospitable, Edris rents six homey rooms and includes full breakfast in the rate (69 Luis St., Woodbrook, Port-of-Spain, 628-0824, williamsvilla.com; $65, tax and service included). Nearer the Savannah and walking-close to everything downtown is the urban Par-May-La's Inn with 12 rooms on two floors. Maids will do personal laundry; you handle the ironing (53 Picton St., Newtown, Port-of-Spain, 628-2008, parmaylas@trinidad.net; $65 includes tax and continental breakfast, add $2 for a full American breakfast or a vegetarian roti with pumpkin and bok choy, tax included). Roads up those fingers of the Maraval Valley crest in the Northern Range before dropping to Trinidad's best beaches. Well shy of the crest, Port-of-Spain shows off wealthy style as distinctive markets, bakeries, and bookshops appear in shopping plazas up Saddle Road. Guesthouses here remain affordable. Two well-run establishments, with in-room phones, include Carnetta's Inn, with 14 rooms (99 Saddle Rd., Maraval, 628-2732, carnettasinn.com; $55, $60 with kitchenette) and, farther up, The Morgan's (48 Perseverance Rd., Haleland Park, Maraval, 629-2587, morga@cablenett.net; $60, including full breakfast). Rooms at Carnetta's are woody, Scandinavian modern. The inn distinctively straddles the Maraval River with a nice B&B style to it, breakfast served on the porch of the owners' house. Rooms at The Morgan's are more upholstered. Guests have use of a pool, two hot tubs, and kitchen. Affordable food, handheld to graciously served Food, like music, celebrates Port-of-Spain's glory. At stalls around the Savannah park, cutlass-wielding vendors open iced coconuts for refreshing coconut water. Roti shops line Tragarete Road. Restaurants deliciously work locally grown produce and tropical fruits and nuts into dishes. Coconut silkily flavors breads, soups, and drinks. Trinis love sweets supplied by ubiquitous vendors in the form of brown-sugared coconut drops, peanut brittle, tamarind balls, and fresh-fruit ice creams, while restaurant desserts include chrystophene (mock apple) pie, luscious guava paste, and coconut bread pudding with rum glaze. Downtown roti shops like Curry Masala, Patraj, and The Hott Shoppe, plus storefronts like the Pepper Pies Shop, which serves a wider variety of Indian take-out, all satisfy for midday meals at $3-$5 including a sweet drink. The little Manna Café in a yellow gingerbread house on St. Vincent Street specializes in low cholesterol foods, while the Breakfast Shed behind yellow zinc sheeting at the cruise-ship complex serves three meals daily of what a local nurse calls "the highest-cholesterol, highest-sodium, most delicious food you can get." Almost all the city's best restaurants serve meals at considerably less than comparable U.S. meals. Stylish in mahogany and stone atop the Kapok Hotel, Tiki Village specializes in Polynesian food. More than 170 entrées including shrimp, fish, beef, pork, and chicken cost less than $10, many $6 or $7. Starters and dessert together add another $6. With 25 percent for tax and tip, many diners will enjoy meals for $20 including drinks. Also in town, the excellent Woodford Café on Tragarete Road occupies a remodeled grocery and rum shop redolent of the colonial city with old neighborhood photos, Carnival costumes, and live steel drum music (three-course dinners about $20). Lazing along north coast beaches Trinidad's pulse slows on the north coast. At popular Maracas Bay, Trinis are out picnicking weekends. Steel bands play while "shark-and-bake" stalls dispense fried fish in buns laced with free condiments, washed down with a Carib, the local lager. Midweek, vacationers can have the beach largely to themselves, whether driving the 30 minutes each way over and back while staying in the city or else moving on to one of the north shore's affordable lodgings. To get there, taxis are more expensive than renting a car in Port-of-Spain's airport. Try Econo-Car Rentals (669-2342), whose prices start at $25 a day. The coastal vacation village of choice is another 30 minutes east from Maracas Bay. That's Blanchisseuse, affordable and totally relaxed, named for laundresses once said to be prevalent here along the Marianne River. Pronounced "blon-she-suhze," the village hugs half a mile of two-lane road beside the sea. Hills rise sharply behind. A hundred-year-old suspension bridge across the river marks the end of town, from where the road turns to dirt, then trail. Eric Blackman rents river kayaks and leads hiking tours to hillside waterfalls. But mostly visitors hang out at the beaches, in the hotel bars, and rum shops, dancing at the Casbah, sampling Rennie Bobb's woodcarvings. Upscale in design but casual in dress like everyplace else in town is Surf's Country Inn. Three hillside rooms with double-door balconies plus terrace restaurant and lounge form a charming compound with a lovely view through dense tropical foliage to the twisty road below, a striking cove beach and the sea (North Coast Rd., Blanchisseuse, 669-2475, fax 669-3016; $60 includes tax, service, and breakfast; four-course meals about $15). Largest compound, just before the suspension bridge, is Laguna Mar Beach Resort with 16 rooms in three hillside lodges and an indoor-outdoor restaurant. Back of the restaurant is the big beach at the river mouth. Rooms are high-ceilinged, simply furnished, and, like all in the village, fan-cooled, unscreened, and, almost everywhere, with mosquito netting--as easy to arrange as it is sensible. (Mile Marker 651/2, Paria Main Rd., Blanchisseuse, 669-2963, lagunamar.com; $75-$85.) Two B&Bs offer three arty rooms, each only steps from dramatic cove beaches: Second Spring lies more quietly west of the village on the sea; Almond Brook in the heart of the village and across from Rennie Bobb's studio. (Second Spring, Lamp Post 191, Paria Main Rd., Blanchisseuse, 669-3909; $50, hot plate and fridge; cottage $70, full kitchen; continental breakfast $5 per person. Almond Brook, Lamp Post 16, Paria Main Rd., Blanchisseuse, 678-0822; $50 for a double includes full breakfast and use of kitchen. Both include tax and service.) Herb Hiller is a former executive director of the Caribbean Travel Association.Wyatt Gallery's photographs were exhibited at The Mercedes-Benz Manhattan Gallery from October 2nd - November 2nd, 2003. The gallery is located at 536 W. 41st Street at 11th Avenue.For more information, go to wyattgallery.com