Americus Garden Inn

Bed & Breakfast

“where history meets romance…”

This page is a compilation of questions and answers that may be helpful to you in choosing a B&B that will meet your expectations.  First-timers, this is to help you understand the differences between properties, and to acquaint you with the B&B concept.  Bed and breakfast properties are not little hotels.  Each property offers a unique experience in ambiance, cuisine, hospitality and comfort.  We know that there are many more questions to be answered.  Feel free to e-mail additional questions for us to add to our growing list of B&B FAQ. 

• What is a B&B or Bed and Breakfast?
• Will I have to share a bathroom?
• How will my room be furnished?
• Will there be a television and/or a telephone?
• What can I expect to be served for breakfast?
• Is tipping required at a Bed and Breakfast?
• Will I have to interact with other guests?
• What are common areas?
• What time can I check-in?
• What about pets?
• Will smoking be allowed?
• Are children welcome?
• Can I rent the whole house?
• Are there discounts or specials?

What is a B&B or Bed and Breakfast?

Every B&B or Bed and Breakfast property fits into one of the following categories*:

Homestay - an owner occupied private home with one to three rooms available for guests.  The business aspect of the B&B is secondary to the use of the dwelling as a private residence.

Bed and Breakfast Inn or B&B - usually owner operated with four to twenty rooms available for guests.  The building's primary use is for business.  Breakfast is the only meal served and only to overnight guests.

Country Inn - this is a type of bed and breakfast with six to thirty rooms that usually operates as a restaurant in addition to lodging and serves at least one meal in addition to breakfast.

Bed and Breakfast Hotel - usually an historic structure with thirty or more rooms offering breakfast.

The Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast is a B&B with 8 guest rooms.  Kim and Susan Egelseer have chosen to devote their time entirely to making your stay most enjoyable and memorable.

* Derived from PAII (Professional Association of Innkeepers) publications

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Will I have to share a bathroom?

Not if you stay with us at the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast.  When researching a bed and breakfast to visit, always inquire about private baths.  You should be aware that "private bath" does not always mean "in-room".  At some properties, your bathroom may be across or down the hall.

Each of the 8 guest rooms at the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast feature a private in-room bath.

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How will my room be furnished?

Depending on the style of the dwelling, your guest room can vary tremendously.  Most professionally operated B&B properties now offer photos of some, if not all, of their rooms on the internet.  A written description of room contents should accompany the photos to assist you in choosing the right room.  Individual tastes vary and what appeals to one person might be unsightly to another.  Some things to consider in choosing your room might include the following:

Room size - Victorian houses tend to have lots of small rooms.  Antebellum houses tend to have huge rooms with high ceilings. Most rooms in the Americus Garden Inn are incredibly spacious with 12-foot ceilings.

Room decor - Victorian houses tend to be more formal, frilly, ornate, and very often have lots of delicate items on display.  Antebellum houses tend to be more casual and functional.  The Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast is decorated in a comfortable, non-cluttered fashion to allow you the space to unwind and relax. 

Bath amenities/hairdryer - Most B&B's provide bathing basics such as soap and shampoo.  Hairdryers are not standard.  The Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast supplies bath amenities by Royal Orchard Botanicals.  You will have pleat wrapped soap, shampoo, conditioner, bath gel and moisturizer.  All guest rooms are equipped with hairdryers.  We also offer a special upgraded amenity package, we call the "Sensations" package.  Included in this special are products by Natura:  glycerine soap, bath gel, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, lip balm, and a loofah mit.

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Will there be a television and/or telephone?

Many bed and breakfast properties do not have televisions or telephones in guest rooms.  Sometimes, you will find that a television is only available in a common area.  This may also be true for telephone access, and we have experienced B&B's that do not allow incoming calls as they disturb other guests.  If having access to these things is important to you, make certain to specifically ask. 

We understand the need to stay informed and to be connected to the outside world.  Each guest room in the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast contains a television and a VCR.  For your viewing enjoyment, you may borrow a video from our library.   Each room is also equipped with a telephone with a data port and an answering machine.  When you reserve your room, we will give you the extension for your room so that family and friends may reach you directly.  For those of you with laptop computers, we have wireless internet available throughout the inn.

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What can I expect to be served for breakfast?

No two bed and breakfasts are alike when it comes to breakfast.  Many B&B's serve continental breakfast.  Some serve a buffet.  Others serve a full sit-down breakfast.  If breakfast is important to you, ask what a typical menu might be.  Also, if you have special dietary restrictions you must let the property know in advance or they may not be able to accommodate your needs.

At the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast, we believe that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  We also believe that healthy meals should be balanced and delicious.  Every morning, it is our pleasure to prepare and serve a 3-course sit down breakfast  for our guests to savor.   Freshly ground Dilworth Coffeehouse Coffee is always available, just help yourself anytime.  We offer SIX kinds of juice (not just orange) and  freshly baked bread or muffins.  This is followed by a fruit course.  A hot entree, usually an egg and cheese dish, is accompanied by one of our 40 varieties of pancakes.  We make our pancakes from scratch (no mixes), and we cook them to order so they will be hot off the griddle, just for you.  Every effort is made to keep our meals healthful with fresh fruits, whole grains and low fat dairy products.

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Is tipping required in a Bed and Breakfast?

This topic continues to be debated within the bed and breakfast industry.  Some properties utilize employees who expect to be tipped for their service, especially if they are being paid minimum wage or less (waitress wages are lower than minimum wage).  Some bed and breakfast properties expect their guests to tip housekeepers and servers.  Many times you will find a tipping envelope as you would find in a hotel.  Be warned that some properties charge a "service charge", which is really another way of forcing you, the guest, to pay extra. 

At the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast, we do not utilize any employees.  Kim and Susan Egelseer, the owners/innkeepers, strongly believe that the bed and breakfast experience should be personally delivered.  We do not believe that tipping should be expected or required at a bed and breakfast.  There are no hidden costs or unexpected fees.

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Will I have to interact with other guests?

Depending on the configuration of the property, you may or may not have interaction with other guests.  Some people love visiting B&B' s for the opportunity to meet other people.  Others come to a B&B for quiet, relaxation, and/or romance.  Inquire about accessibility to common areas.  Are there specific times when these rooms will be available for you to enjoy?  At some inns, you will find that meals are served at specific times and you will be asked which seating you prefer (or you will be assigned a dining time).  Some properties serve breakfast family style with all guests seated together, while others have dining options. 

At the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast, we make every effort to tailor your visit to your individual preference.  We have a variety of table sizes, and offer breakfast from 8:00am - 9:30am as opposed to a set time, to allow more flexibility to our guests.  Our breakfast/dining room is available to you, as our guest, 24 hours a day.  There are soft drinks, hot water for teas, cocoa or hot cider, Dilworth Coffee, fruit, cold cereal, and Susan's delicious chocolate biscotti.  If you are lucky, there might be leftover muffins from breakfast for a midnight snack!   We have several common areas to choose from when you are looking for a place to relax outside of your room.

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What are common areas?

Most bed and breakfast properties offer "common areas" or places around the property that guests may access freely.  Depending on the type of B&B, this space may be shared with the family of the owners or may be a totally separate space for guests.  Some properties offer televisions and telephone access in common areas and not in individual rooms.  The outside areas may be separated into guest space and a private owner's area.  If a B&B hosts weddings and other functions, your access to common areas may be severely limited if your visit coincides with an event. 

At the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast you have lots of space to enjoy.  There is a beautiful living room with a baby grand Yamaha Disklavier piano.  The breakfast/dining room is available 24 hours a day with coffee, tea, cocoa, soft drinks, fruit, cold cereal and Susan's wonderful chocolate biscotti.  The owner's area is totally separate from the guest area so the common areas are for your pleasure.  Off of the hall on the upper level, there is a balcony with a table and seating for four which is available to all guests.  Outdoors, there is ample seating on the porch, around the veranda, a swing by the fairy rose garden and a beautiful gazebo with a suspended swing in the middle and bench seating all the way around!  We truly want our guests to feel welcome in our beautiful home.  Therefore, we have made the decision not to host weddings or other functions which would limit other guests the opportunity to enjoy the house and the property.

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What time can I check-in?

Most B&B properties offer a check-in time range some time in the afternoon.  Unlike hotels, most properties have limited or no staff and the time between check-outs and check-ins is when cleaning and preparing the inn for your arrival takes place.  This may be the only opportunity for the innkeepers to run errands or pick up supplies.  Check with the property if you would like an earlier or later check-in.  If you assume that it will be acceptable without asking, you may end up very disappointed. 

The Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast offers a check-in time between 4:00pm - 7:00pm.   Please call us toll free at 888-758-4749 if you require a special check-in time.  We will make every effort to accommodate your needs, if possible.

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What about pets?

Some bed and breakfast properties allow pets with some restrictions, and usually charge a pet fee.  Others, have resident pets and do not allow outside animals.  If you are looking for a pet-friendly property, make sure to ask in advance.  Also, if you are allergic to animals, be certain to ask if there are pets in residence.  We have found that many properties do not necessarily inform guests that there are animals in the inn.  For people with severe allergies, this can be a serious problem. 

We do not allow pets of any kind in the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast.  We do have 3 cats who live with us in the owner's quarters, and we have been adopted by "Simon" our official inn greeter cat.  Harley, Gabby and Katrina are indoor cats and you might see them through the window of the schoolhouse when you visit.  Simon spends his days visiting with guests outside,  catching squirrels, playing with the fish in the koi pond and sleeping.  At night he rests comfortably in his heated garage apartment in his heated kitty bed.

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Will smoking be allowed?

Each bed and breakfast property handles smoking differently.  If the owners/innkeepers are smokers, you will probably be allowed to smoke inside the inn.  Some B&B' s do not allow smoking anywhere on the grounds of the property.  If you are a smoker, ask if there are restrictions which may affect your stay.  If you are an avid non-smoker or have allergies to cigarette smoke, ask about the smoking policy to ensure your comfort during your visit. 

The Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast recognizes the rights of both non-smokers and smokers.  There is NO SMOKING within the inn.  However,  smokers may smoke outside in designated areas that will not impact other guests.   Upstairs balconies are designated NON SMOKING areas for fire safety reasons.

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Are children welcome?

The policy on children varies greatly from inn to inn.  If the bed and breakfast is the primary residence of a family with children, there will most certainly be children present.  Many properties have antiques and collectibles decorating the inn.  Infants and small children would be discouraged from these properties for obvious reasons.  Another factor involving children is noise.  Many couples travel to B&B's to celebrate their romance.  They may have left their own children home and look forward to an escape from the shrill voices of children.  What a disappointment it would be to have an infant screaming in the next room.  There are also families who enjoy traveling to B&B's as a "home away from home".  Find out who the "regular" guests are to determine if the property will be comfortable for you. 

At the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast we have a variety of guests.  Many come for romance.  Many come for the history in the area.  We have business guests and we have some families.  The majority of our guests are adults seeking privacy and quiet.  Our property is NOT equipped for infants or toddlers, we do not have appropriate beds or linens for them.  If you are traveling with children, you must make special arrangements with the innkeepers PRIOR TO ARRIVAL.  We can ONLY accept children OVER THE AGE OF 10 YEARS (with ADVANCE APPROVAL FROM THE INNKEEPERS).   We strongly recommend the Executive Suite if you are traveling with children for several reasons.  The Executive Suite has a full kitchen, it has a queen sleeper sofa (besides a King bed), we can easily bring in a rollaway, the children are easier to supervise in the schoolhouse, and the noise will not bother other guests as it is in a separate building.  If you are considering bringing children, please give this arrangement some serious consideration for your comfort and the comfort of others. 

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Can I rent the whole house?

Whole house rentals for weddings and reunions are a common occurrence in B&B's.  If you are interested in this type of arrangement, speak directly with the owners or innkeepers.  Be aware you will probably pay more than just the room rental fees as you will be using more than just the bedrooms. 

We would love to host your group and offer rooms with breakfast.  However, the entire property cannot be rented for any event.  Our kitchen is for our exclusive use and may not be used by guests for any reason.  We do have a meeting/conference room which can be rented along with our guestrooms.  Please call us to discuss your specific needs. 

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Are there discounts or specials?

You will find all kinds of specials or discounts designed to entice you to stay at a particular property.  A free bottle of wine, a percentage discount, group discounts, last minute discounts, specials for anyone who asks for one.  Does anyone pay the full price at these establishments?  Or, is the "real" price very different from the "regular" or advertised rate?  When comparing properties it is sometimes very difficult to discern value from a distance.  Do your homework and you will find the right value for your money. 

Everyone loves a bargain and we all love to see that we got a discount.  However, if you think about how you feel when you discover that someone got a better deal than you did, or the sale started the day after you booked your visit, you will understand why we decided not to offer discounts.  At the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast we value everyone's business and believe strongly that discounting is a "game".  Our rates are very competitive for the services we provide.  Our facility is clean, spacious, comfortable and inviting.  Remember that we serve a full, hot breakfast and refreshments are available 24 hours a day.  Some of our competitors serve only continental breakfast.  Compare our rates once you have adjusted for "specials" and you will be surprised at the value offered at the Americus Garden Inn Bed & Breakfast.  

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