Six short answers
Questions on bed and breakfast planning from Towson, settled before anyone reserves
Bed and breakfast planning from Towson usually starts with six questions, from how many rooms to choose to what a quote costs. Short answers follow below, and the written quote for your inn repeats whatever applies to your dates and your party.
How many rooms is the right table size for us?
Count your own group first. A table of four to six rooms means few other guests and a breakfast that feels like a kitchen table, which suits one or two couples. A table of seven to eleven rooms brings more company and more choice of rooms, which suits a larger party or anyone who likes a lively morning. Neither size is better; tell the office which sounds like you.
Can you reserve a ground-floor room?
That depends on the inn. Gettysburg has one first-floor accessible room. Sharpsburg, Solomons and Upper Black Eddy each have a room at ground or first-floor level, though none is rated accessible, and the Strasburg rooms are all upstairs. Say on the form that you need a ground-floor room, and the office asks the innkeeper which room is free for your dates. The written quote states the floor and the room before you approve anything.
Do the inns take children and pets?
Rules on children and pets vary from inn to inn, and each innkeeper sets them. Tell the office who is traveling, children and animals included, and it asks the innkeeper before choosing a room. The quote then prints that inn's own rule in plain words, along with any extra charge the inn applies, so you read it before you say yes.
Can we stay only one night?
Some inns charge more for a single night, and some ask for two nights as a minimum. The office prices its stays for two midweek nights, so write on the form that one night is all you have. The office asks the innkeeper what is possible and puts the real total before tax in the written quote, so you see the difference before approving.
Do you sell travel insurance or arrange entry documents?
Travel insurance and entry documents are matters travelers arrange elsewhere. The office's work is the room and the quote: choosing an inn, asking the innkeeper which rooms are free, and writing down the rate, taxes and rules. Once you approve the quote in writing, the inn holds the room in your name.
Is there a fee for the quote?
The quote costs you nothing. The office writes it for every request, and the traveler pays the office nothing at any step. After your stay the inn pays the office a commission, and the inn takes your deposit or payment directly under its own policies. The quote shows the total before tax and each lodging tax by name, so you can add up exactly what the inn will charge.