• What's ticked?
• Accolades
• Contact us

c o l u m n s

• Cheap Charlie
• ChrisCrossings
• Err Travel
• Leocha
• Travel Notes
• Archives

Bed and Burglary
Err Travel · September 2, 2000

My wife and I recently spent a couple nights in each of two Bed and Breakfasts.

One was the delightful Inn on Oak Creek in Sedona, Ariz.

Sedona is an enchanting location, notwithstanding a plethora of annoying boutiques, shops, stores, studios, galleries, showrooms, salons, saloons, outlets, and strip malls. "Nordstrom on steroids," is how my friend and Phoenix resident Dr. Larry Barton describes it.

Nevertheless, with guidebook in hand, we found some wonderful day-hikes over some awesome terrain. And returning to our B&B was something we looked forward to at the end of each day. (The afternoon wine and comestibles may have had something to do with that.)

The other B&B in which we recently stayed was the overpriced Inn on the Plaza in Healdsburg, Calif. We were soaked 515 smackers for a two-night stay in the "Sunset Room" - a 12 by 14 foot cubicle with one narrow window overlooking the rooftop of the business next door, an armoire too skinny in which to hang clothes, and a bathroom door with French windows that made the accommodation seem more like the "Moon Room." (Can somebody please explain this see-through arrangement to me?)

Our stay at the Inn on Oak Creek was more of the rule; our stay at the Inn on the Plaza was more of the exception to the B&Bs we've found in our travels. Though we get no frequent flyer miles for our stays, we often prefer B&Bs to more traditional hotels because we find that they can be quieter, friendlier, more convenient, and sometimes a better value than a stay in a hotel. Occasionally when I'm traveling on business, I book myself into B&Bs too. They can be refreshing alternatives to stiff, undistinguished, corporate hotels.

But they are not without risk. Indeed, there are some aspects of B&B lodging that could expose a traveler to greater danger than he might find in a conventional hotel.

Consider the setup. I've yet to stay in a B&B that has had re-programmable keyed access to the guestrooms. I doubt that there is a B&B around that staffs its reception area 24 hours a day, and as often as not there is no staff person at all in the building at night. Even if there is, his or her primary role is not premises security.

Certainly B&Bs are typically cozier and more relaxed than hotels. That's their attraction - and their danger. Guests interact more and are less cautious about sharing personal information with their fellow travelers. There is a sense that "these other people here are just like me: friendly, cordial, honest." That assumption can be a big mistake. As far as I remember, there were no places on the registration forms that asked, "Are you a criminal?"

You may find the Holiday Chalet more charming than the Holiday Inn. Just don't assume it's more secure.

Dr. Terry Riley is a psychologist and travel security authority. His column appears on Wednesdays. He is author of the popular book Travel Can Be Murder. Visit his site at http://www.appliedpsychology.com or e-mail him at terry@ticked.com.