Welcome to Hotels and Getaways

Time is running out and you still haven’t found the perfect gift or maybe you are trying to find something unique to give your best friend. Wouldn’t these special people appreciate the thoughtful gift of travel? Head to iLoveInns.com and purchase your loved one a printable gift certificate. This quick and easy gift can be used at thousands of country inns, bed & breakfasts or boutique hotels throughout the United States and Canada.

The certificates begin in value at $50 and go up to as much $1000; they have no expiration or blackout dates, so your recipient can take their time and plan their special trip. The certificates become valid seven days after purchase, and this date will appear on the certificate so there is no guesswork involved. You just have to buy, print, tie on a pretty ribbon and you’ve got an instant travel gift. Here is a small sample of the many inns that accept these certificates:

The historic Graycote Inn, located in Bar Harbor, Maine, offers guests a mix of romance and country hospitality. The beautiful guest rooms, which are decorated in style befitting this 1881 home, feature canopy beds and clawfoot tubs. Views of the grounds, lush with trees and gardens, can be enjoyed from a comfortable chair on the veranda or from an intimate table for two in the cheerful breakfast room. The full breakfasts are prepared using the best local ingredients, including local coffee and the fresh, Maine blueberries. Guests can walk to local shops and restaurants or spend the day enjoying Acadia National Park.

Country hospitality and a convenient location entice guests to the Corner Oak Manor, a cozy bed and breakfast in Asheville, North Carolina, just a half mile from the Biltmore Estate. There are four guest rooms, featuring country dcor and antiques, as well as a private cottage with its own kitchenette. Innkeeper Karen Spradley has a culinary degree and prepares the morning meal, featuring an artfully displayed menu using the freshest local ingredients. She even has her own cookbook, so you can bring a little of that bed and breakfast charm back to your own home.

If you long to spend some time at the beach, you can’t get much closer to the shore than at Casa Tropicana Boutique Beachfront Inn in San Clemente, California. Just step outside and cross the street and you’ll arrive at the city’s main beach, which features the town’s trademark pier. Restaurants and shops are all within walking distance, and you are just a short drive away from a myriad of popular attractions, from the galleries of Laguna Beach to the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano to even Disneyland. Located in between San Diego and Los Angeles, the inn offers eight guest rooms, most of which have an ocean view and many also have whirlpool or soaking tubs and a fireplace. The Casablanca suite, the inn’s most opulent retreat, has a private, ocean-view deck with a Jacuzzi.

In addition to offering printable gift certificates, iLoveInns.com, which has published more than 60 travel guides, also offers the guidebook “Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns.” The book, which can purchased on the website for $24.95, includes a buy-one-night-get-one-night-free certificate which can be used at any one of the more than 1,400 boutique inns and B&Bs. The average savings is more than $150, so consider purchasing a copy for yourself, as well as a friend. ILoveInns.com also features detailed listings to more than 19,000 unique lodging choices, from lighthouse bed and breakfasts to posh city boutique hotels.

From the wind-swept moors to the Scottish highlands, the United Kingdom is a diverse land - both in culture and geography. You’ll discover quaint villages, castles, museums, galleries and much more.

If you are planning a trip to England, Scotland and Wales, it is best to create a list of what you would like to do and see. Fitting in everything can be difficult, and it’s usually best to focus on your favorites and spend quality time exploring those areas rather than rush around from spot to spot. You might start in London and then explore nearby Kent and Sussex, enjoying all the attractions of the city, as well as castles and quaint villages. Another option is to spend your time exploring Wales, a country often passed by, yet full of promising possibilities. Or perhaps you want to explore Scotland with time to enjoy Edinburgh, “The Whisky Trail,” and hope for a glimpse of the famous Loch Ness.

Travel writer Karen Brown has explored the United Kingdom and created several interesting itineraries for travelers to this exciting region. Her detailed plans include places to visit, as well as maps and traveling tips. Her readers also have voted and chosen the following lodgings as the best in England, Scotland and Wales:

These three countries are a romantic land — a land of inspiration for a myriad of famous poets and writers. If it is romance you want, try the Gilpin Lodge, which was chosen by Karen Brown readers as England, Wales and Scotland’s “Most Romantic” lodging choice. Located in England’s Lake District National Park, the inn rests on 20 acres of gardens, woods and moors. The rooms are elegant, and each has been decorated individually. Every room offers a charming view of the gardens or moors. Spa treatments, such as massage with aromatherapy oils, can be arranged in the privacy of your room. Guests also enjoy privileges at a local “leisure club,” which has a pool, sauna, steam room and fully equipped gym. Four rooms comprise the award-winning restaurant’s dining areas. There is also a bar and afternoon tea is served in the lounge.

With its excellent location, charming decor and hospitable innkeepers, it’s little wonder that Karen Brown readers have chosen Bolhays Bed and Breakfast as England, Wales and Scotland’s for lodging’s “Warmest Welcome.” The bed & breakfast’s delightful English guest rooms are located in a historic, 1899 Victorian townhouse that is just a 10-minute walk from Salisbury Cathedral, a 13th-century wonder that is a highlight of a visit to this wonderful English town. Stonehenge is just a short drive away, and there are plenty of nearby shops and pubs, including one that has been in operation since the 14th century. The innkeepers prepare a hearty, homemade English breakfast each morning for their guests. Their knowledge of the surrounding area makes them a valuable resource for those planning day trips in and around Salisbury.

Meadowland, a Bath bed and breakfast, was chosen by Karen Brown readers as England, Wales and Scotland’s “Greatest Value.” The three guest rooms are decorated in an English country style that is both comfortable and elegant. The home is distanced by about a 15-minute’s walk into the heart of Bath, but public transportation is just two minutes away. Explore the famous Roman Baths, linger in the Pump Rooms, and spend a day exploring the area around Pulteney Bridge with its museums, shops and galleries or head out of town for a visit to Blaise Castle or Salisbury Cathedral.

Pamper yourself at the spot named by Karen Brown readers as England, Wales and Scotland’s best “Splendid Splurge.” Chewton Glen, located on 130 acres in the heart of Hampshire, is an idyllic English country estate offering a mix of traditional and contemporary guest rooms and suites, all elegant and romantic in style. The hotel offers a long list of amenities and services, including a full-service spa, tennis courts, a swimming pool and nine-hole golf course. The hotel has a full-service, gourmet restaurant and afternoon tea is served on the terrace or in one of the finely appointed lounges. The surrounding area offers many fun attractions, such as historic home tours, garden tours, Stonehenge, and the National Motor Museum, which displays more than 250 different motor vehicles.

Even the best of luxurious five-star hotels and resorts can on occasion get an infestation of bed bugs. This can be sometimes be unavoidable as hundreds and even thousands of travelers and tourists can be staying at a hotel or resort at any given time. These tiny blood drinking critters can easily hitch a ride on unsuspecting travelers or hide in their luggage. Hotel and resort managers alike are very aware of this possible problem and do their best to prevent this from happening.

What do these blood loving pests look like?

Bedbugs are very tiny, flat, wingless bugs. Their size can vary from a head of a pin to about one-quarter of an inch in length when fully mature. They have an oval shape and look like small watermelon seeds. Their color can vary from a translucent yellow to a dark reddish brown. If they have just dined on a traveler’s blood they may appear dark brown or black in color.

How easy are they to see?

Most travelers are not aware of bed bugs until they see the red bite marks on their bodies and start scratching their itchy wounds. Bed bugs can be extremely difficult to find if the infestation is light. Their eggs are very tiny and about the size of a grain of rice which are even harder to observe. To make matters worse they tend to be nocturnal so they are waking up and looking for a blood breakfast when most vacationers are going to sleep.

When you check into your room it is advisable to roll the bed sheets, blankets and comforters all the way down to see if you can find any bed bugs. A tell tale sign that they are there are dark fecal spots or drops of dried blood on the bed linen, pillowcases, or in the seams around the mattress or box springs. You may also find what appear to be shells of bed bugs which are in fact the skins that they shed as they mature. If you find any signs of their presence, call down to the front desk and ask for another room. You may be able to get a discount on your room rate for the upsetting experience and inconvenience.

Bed bugs do not reflect on the cleanliness of hotels and resorts. These insects do not eat crumbs or dirt, or anything we may associate with unsanitary hotel room conditions. They only feed on blood. In terms of a vacationer’s health, current research indicates that these insects do not appear to spread disease even though they can harbor well over twenty-five different pathogens

Not everybody gets bed bug bites. Sometimes, if there’re two travelers sleeping in the same bed, only one may be bitten. However, bed bugs never discriminate. If they have a chance they’ll gladly dine on anyone’s blood. Bedbugs are attracted to the warmth of our bodies and the carbon dioxide we exhale when we breathe. They also emit chemicals to attract and find each other. These night crawlers are fast and great climbers. They can silently tag along in a traveler’s luggage or on their clothing.

What can you do to avoid these pests when traveling on your holidays?

Unfortunately, apart from checking the linen, mattress, box springs, bed frames, behind the headboard, all upholstered furniture, and along the baseboards in your room, that’s about all you can do.

Bed bugs are a universal problem and can be found in motels, hostels, bed and breakfasts, hotels, pod hotels, resorts, hospitals, airplanes, trains, buses, cabs, cruise ships, etc. These little blood suckers can be found near any readily available source of blood, like tired travelers. Bed bugs can even hitch a ride home with you, turning your home sweet home into a living hell.

What can you do to exterminate bed bugs?

You should leave the job to a professional pest control company as these pests are very difficult to get rid of. It’s expensive and can take time treating an infestation of bed bugs which usually involves using steam and pesticides. This process may have to be repeated a number of times before the very hot steam and pesticides kill all of them. Keep in mind that the insects must come into direct contact with the hot steam and pesticides for these tactics to be totally effective.

As far as your home is concerned, prevention is a lot easier and far less costly than the cure. In your home, you do not have to throw your mattress and box springs out. You can easily cover your mattress and box springs with zippered plastic coverings which will prevent bedbugs from hiding in the cracks and crevices of your mattress. There are also zippered plastic protectors that are just as effective for your pillows. This will prevent any possible bedbugs that are inside from getting out. At the same time it will prevent any new infestations from getting in, thus eliminating the bed as a problem. However, this is only one part of the solution. You will still need to apply steam and pesticides to any areas of the home where they could be hiding.

There is a new and exciting revolutionary product that looks very promising for monitoring and eliminating bed bugs. It is called the NightWatch Bedbug Trap designed by Bio Sensory, Inc.. This small, easy to use product has a kairomone, carbon dioxide, and heat lure that traps and kills bed bugs. Under a monitored field test this product captured and killed over a thousand bed bugs. The company’s website is Biosensory.com.

Getting your meal to be delicious can be done even if you want to keep a salt free diet. Salt as it has already been mentioned in all types of media can be dangerous to one’s health, especially for one’s heart. If consumed a lot, it can prevent the elimination of water from one’s body. This has caused many to give up salt and instead enhance the flavor of their meal using salt free seasoning.

Salt free seasoning refers to mixtures of spices and herbs free of salt added to this blend meant to make your food tastier and thus more appealing. Seasoning of course varies from one dish to another, depending on whether the dish contains meat or not. Some spices as they are combined would rather go with vegetables or with a certain kind of meat, white or red. Recipes of salt free seasoning are available from a variety of sources, be they internet sites or cookery books.

A type of salt free seasoning is that which actually makes the salad dressing. As usual, the dressing should be done with a bit of oil and vinegar. But additionally you can add garlic and onion powder, basil, sage and black pepper. Your salad will still be delicious without any salt, unlike what you actually expect in case you are used to eating salted food.

Another type of salt free seasoning is the one meant for cooking fish or seafood. In doing this you should mix one and and half table spoon of pepper in addition with lemon peel and two table spoons of crushed dill, tarragon or chives. Dried mustard or garlic powder are optional. In case you are cooking fish, a bit of paprika will not only boost the flavor, it will also add to the nice and appealing aspect of the dish.

Last but not least the oriental seasoning can also be prepared without any salt and therefore we can obtain a different kind of salt free seasoning. Oriental flavors traditionally rely on ginger, garlic and pepper and these can be added in equal quantities so that all three main ingredients can be tasted and felt equally. Usually up to half a spoon should do for one pound of meat.

Of course Mexican food is also a delight to many. A Mexican salt free seasoning can as well be home prepared and it should contain onion, chili and garlic powder mixed with ground cumin. In case you like thyme, basil black pepper and oregano these can also be added to the blend.

No matter the seasonings you prefer and discover as a favorite in supermarkets, you can prepare at home on your own. All you need is to buy your own ingredients and make your own salt free seasoning based on the ingredients mentioned on the label of the seasoning you like so much. By doing this, you can guarantee better health and tasty food at the same time.

Special packages, seasonal discounts and free amenities are just a few of the reasons to spend your vacation at one of the cozy inns listed in the book, “Bed and Breakfasts and Country Inns,” published by American Historic Inns, Inc. Incredibly, these inns are participants in the Buy-One-Night-Get-One-Night-Free program, which makes your vacation even more enticing. Here are a few examples from Florida of the savings that can be had. (For more details on participating inns, visit the iLoveInns.com site).

If you would like to share the cost of your B&B room with friends, the St. Francis Inn in historic St. Augustine, has the perfect solution with the Cottage Suite. If you are enjoying a romantic getaway, then you will simply love the charming individual rooms, filled with antiques and fireplaces. Parking is complimentary as is a mouth watering breakfast buffet and an evening social hour, perfect for discussing the days events over a glass of wine and a terrific selection of hors d’oeuvres. The Inn is nestled in the historic district and complimentary bicycles are provided for touring the citywhich is filled with museums, art galleries, enticing antique shops and unique restaurants. At $109-$229 per night, the St. Francis Inn is a bargain.

The facilities at Center Court-Tropical Inn & Cottages in Key West are geared toward group fun. Several of the cottages are capable of housing up to ten people and many have a private pool as well as barbecue grills and hammocks. With the sea virtually next door, the owners ensure your enjoyment by providing beach towels and a bag for day trips on the ocean. Complimentary weekend happy hours will keep your party rolling and this is all available for only $130-$265 per night.

Step through the columned doors of the Coombs House Inn in Appalachicola. Here, a day at the beach is a no-brainer with beach chairs, umbrellas, bikes and even a tandem bicycle ready for use. The rooms are stocked with massage whirlpools, mini refrigerators and access to the veranda. Guests are well fed with full breakfasts in the morning and wine, cheese and snacks on weekend nights. The rates at this Florida bed and breakfast start low at $89 and cap at $229 per night.

The affordable Allison House Inn in Quincy is a not-so-guilty pleasure. Rest up on lavender-misted pillows for a day of treasure hunting at the local antique shops. The English-style bed and breakfast resides in historic “Coca-Cola Town” not far from Tallahassee. Give into the temptation of fresh muffins and bread in the morning and homemade Biscotti and sherry all day. At $95-$140 per night, if you can’t spare the carbohydrates, you probably can spare the money.

Take a carriage ride outside the Magnolia Plantation Cottages and Gardens in Gainesville, Florida. Each room in the French Second Empire Inn has a fireplace and claw foot tub for luxury with a historical touch. Craftsman, Country and Colonial Cottages include hot tubs and fireplace, with kitchens stocked with cooking utensils for dining in. Take a walk through two acres of tropical gardens, Charleston-style courtyards, fountains, ponds and waterfalls. Rates of $115-$330 per night are valid seven days a week and year-round, so guests at this Florida inn don’t have to wait for the off-season to get a good deal.

If you are still undecided, you can browse through the 19,000 B&Bs and country inns on iLoveInns.com that specialize in other events and locations that may interest you. Many of the properties described above are also in the best-selling bed and breakfast guidebook, “Bed & Breakfasts and Country Inns” which includes a Buy-One-Night-Get-One-Night-Free Certificate. ILoveInns.com also offers printable gifts certificates, a perfect solution to help celebrate any occasion.

For those of us who crave unique travel opportunities, there is no better place to stay than a bed & breakfast inn or a boutique hotel, where service and style go hand in hand. Here’s a cool travel tool that is quickly becoming a hit. Computer giant Apple and ILoveInns.com, publishers of more than 60 travel books, have teamed up to create an easy way for inngoers to find and book a stay at a country inn or B&B. InnTouch, new and free downloadable software, is now available exclusively for those with an iPhone or iPod Touch.

There are more than 3,500 inns listed in the InnTouch system, including B&Bs, country inns and boutique hotels from more than 2,000 cities in the United States and Canada. All you have to do is go to the Apple App Store or ILoveInns.com and download the software onto your iPhone or iPod touch. After that, you can search for inns by name or by location. When you are ready to make a reservation, you simply touch the “Call” button and you are connected to the inn automatically.

The InnTouch ‘09 application includes travel information that is updated daily by both innkeepers and the ILoveInns staff, so you will always have the most accurate details at your fingertips. In addition, ILoveInns also has included more than 1,000 favorite innkeeper recipes on the application, so you can enjoy some inn cuisine in your own home.

Chris Monahan, who serves as chief technology officer at iLoveInns.com, was the lead designer of the application explains, “You can search for inns by city or province, or seeing what’s around using the “Nearby” feature. This pulls your GPS coordinates and shows you nearby inns within 60 miles.”

With the phone being an all-in-one device, a person can call with one touch; not dialing each digit of the phone number. They can see the inn address on a map, get directions, save the address in their contact list as well as email or visit the inn website with single click actions.

“InnTouch has been enthusiatically received,” Monahan said. “After its first week, travelers are already using it worldwide. We plan to add many additional features in the next year.

Are you trying to plan your next vacation, but are overwhelmed and discouraged by how much it is going to cost? Join the club, most of us who are used to a nice vacation every year or two are suddenly finding it very hard to afford to go anywhere except locally. It really doesn’t have to be that way though, as long as you can spend some time searching for the best cheap hotel deals.

I’ve met quite a few people in my years who travel for a living. Their companies don’t always provide them with lodging and it may be up to the individuals to find their own hotels. Sometimes, cheap hotel deals leave those frequent travelers sleeping in a room that they may not be comfortable closing their eyes that night. With some research and knowledge of your destination, you can find some cheap hotel deals that will better suit your needs and provide a lot more comfort.

Start With High End Hotels

Whether you are travelling for business or pleasure, the time you take to find a great hotel room will yield results that will save you many dollars. Start with high end hotels and work your way down, you may surprise yourself by finding a great deal at a hotel that is normally way outside your normal affordability.

If you are familiar with your destination and have taken the time to narrow down a specific area to certain lodging, you are much more likely to get a hold of some cheap hotel deals. Sometimes, hotels will offer deals through their websites. Other times, if you call to make reservations you simply have to ask if they have any deals or packages that are available. While they may not advertise them over the phone, asking will open up the window to finding cheap hotel deals that you may not have been able to previously take advantage of.

Can You Say Google

The internet has a vast offering of travel sites that promise to have the best deals you will find. Don’t take their word for it; shop around. Compare prices on various sites. You may be able to save a few hundred dollars or a few cents here and there but end up with cheap hotel deals that you never knew existed. Many times, if your itinerary is flexible you can find even more cheap hotel deals if you are willing to travel during the week. Hotel stays on weekends are always more expensive than weekdays.

If you still aren’t having any luck try adjusting your dates to see if you can get a better deal. Occasionally the website will offer travel advisors at no charge, give them a call and see if they can help you out. After you book your trip all that’s left is to pack your bags and enjoy!

There are a few ways to get great deals on hotels in Las Vegas. This article was written to provide as many known tips as I could to my consumers to get them to Vegas for cheap.

Let me tell you something. I got in the travel industry a while back. It wasn’t long before I had all these people calling me to book, and I was like man I want to go to these places. Well, with all the places I have been Las Vegas is the most fun. Let me also tell you that I am not a gambler. I just had a blast in Las Vegas in the warm temperatures seeing all the sites. Plus I got a huge discount on my hotel.

The best starting point is to go to the website of the hotel directly. You can sign up for a mailing list or a guest book and they will send you emails. A lot of times they will have cheap hotel rates in the email with a promotion code. You can simply book through the hotel as you receive these deals.

The best time to plan your trip is during the week. The large name hotels usually give huge discount rates during the week. They then mark the price up on the weekends when demand is higher. My suggestion is to go on a Tuesday and return on a Thursday or Friday. This is when demand is low and you will get the cheapest hotel rate. I also always suggest Allegiant Air, if you are near one of their departing airports you can usually fly to Vegas for next to nothing.

Websites out there that offer cheap hotels or discount hotels are the easiest way to find good deals. The rooms that are offered here are usually the same rooms you can get directly from the hotel. The only difference is the hotel acts as a wholesale supplier to these websites. They sell in bulk to the website and then the website marks up the price and resells to the consumer. The margin for the business is the difference between the hotel’s price to the business and the price they sell to you. You can usually get discounted and cheap hotels through these websites, and if you find a lower rate most of them have a price match guarantee.

The question of where to stay can be complicated to answer. If I was actually telling you where not to stay I would say the Stratosphere. It is way on the north end of the strip, and though cheap, is far away from everything. I like to stay as close to the center of the strip as possible. The Paris, Flamingo, Bally’s are all close to the center of the strip and are probably the best choice. For cheap hotels I would say the best bet is the Flamingo. It is a nice property, though it is sort of old, it usually has a good rate. The cheapest hotel at center strip is Bill’s Gamblin Hall & Salon owned by Harrah’s. I have not outright suggested this hotel due to the fact that it has received some bad reviews. I just don’t know how much I trust them, the hotel is cheap and is in prime location.

A trip to Las Vegas will be sure to make memories that last a lifetime. It is also not as expensive as you would think. Instead of shopping around, I always say make a commitment, book, and then shop. You can always get the place where you booked to match a lower rate if you find one. They will usually do this up until the time of check-in and sometimes even after that. If you don’t book something the rates will continue to go up as supply goes down. Book a discount or cheap hotel room right away, then keep your eye out for drops in the price level so you can have your agent match it.

Even the top luxurious five-star hotels and resorts can sometimes get an infestation of bed bugs. This is sometimes can happen because many hundreds, or even thousands of travelers and tourists could be staying at a hotel or resort at any given point in time. These little blood drinking insects can easily hitch a ride on unsuspecting travelers or be hiding in their luggage. Hotel and resort managers are very aware of this problem and take steps to prevent this from happening.

What do these blood sucking pests look like?

Bedbugs are very tiny, flat, wingless bugs. Their size can vary from a head of a pin to about one-quarter of an inch in length when fully mature. They have an oval shape and look like small watermelon seeds. Their color can vary from a translucent yellow to a dark reddish brown. If they have just dined on a traveler’s blood they may appear dark brown or black in color.

How easy are they to find?

Most travelers are not aware of bed bugs until they see the red bite marks on their bodies and start scratching their itchy wounds. Bed bugs can be extremely difficult to find if the infestation is light. Their eggs are very tiny and about the size of a grain of rice which are even harder to observe. To make matters worse they tend to be nocturnal so they are waking up and looking for a blood breakfast when most vacationers are going to sleep.

When you check into your room it is advisable to roll all the bed sheets, blankets and comforters down to see if you can find any bed bugs. A tell tale sign they’re around are dark fecal spots or drops of dried blood on the linen, pillowcases, or in the seams around the mattress or box springs. You also may find what look like to be shells of bed bugs which are in fact the skins that they shed when they’re maturing. If you can find any sign of their presence, phone down to the front desk and ask for another room. You may be able to get a decent discount on your room for the upsetting experience and inconvenience.

However, bedbugs do not reflect on the cleanliness of hotels or resorts. These insects do not eat crumbs or dirt, or anything we may associate with unsanitary hotel room conditions. They only feed on blood. In terms of a vacationer’s health, current research indicates that these insects do not appear to spread disease even though they can harbor well over twenty-five different pathogens.

Not everyone gets bitten by bed bugs. Sometimes, if there are two travelers asleep in the same bed, only one may get bitten. However, bed bugs don’t discriminate. Given a chance they will gladly drink anyone’s blood. Bed bugs are attracted by the heat of our bodies and the carbon dioxide that we exhale when we breathe. They also release chemicals that attract each other. These night crawlers move quickly and are excellent climbers. They can easily tag along in a traveler’s luggage or on their clothing.

What can you do to avoid these pests when traveling on your vacation?

Unfortunately, apart from checking out the bed linen, mattress and box springs, bed frames, the bed’s headboard, any upholstered furniture, and along baseboards in your hotel room, that’s about all you can do.

Bed bugs are a universal problem and can be found in motels, bed and breakfasts, hostels, hotels, pod hotels, resorts, hospitals, airplanes, trains, cabs, buses, cruise ships, etc. These small blood suckers can be found near any readily available source of blood, like tired travelers. Bedbugs can even hitch a ride home with you and turn your home sweet home into a living hell.

What can you do to get rid of pesky bed bugs?

You should leave this job to a professional pest control company as these insects are very difficult to get rid of. It is expensive and can take a lot of time treating an infestation of bed bugs which usually involves the use of pesticides and steam. This process may have to be repeated a number of times before the very hot steam and pesticides kill them all. Don’t forget that the insects must come into direct contact with the hot steam and pesticides for these tactics to be completely effective.

As for your home, prevention is a lot easier and far less costly than the cure. In your home, you do not have to throw your mattress and box springs out. You should cover your mattress and box springs with zippered plastic coverings which will stop bedbugs from hiding in the cracks and crevices of your mattress. Zippered plastic pillow protectors are just as effective for your pillows. This prevents any possible bedbugs that are on the inside from getting out. At the same time it will stop any new infestations from getting in, eliminating the bed as a problem. However, this is only one part of ridding the house of bed bugs. You will still have to apply steam and pesticides to any areas of the home where they might be hiding.

There is a new and exciting product that appears very promising for monitoring and eliminating bed bugs. It’s the NightWatch Bedbug Trap designed by Bio Sensory, Inc.. This small and easy to use product has a kairomone, carbon dioxide, and a heat lure that traps and efficiently kills bed bugs. Under a monitored field test their product captured and killed more than a thousand bed bugs. The company’s website, Biosensory.com, will give you more information on their product.

Let’s face it, planning a wedding isn’t all rainbows and butterflies. It’s a lot of work to make your special day memorable. But there is a way to enjoy the romance and wonder of the event without dealing with all the stress. Let an innkeeper plan and prepare your wedding.

Every year, hundreds of couples marry at historic inns and quaint bed and breakfasts. Innkeepers are experts as creating romantic ambiance, dealing with guests and coordinating events. Getting married at the inn is not only romantic, but convenient. You can prepare for your special day in one of the guest rooms, get married, enjoy a posh reception and even spend your wedding night at the inn. Innkeepers can do it all - plan the ceremony, find caterers and florists, direct guests and even house them, if necessary. They do all the work, and you have all the fun.

At the Holladay House Bed and Breakfast in Orange, Virginia, couples enjoy all the historic ambiance of this beautifully decorated and meticulously restored 1830s inn. The innkeepers have planned many weddings, vow renewal ceremonies and even offer a special elopement package. The Virginia bed and breakfast can accommodate up to 30 guests, so it’s a perfect location for a romantic, intimate wedding. They can help take care of obtaining the marriage license, finding flowers, arranging music, finding photographers and planning rehearsal dinners, receptions or bridal showers.

If you love old-fashioned charm and appreciate historic ambiance, the Holladay House is a perfect spot for your wedding. The Federal-style, Virginia inn has been restored with great attention to detail. Antiques and original features, such as the beautiful fireplaces, adorn the common rooms. Your guests will no doubt reminisce about this setting for years to come. Family members and the bridal party can even book rooms at the inn to make the day even more convenient.

There are six guest rooms, each with individual decor, fine linens and several house beautiful antique beds. Some rooms include double whirlpool tubs and fireplaces, so you can pick a favorite for your honeymoon night. Specialty hypoallergenic bath products, CD players, alarm clocks and televisions with DVD players are among the other amenities. There’s plenty of room for your bridal party, and inn guests enjoy not only the comfortable accommodations, but a full, homemade breakfast in the morning. So you and your friends and family can just relax and enjoy the whole event.

In the end, a wedding is meant to be a happy, romantic event. So let your helpful innkeeper take on all the pesky planning details and enjoy your special day.