Frequently Asked Questions

What can I expect from a B&B experience?

Unlike hotel chains and McDonalds Restaurants, no two Bed & Breakfasts are alike. What you experience has as much to do with the personality of the hosts as it does with the type of property, the amenities, and where it’s located.

B&B hosts generally do what they do because they enjoy it. Making a bit of money is important of course, but it’s not the main reason most people open a B&B. (I call this my get-rich-slow scheme.) Melanie and I do it because we like people, we understand the "service culture" that comes with a retail and training background, and I enjoy cooking. When we stop having fun, we’ll do something else.

When you arrive, we provide a full briefing, explain where everything is, review basic safety procedures and answer any questions.

So what can you expect from your experience at The 3 Bears? Something I’ve long believed in is: under-promise and over-perform. Come with few expectations, and you won’t be disappointed. Come with high expectations, and we might manage to surprise you.

Is it private?

Yes. You don’t hang out with us in our living area, and we won’t insert ourselves into yours. We each have our private spaces -- which is not to say we won’t run into each other from time to time, especially when there's something you need.

We have a separate guest kitchen where we serve a full plated breakfast, a guest lounge (the Chart Room), and outdoor deck. Perhaps most importantly, everyone has their own wash room.

Many first-time B&Ber’s (and sometimes experienced ones too) are uncertain about whether they'll be intruding on someone else’s space, and they do not want to be intruded upon either. A good B&B finds the right balance between social interaction and allowing guests their personal time.

Both are part of the experience. At The 3 Bears, you can socialize, be on your own, or both – depends on you.

The guest rooms are downstairs? Does that mean they’re below ground?

No. The grading of our property makes our home a back-split. All the guest rooms are at the walk-out level to the garden and the river. They all have large windows that open, and a great view.

There is a full flight of stairs between the guest rooms and the breakfast kitchen.

Speaking of breakfast, what about food?

Food will be involved. And we take some pride in never having served traditional bacon and eggs since opening in April 2003.

Our breakfasts are healthy, tasty and “added-sodium-free". (I don’t cook with salt.) We’re happy to accommodate requests and special dietary requirements when you let us know in advance. We always ask about restrictions and preferences when you book, so don’t ever be shy about telling us what you absolutely do not like, or cannot eat. (I’d much rather know ahead of time.)

What time is breakfast?

We try to reach a breakfast time by consensus. Typical is 8:30 or 9:00. We do occasionally start earlier, especially if you’re here for an early-morning art course, or have some other pre-arranged schedule. (Sometimes, so as not to torture other guests, this means we’ll do two sittings. This is not necessarily a happy time for Chef. Depends if he has his coffee. No coffee, no workee.)

If you're fishing…

We usually set up coffee on the timer, depending on what time you want to be on the river. A call-to-table at 9:00 a.m. works well for most anglers. If you really insist on being out of here at the crack of dawn and staying out ‘til the cows come home, we’ll put out muffins, fresh fruit and cereal (a.k.a. Continental) -- ready to go when you are.

Is tipping appropriate at a B&B?

As in any service industry, such as hotels, restaurants and pizza delivery, tipping is always a personal choice. Gratuities at a Bed and Breakfast are not expected, but are always appreciated. You will never insult an owner by leaving something extra. 

Gratuities are always a pleasant and unexpected surprise, and should only be contemplated when expectations are exceeded. 

What's the best way to get there?

When you book, we send you a detailed confirmation email that spells out your arrival and departure dates, the amount due on departure, and a few additional bits of information. It also includes directions on how to find us, no matter which direction you're coming from.

If you're navigating by GPS or relying on Google or MapQuest... a word of caution:

The directions we send you are as good as you're likely to get, unless you prefer gravel roads. GPS may give you the shortest route, but we give you the most sensible one. And when it comes to Google Maps, this is one instance where you can't necessarily rely on it. We have registered our location with Google, but road names have changed, and some references I've seen don't put us in the right place.

Yes you are. We live where we work. Our “secret-identity” jobs are actually in the advertising and marketing business, so with four telephone lines, that’s just the best way it works out with Ma Bell. We always try to answer by the second ring when we are here. If you call 866-457-7770, and hear my pre-recorded voice say, “Crunch Communications”, please leave a detailed message.

You have reached Papa Bear.

You can also call our local number at 519-843-5556. That one has a different voice mail, but it rings in the same place.

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