INNSIDE SPECIALS
"Love Yourself Weekend" -- Lap in luxury with a relaxing massage and facial, two-night stay with two breakfasts, two lunches, and two dinners, all prepared with your health in mind. Learn how to maintain a healthy weight with our cooking and fitness instructions. Walk our fabulous boardwalk. Engage in a Yoga class for total relaxation. Clear your mind with some meditation and receive a one-on-one personal training session to send you home with an arsenal of information that you can implement for the rest of the new year! $500 for Friday night, Saturday, and Sunday departure per person through March. (Ashling Cottage, Spring Lake)

"Valentine's/President's Day Special" -- With three-night stay enjoy complimentary chocolates, roses and champagne in your room. Rooms are $200 per night; fireplace cottage is $250 per night. (Ashling Cottage, Spring Lake)

"Pearl Winter Escape" -- The ultimate Winter Escape has a surprise gift included. For that special lady - a $1000 string of cultured pearls - will enhance whatever she's wearing to dinner! Inn owners Barbara and Andy Seaman will have the necklace gift wrapped and awaiting your arrival, including a bottle of champagne and strawberries in your room or suite. Choice of accommodation is additional. (Spring Lake Inn, Spring Lake)

"Of Wine & Roses" -- Book a weekend in one of our premium suites (Williamsburg Room or Master Suite), with a four-poster bed, fireplace, and vintage bathtub (we provide the bath salts!) and we'll include a voucher for dinner out at one of Plainfield's best restaurants (tax and tip included.) Return to a room set for romance: the fire crackling, candles softly glowing, silk rose petals adorning the lacy white sheets, chocolates on the pillows, and chilled sparkling wine. Ah, romance! $499 for a two-night booking, with dinner included. Upgrade to champagne and fresh flowers for an additional $50. Spa packages may also be added, including a couples massage, at the Castle Spa. (The Pillars of Plainfield Bed and Breakfast Inn, Plainfield)

"Spa Inn-spiration" -- Arrive Friday evening, sip sparkling wine, and enjoy a calming bath - we provide the bath salts. In the morning, sleep in a bit, and feel free to come to breakfast in our Pillars robes. An afternoon session at The Castle Spa is the highlight of the day, with a range of treatments to choose from for your couple's massage. We'll help you select the perfect dining experience for the evening, then return to your room to sit by the fireplace, watch romantic movies, or follow your own inspiration. $625 for a two night stay in one of our premium rooms (Williamsburg Room or Master Suite) (The Pillars of Plainfield Bed and Breakfast Inn, Plainfield)

"Valentine's Day at The Pillars" -- Book two nights in one of our three premium rooms and enjoy fresh roses in your room on arrival. After dinner at one of the area's best restaurants, return to The Pillars to find scattered rose petals, hand made chocolates, and champagne (or sparkling cider)to savor by candle light. $549 for the package. (The Pillars of Plainfield Bed and Breakfast Inn, Plainfield)

"Sleigh Ride Special" -- If you missed your "one-horse open sleigh" this year, how about taking a ride through the Hunterdon countryside in a horse-drawn wagon snuggled next to your sweetheart, warm blankets provided! Then return to relax in the glow of an old-fashioned parlor stove in the privacy of your own room with a delicious plate of chocolate-covered strawberries and a soothing cup of hot chocolate. $234 per couple per night for weekdays (Sunday through Thursday) and $284 for weekends, through February 28th. (Raritan Inn at Middle Valley, Califon)

"Winter Getaway Package" -- Bring your sweetheart for complimentary beverages and cheese platter upon arrival, romantic dinner for two at a local restaurant, weekend passes to Work-Out-World in Ocean Twp, gift vouchers to local cafes and shops, and a winter weekend that will bring out the love. $249/couple any weekend from Jan. 2nd through April 26th, 2009. Spa services and/or dinner in your room available at cost. (Available at Ocean Plaza or The Ocean View Inn, Ocean Grove)

MEET THE INNKEEPERS
Jack & Allison Smith
Alpine Haus B&B Inn, Vernon

In his nine years of being an innkeeper, Jack Smith has enjoyed watching how new technologies facilitate his business and make innkeeping a whole lot easier.

"We were in Chicago at a b-n-b association meeting getting in the cab to go to the airport to fly home when we got a request for a reservation from a well-known actor," Jack recalls. "A couple days later he showed up and the funny thing was, he never knew when he made the reservation that he was in Hollywood and I was in Chicago, making a reservation for New Jersey!"

Technology has certainly made business easier for innkeepers. The Internet invites people from around the country and the globe, allowing people to look at rooms online and instantly submit a reservation that comes right in to Jack Smith's cell phone.

"I used to feel like I had one foot nailed to the floor," says Jack, "but now I can take reservations along the side of the road or at the supermarket."

Fun Fact: People often ask Jack and Allison how they got into the innkeeping business. Jack says they got in by default when they were hired by an innkeeper to do it. That person ended up not being able to take the position so Jack and Allison ended up moving in.

Wendie & Ed Fitzgerald
The Colonial Inn at Historic Smithville

It's fitting that Ed Fitzgerald, a former Atlantic City firefighter, found another way to rescue buildings in his retirement.

In looking for something to do, he learned from a Smithville shopkeeper that the Historic Smithville was suffering a serious decline.

In the Village Greene section there were about 30 shops including two eateries. "There were only two tenants at the time," recalls Wendie, "a restaurant and a candy shop. The candy shop owner said, 'You need to come and help us.'"

Ed and Wendie saw an opportunity and bought the Village Greene section of Smithville. They restored the buildings and brought new life to the village, eventually expanding upon the Smithville Inn -- once just an eatery -- to include guest lodging.

As for the shops, eateries and specialty boutiques, the Village Greene has now had  100% occupancy for more than 8 years.

"You feel like you step back in time," says Wendie, adding, "My husband has a lot of vision. Last year we had over 100 trees on our lake with an orchestrated light show.
Smithville always had a holiday magic reputation and now it's coming back again."

Fun fact: Wendie and Ed's daughter owns the paddle boat and train business in Smithville. Their son owns the old-fashioned barber shop!

EAT INN: Fried Pastry Bows and Bread Pudding sweeten the new year!

Cenci (Fried Pastry Bows) sprinkled with confectioners sugar are tasty hot or cold. (J.D. Thompson Inn, Tuckerton)

The Dancer Farm Bread Pudding is another breakfast sweet topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. (Dancer Farm Bed & Breakfast Inn, New Egypt)

For these and other great recipes brought to you by the Preferred Inns of New Jersey, order "Breakfast, Brunch and More," for you, a friend or a family member who loves to cook.

NEW OWNERS!
Ashling Cottage has new owners. Please welcome Linda and Peter Foy to the innkeeping adventure!

NEW MEMBERS!
And please also welcome new member inn and innkeepers:

The Tower Cottage
203 Forman Avenue
Point Pleasant, NJ  08742
877-766-2693
www.thetowercottage.com
Maureen & Tony Haddad, Innkeepers