Stroll hand in hand along the shores of nearby Marion Lake.

The water embraces us on three sides, filling the air with that distinctive, salty fragrance. The rhythmic sound of lapping waves is never far from the ears. There are few people here–enough to justify excellent restaurants and wineries, but not so many as to make it feel crowded. There are miles of sandy beaches to walk. You can see the stars at night.

When was the last time you devoted a weekend to romance? When was the last time you went away with your one and only? Was it last fall? Last summer? Isn’t it time you had a romantic getaway at our Long Island NY Bed and Breakfast?

Linger over a late dinner in nearby Greenport, and sleep in the following morning. When you awake, make your way downstairs to a romantic, candlelit, four-course breakfast. Pamper yourself with spa services. Hire a car to transport you to several of the award-winning wineries close to our inn. Walk hand in hand along the beach. Go for a nice, long bike ride.

Valentine’s Day and the Presidents’ Day long weekend both fall in February, making it as good a month as any for a romantic getaway on Long Island. Take advantage of our Lovers’ Magic Romantic Getaway Special, and treat your sweetie right. The special includes fresh flowers, a bottle of North Fork Champagne, cheese, crackers, fruit, and rich chocolate truffles. You’ll be treated to a romantic Aromatherapy bath and individual or couples’ massages. We’ll also provide a coupon for dinner at either The Frisky Oyster or Noah’s, and a discount on a wine tasting tour.

Bring your sweetie here to pop the question. Come here to celebrate an anniversary. Plan a few days at our Long Island Bed and Breakfast with the goal of visiting as many North Fork Wineries as you can. Or simply come to explore the North Fork of Long Island together, two people in love.

Greenport, New York, is one of America's Prettiest Towns.

One of America’s Prettiest Towns is just a couple miles down the road from our Long Island Bed and Breakfast. It’s called Greenport, New York.

Each year, Forbes compiles a list of America’s prettiest towns. To do so, Forbes works with travel experts (from Frommer’s, Midwestern Living magazine, and Rough Guides) who scour the country in search of potential candidates for America’s Prettiest Town. They passed by the Hamptons in 2011 and found themselves in an old fishing village on the North Fork of Long Island. Greenport stands up well to the competition.

The Village of Greenport was established in 1838, though settlers were in the region as early as the mid 1640s. Shipbuilding, trade, and the whaling industry flourished for decades; in its prime, Greenport could support up to 24 whaling ships at one time. Business boomed. Goods and people from all over the world traveled between Greenport, Connecticut, and New York City by ferry and rail.

Greenport is much quieter today than it was then, but it’s economy is still largely linked to the sea. Today, people travel to Greenport to relax in a beautiful, tranquil setting. They come to stay in inns like our North Fork Long Island Bed and Breakfast, and to rediscover a slow pace of life–even if it’s only for a weekend. They visit the pretty town of Greenport, take long beach walks, and feast on local seafood.

The North Fork of Long Island is not immune to change, of course. Quite a few old tackle shops and fish huts have been transformed into art galleries, internet cafes and gourmet restaurants. Restaurants serve wine made from grapes nursed on ocean mists in local vineyards.

We appreciate these changes. What’s not to like about restaurants full of good food, art galleries full of good art, and great local wine?

Fortunately, Greenport has retained much of it’s quaint, small town charm, and it draws people who find simplicity appealing. The online editor of Frommer’s travel guide, Jazon Clampet, is quoted as saying that the Village of Greenport draws visitors who “would rather relax than star-gaze.” Mr. Clampet is referring here to stars like Meryl Streep, not stars found in constellations.

The next time you have a few days to yourself, consider heading to one of America’s Prettiest Towns. Stay in our New York Bed and Breakfast, and discover just how lovely and relaxing the North Fork of Long Island can be.

Please visit Forbes to read more about America’s Prettiest Towns.

Just what makes a Bed and Breakfast so special? Read on:

You'll be pampered at Arbor View House.

Mi Casa es Su Casa

Innkeepers typically live in the B&B or in an adjacent dwelling. We are, in essence, inviting guests to sleep in our homes, as we would a friend. In doing so, we’re taking part in the ancient tradition of hospitality. It’s essential to us that our guests are comfortable and treated well. If you’re not, it reflects poorly on us. It’s hard to find another lodging option with those kind of stakes.

Size Matters

Bed and Breakfasts are, by definition, small. Like our New York Bed and Breakfast on the North Fork of Long Island, most B&Bs are owner run and operated. The small size allows us to be attentive to details, ensuring that our guests have a positive experience.

The Personal Touch

When friends or family visit, hosts plan and arrange activities. The Concierge Service at our Long Island Bed and Breakfast provides the same service for guests; we’ll talk to you about what you like to do, make suggestions, and, if you like, make arrangements for you. Our Concierge Service will book North Fork Wine Tours, make dinner reservations, and arrange spa services in house. Guest who prefer to make their own plans are, of course, welcome to do so.

The Gourmet Breakfast

There is always at least one cook in a Bed and Breakfast; one person passionate about cooking. At our New York Inn, it’s Veda. Breakfast is gourmet, with three full courses. Veda puts her heart and soul into each dish.

Romance is in the Air

To stay in a Bed and Breakfast is to embrace intimacy; that’s a quality so different from larger hotels. Guests feel pampered. Optional romance packages help create an intimate atmosphere.

B&B vs Boutique Hotel

New York City is known for its boutique hotels. A Bed and Breakfast is similar to a boutique hotel, in that both are focused on providing comfortable lodging and unparalleled attention to detail. Yet like chain hotels, boutique hotels may be quite large. As we said above, Size Matters.

Let 2012 be the year you stay in a Bed and Breakfast. Travel with someone you love: your boyfriend/girlfriend, your fiance, your spouse. Pamper yourself and pamper each other.

If you like your oysters fresh, dine in Greenport, Long Island.

Situated on a south facing deep water harbor, Greenport was once home to a thriving shipping, whaling, and shipbuilding industry. In the early 1800s, Greenport was such an important hub that the Long Island Railroad was created to connect it to New York City, and ferry lines were established to connect it to Connecticut. Today, the waterfront village of approximately 2,000 is a cultural hub, with numerous restaurants, shops, and historical sites. It is on the “must see” list for guests of our Long Island, NY Bed and Breakfast.

At this time of year, when chilly winds blow, we like to restaurant hop in Greenport. Read on for a list of a few of our favorite spots:

• The Harbour Front Deli and the Stirlington Deli both offer a good selection of sandwiches, hearty soups, and other treats, with fast, friendly service. Eat in, or grab your meal and enjoy it at the beach.

• Aldos has superlative coffee, cocoa, and pastries. The Bistro Bar Menu at Bruce’s Cheese Emporium features many local “Farm to Table” items: wine, beer, cheese, and produce.

• The Chowder Pot has great views of Peconic Bay and Shelter Island, and even better chowder. The Metro Cafe has generous burritos and other southwestern fare. And it’s hard to beat the pizza you’ll find at La Capricciosa Brick Oven Pizza.

• There is also fine dining on the North Fork of Long Island. If you want to step out, step into Porto Bello Restaurant. Or try The Frisky Oyster Restaurant, a relatively new spot that has garnered rave reviews from the NY Times, and a rating of 26 from Zagat’s; they’re food is consistently good. If you’re young and hip and miss the city a little during your Long Island, NY Bed and Breakfast retreat, you’ll be happy at the Frisky Oyster.

• If you’re a bit older, perhaps, and prefer your dining experiences to be steeped in tradition, try Claudio’s. The original Claudio arrived in Greenport in 1854, with the Portuguese Whaler “Neva”. After many more voyages on the “Neva”, Manuel Claudio had enough resources to stay on dry land for the rest of his life. In 1870 he opened Claudio’s Tavern; it’s been in the family ever since. Folks interested in hitting all the major North Fork Tourist spots will want to check out Claudio’s.

• Noah’s is the only restaurant in Greenport with a raw bar; it offers several varieties of oysters daily, shucked to order. Noah’s features small plates, with small pours of wine to match, at affordable prices. It’s one of our favorite places to dine (and we’re not alone–Zagat’s has given it a 27). If you’ll be staying at our Long Island Bed and Breakfast on New Year’s Eve, consider having your New Year’s Dinner at Noah’s.

• New on the Greenport restaurant scene is the North Fork Oyster Company. Their oysters are delivered the day their harvested, and they pour Greenport Brewing Harbor Company draughts.

• Even though The North Fork Table is outside of Greenport, in Southold, it should be included on this list. The North Fork Table is considered  the best restaurant on North Fork, Long Island. The James Beard Foundation named it the 2011 winner for North Fork, the East End, and the Hamptons. Zagat’s has given it a 29. The food is fresh, the menu inspired.

Eating a good meal is one of the best winter activities there is. Dipping a pastry into coffee, tea, or cocoa is another. So go ahead. Take a blustery beach walk, and work up a powerful appetite. Then head down the road to Greenport, and eat to your heart’s content.

Guests come to our Long Island, NY Bed and Breakfast to get away from the noise and bustle of the city. They come here for fresh air, windswept beaches, and small town charm. It’s impossible not to feel reinvigorated and rejuvenated after a few days here.

Our inn sits near the tip of the North Fork of Long Island. We’re surrounded by water and beaches, and the beaches are reminiscent of Mediterranean beaches. The water is clear, the sand smooth, and the surf gentle. Even in the wintertime, there is no better place to watch the sunset than from one of the nearby beaches.

When guests have had their daily fill of beach walking, many enjoy exploring the Village of Greenport, which is just down the road from our inn. At this time of year, visitors find inspiration in the many interesting shops located in that quaint, historic town. Several antique stores feature furniture, fine arts, folk art, hand crafted stained glass, nostalgic toys, and other fun items. A number of jewelry stores feature hand made originals as well as big name jewelry, and two outstanding stores deal in wine and spirits.

Rediscover your inner child; relax on Long Island beaches.

Indeed, wine tasting is a favorite activity out here. In the last couple decades, many of the farms on the North Fork of Long Island have been replaced by small wineries; and more than 2 dozen wineries are close to our Long Island, New York Bed and Breakfast. Northfork Wine Tours operates out of Greenport; they’ll collect you at our inn in the morning, whisk you away for 8 hours of wine tasting at various North Fork Long Island wineries, and return you here safely in the evening.

Come discover the North Fork of Long Island. Plan to spend a few days at our New York Bed and Breakfast as soon as you can.

This article was published in the Washington Post and was written by Andrea Sachs, Published: September 9

In early August, Travel Leaders arranged a survey on such topical and irksome issues as airport security and baggage fees. The study, based on responses from the group’s 443 travel agents, managers and owners, found that almost 28 percent of business travelers would like to eliminate the TSA’s liquid limit at airports and 28 percent would toss out the shoe removal rule. By contrast, 32 percent of vacationers would jettison pat-downs, followed by the liquid restrictions.

But the groups agreed on ways to avoid checked baggage fees: Travel carry-on only, said 51 percent of business travelers and 61 percent of holiday-goers.

The Fall Travel Trends Survey also ranked the top three domestic destinations for the remainder of 2011: Vegas, Orlando and Hono­lulu. For international spots, the list is Caribbean cruise, Cancun and London. CoGo assumes that these are vacation spots, but kudos to the company that holds stockholder meetings on a cruise ship.

Waiting for the doors to open

Finally we have the Holiday House Tour Pictures.  You can see them here [[Show as slideshow]].

NFBBA Holiday House Tour 2010 -

The North Fork Bed and Breakfast Association is having its Second Annual Holiday House Tour this weekend.  If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet hurry to their website NFBBA.ORG to purchase now!

This is usually a sold out event because of what it is.  Imagine five elaborately decorated B&B each with a restaurant and winery assigned.  This is a tour of bed and Breakfast decorated for the holidays together with a progressive wine and food tasting event. There will be five decorated Bed and Breakfast, five wineries paired with five restaurants.

The tour begins at 1 PM on Saturday the 4th December, 2010 and will go until 5 PM and costs $75 .00.  Part of the proceeds will go to charity.

The way it will work is you’ll start at a B&B e.g. Arbor View House.  There you’ll be met at the door and welcomed by one of  the innkeepers.  You’ll then be allowed to view the rooms and decorated house drink wine provided by the Old Field Winery and sample the food form the Love Lane Kitchen.

You’ll then leave and go to the next B&B and it all again.

• Arbor View House B&B paired with  Old Field Winery and Love Lane Kitchen
• Aunt Dot Victorian B&B paired with Osprey Dominion and Jamesport Manor Inn
• Blue Iris B&B paired with Peconic Bay Winery and aMano Restaurant
• Harbor Knoll B&B paired with Bedell Winery and Noah’s Restaurant
• Sannino Vineyard B&B paired with Bella Vita Vineyards and Legends Restaurant

We encourage you to have fun, come with friends and be responsible.

It is our mission to provide our guest with the best service we can offer to help them enjoy their experience here in the North fork Wine Country, so it was nice the we were recognized for our efforts by TripAdvisor.  It’s always nice to receive praise for something that you love doing.  It encourages you.  It’s especially nice when the praise comes from our guests reviewing what we do with pride on the TripAdvisor website.

We are proud to announce that we had been awarded the “Certificate of Excellence” for 2010 from TripAdvisor the world’s largest travel review site.

Certificate of excellence for 2010

TripAdvisor is a free travel guide and research website that offers reviews and information.  We have been a leader on TripAdvisor here on the North Fork and Long Island since its inception.

Arbor View has been winning awards since the beginning.  We’ve won other awards for our breakfasts and our Aromatherapy bath.

We want to thank our guests for their efforts in us getting this award.  We are proud of this award, offered by our guests in partnership with TripAdvisor.   We will continue to work to creating excellence and making great memories for you and making your stay out here on Long Island bucolic North Fork Wine Country.