Then Bob Tubbs came on the line.
He told me that 2007 had been quite a year. The 400th anniversary of the founding of nearby Jamestown had brought President George W. Bush and Queen Elizabeth II of England to the area.
"Now," said Tubbs, "you're coming."
That's not the sort of personalized touch you expect when finalizing reservations at chain hotels. Tubbs also wanted to know whether my wife and I preferred white or red wine, another first.
When we arrived in Williamsburg, Tubbs greeted us as we pulled into the small parking area. He had printed a sign with my column photo welcoming my wife, Nancy, and me.
This was a far different reception than at a Washington, D.C.-area chain hotel where we stayed on the first four nights of this trip. There, we had a long check-in wait with a harried clerk.
Rather than being escorted to our room, I had to find a luggage carrier to take the bags to the room, a fact not all that pleasant after recent hernia surgery. Actually, Nancy did the heavy lifting and earned herself two hernias.
Tubbs would not have put up with the group of unruly teenagers who terrorized our floor, making it almost impossible to sleep.
Quiet, personalized service like that found at The Cedars makes staying at a bed and breakfast my preference. I've stayed at wonderful bed and breakfasts in Maine, Canada, Wyoming and England and at Utah establishments in Salt Lake City, Blanding, Mt. Pleasant, Cedar City, Marysvale, St. George and Rockville.
Each offers its own quirkiness, adding to the adventure. A few, but not many, have only had shared bathrooms. Some have been actual homes of the hosts. Many, including The Cedars, lacked television, a fact that is easier to like than you might think.
Some have been modern, others romantic old homes with sunken Jacuzzi tubs and local antiques. I've stayed in farmhouses with beds that sank in the middle and in a remodeled old mansion with theme rooms that included waterfall showers.
You are never quite sure what you are going to get and that, in the end, is what makes staying in a bed and breakfast a kick.
That said, you won't get anonymity. You will likely converse with a host such as Tubbs and may even meet strangers from all over the world when you sit down for breakfast.
What you will receive are suggestions on local restaurants and attractions, a wonderful breakfast that takes into account your dietary needs and a host who knows local history.
The Web site www.BnBFinder.com makes some good suggestions for travelers who want to try a bed-and-breakfast inn. It recommends asking plenty of questions about the property. Some, for example, may not allow smoking, children or pets. Other older properties may not have elevators or handicap access.
Tubbs' inn, for example, required a good hike to our third-floor room. Not a problem, but a good thing to know.
As we left Williamsburg after a hearty breakfast, Tubbs snapped a photo of us at the breakfast table. It was printed and framed before we could walk out the door and now sits above our fireplace as a reminder of what a real hospitality experience is supposed to be like.
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* TOM WHARTON can be contacted at wharton@sltrib.com. His phone number is 801-257-8909. Send comments about this story to livingeditor@sltrib.com.
