Our January award this year is a brand new category: Top 10 Inns for Finding Zen. Over the years, we have learned about so many incredible B&Bs that soothe the soul that we decided it was time to honor some of the best. These B&Bs break the mold with offerings such as yoga classes, walking meditation labyrinths, napping hammocks, and saunas.

Explore the list to decide where to go the next time you need a rejuvenating getaway! Pictured is the labyrinth at one of the winners, Adobe & Pines in Taos, New Mexico.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

The following recipe comes from FiveContinents Bed and Breakfast in New Orleans, Louisiana. The inn is located on Esplanade Avenue in a Greek Revival mansion, and it's only six blocks from the lively French Quarter. Each of the rooms are named for a different continent and decorated with art work from that continent.

Baked Anjou Pear French Toast

Servings: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• About 1 loaf French baguette sliced into 1"-thick slices
• 3 anjiou pears, pealed, cored and thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon snipped fresh rosemary
• 8 oz. Brie cheese, rind removed and cheese thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 cups milk
• 3 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Step 1:
Grease a 3-quart rectangular baking dish or six individual ramekins; set aside. In a large skillet cook pears, brown sugar and rosemary in 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until pears are just tender. Arrange 7-8 bread slices in prepared baking dish or 2 in ramekins in a single layer.

Step 2:
Spoon pear mixture and arrange Brie on bread slices. Top each stack with another bread slice. Brush bread with melted butter. Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle evenly over bread. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, vanilla and salt. Slowly pour or ladel mixture over bread slices. Cover and chill for 1-24 hours.

Step 3:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake, uncovered for 40-45 minutes or unitl edges are puffed and golden. Let stand for 10 minutes. Serve warm with maple syrup, berries, honey or cranberry preserve. Add smoked bacon or sausage links on side. Makes 6-8 servings in baking dish, 6 in ramekins.

By Emily Starbuck Crone

Here at the BedandBreakfast.com office, we really enjoyed looking at all of the recipes that innkeepers submitted for The Breakfast Recipe Challenge. We were so inspired that we decided to make some of the dishes and have a potluck!

Here are some of the photos of the dishes that we brought along with the names of the inns that submitted the recipes.

Maple Bacon Sticky Buns, submitted by A View With a Room in Puyallup, WA:

Going to the Sun Eggs, submitted by Good Medicine Lodge in Whitefish, Montana:

Almond Poppyseed Muffins, submitted by Avenue Hotel Bed and Breakfast in Manitou Springs, Colorado:

Carolina Peach Soup, submitted by Carolina Bed & Breakfast in Asheville, NC:

The Big Chief’s Quiche Casserole For Vegetarian Pilgrims, submitted by Mast Farm Inn in Valle Crucis, NC:

Savory Scones, submitted by Gateway Guesthouse in Austin, TX:

Spinach Frittata, submitted by Blackberry Ridge Inn in Holland, MI:

Honey Pecan French Toast, submitted by Greenwoods Bed & Breakfast Inn in Honeoye, NY:

Tater Tot Breakfast Quiche, submitted by Bear Grove Cabins Bed & Breakfast in Mulberry Grove, IL:

Green Chili Quiche, submitted by Azalea Inn in Jefferson, TX:

Yesterday, the votes were tallied and the winner of our first annual Breakfast Recipe Challenge was announced. The victorious dish was bittersweet chocolate waffles topped with mint buttercream and strawberry sauce from the Lyttleton Inn in Littleton, MA. The dish is pictured below, along with a photo of innkeeper Mary Dugan in her kitchen. You can view the recipe here. Congrats Mary!

Overall, we received nearly 100 recipes from innkeepers all over the world. A team of BedandBreakfast.com employees, along with the help of guest judges Danielle Contray of Budget Travel and Helen Anders of The Austin American-Statesman, narrowed them down to The Savory Sixteen. The contest took place on Facebook. Our fans voted on the recipes, which went head-to-head in match-ups until one winner remained. We're thrilled that we were able to spread awareness one of the best benefits of staying at a B&B--the delicious homemade breakfast!

The runner-up recipe was for pumpkin pancakes with carmelized pecans, whipped cream, and ginger syrup. It came in a very close second, so we want to give some kudos to the innkeeper, Kathleen A. Janke, of Gracehill, a bed and breakfast in Townshend, TN. Her recipe was very popular. You can see a photo of Kathleen Below menu-planning in her kitchen, plus a photo of her dish. Congrats to Kathleen for coming in a strong second!

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Parker Guest House

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Queen Anne Hotel (pictured right)

Save 20% in this fall special when you stay in a Jacuzzi suite. Pay only $200 per night rather than the normal rate of $250. This junior suite is located in the top floor with a Westward view of San Francisco and features a king bed, Jacuzzi bath for two, a large closet, and a marble wet-bar.

The Victorian hotel has 48 rooms and is walking distance from hundreds of restaurants and shops.