I totally agree with you about the cost not equal to the value. As much as I love the B&B route, after a long day of being a tourist, it's awfully nice to come back to a good bed, nice bathroom and the comforts of home. Plus, the older I get, the more I appreciate the American style hotels. At least they try change the mattress every couple of years or so. I love charm but there is no uniformity to the grading of European hotels. I can appreciate what AAA two diamond rating is versus a 5 diamond rating.