Any complaints? The floors creak, which meant I heard people walking above me as I tried to sleep. Guests are given their own codes for keyless entry through the front door, and separate keys for each bedroom. As a woman traveling alone, I would have felt more secure with an innkeeper who was on-site 24 hours a day; while Ramer maintains private quarters in the basement, she lives a short drive away.

My biggest quibble, however, was with the housekeeping: I was somewhat taken aback when I saw thin layers of dust on picture frames and some furnishings. Ramer doesn't clean the rooms (she does empty trash cans) until guests depart. Some travelers might accept the dust as part of the yesteryear ambience, but having paid $436, including tax, for two nights, I would have liked the place even more if it had been given a modern-day housecleaning (773-871-6020; members.aol.com/hansen mansion; doubles, $150–$300).

Other Chicago B&Bs worth noting: Owner/innkeeper Sally Baker calls her 1890s town house, Gold Coast Guest House Bed & Breakfast, the "equivalent of a three-star hotel." With carpeting and Wi-Fi throughout, a garden in back, and kitchen snacks always available, this B&B would seem a good choice. A very narrow and winding spiral staircase could pose problems, but Baker noted that she carries the luggage herself if guests need help. Howard Newman, a Pennsylvania entrepreneur who generally stays at four- and five-star hotels, enjoyed the B&B's proximity to shops and museums along Michigan Avenue and "the amenities of rural B&Bs" such as fresh-baked delicacies and gregarious guests. But security, he said, could be better: To enter, guests unlock the front door and then must relock it, something not all people remember to do (312-337-0361; bbchicago.com; doubles, $129–$229).

A Polish bakery in 1912 and the longest-running B&B in Chicago, the House of Two Urns, in Wicker Park, has its original tin ceilings and the whiff of home cooking. Owner-innkeeper Kapra Fleming, an artist, offers a fresh entrée every morning from 8 to 9:30: French toast, waffles, quiche, or omelets. Breakfast for late sleepers is left in the fridge. Some of the rooms border on kitschy, with a mix of Arts and Crafts decor and Victoriana "but no reproductions," according to Fleming. An antique camera collection claims one wall, and original artwork hangs throughout. But what really impressed me was the immaculate housekeeping. Note: Some might consider Wicker Park, home to many artists, a bit rough around the edges.

My New York B&Bs mirrored certain characteristics of the city itself: They were diverse—and guarded. If location is important, the 1871 House on Manhattan's Upper East Side ranks high. Many fine restaurants—some surprisingly affordable—are nearby; Bloomingdale's, Barneys New York, and the temptations of Madison Avenue are a short walk away, as is the five-star Regency Hotel, where rooms can fetch more than $900 a night. Instead, I paid $272, including taxes, for one night at the 1871 House, without breakfast. Guests can receive breakfast baskets of baked goods, coffee, fresh fruit, salmon, cereal, and more for an additional charge ($39–$95), but there is no common area for travelers to share.