Website: www.westlaneinn.com

I stayed at the West Lane Inn for my first trip to Ridgefield, CT in March 2001. The inn is housed in a historic home dating to 1849 and features 14 rooms, each with a private bath, heated towel rack, satellite TV, VCR, telephone with data port and voicemail, and wireless Internet access. A complimentary continental breakfast is provided daily in the inn's breakfast room and on the front porch in warmer weather. Hot breakfast items are available for an extra charge.

Unlike the other inn I've stayed at in Ridgefield (Elms Inn, see review in this journal), the West Lane Inn has retained more of the house's original layout. The rooms feel less modern and more like a historic country inn than the Elms, making this potentially a better choice if you wish to have a more "authentic" New England B&B experience. The setting is probably more suitable for a romantic gettaway than the more modern rooms of the Elms Inn. Also, the West Lane Inn is located in a more residential neighborhood, and while close to downtown, it is not within easy walking distance of most of the shops and restaurants in Ridgefield's town center. This is an area where the Elms excels, with its prime downtown location close to many restaurants and shops. Still, this is a high-quality property and I highly recommend it.