Books and Breakfast

Not surprisingly, the library has particular literary appeal. The large in-house collection offers more than a speed reader could manage in a few weeks' stay. The range of selections is wide, from Henry James's "Portrait of a Lady" to Stephen King's "Cell." There is something for every taste, including collections of Time-Life books and issues of National Geographic dating from 1970. The guest rooms are spacious and decorated in antiques, couches, easy chairs and oversize desks.

But for this reader, the biggest draw of Great Oak is the unusually wide array of public areas. Among them: a music room with chairs, couches and a piano; a winter garden with a marble floor and indoor pool; an entertainment room with a DVD player; a plant room; and a vast lawn, with Adirondack chairs, overlooking the bay.

For longer distractions, there are an on-site beach a few footsteps from the house; an 18-hole golf course a brief stroll down the road; and Chestertown, an antique hunter's dream.

Great Oak Manor, 10568 Cliff Rd., Chestertown, Md., 410-778-5943, http://www.greatoak.com. Rates for double rooms, including a buffet breakfast, range from $155 to $285. There is a two-night minimum stay on weekends.

Akwaaba DC, Washington

Readers lacking the time to venture far have a writerly haven right in the District.

Upstairs on the third floor, in a warm and spacious room with hardwood floors, chocolate-color walls and stylish relics from the 1920s, Langston Hughes would have been at home. After all, the Jazz Age poet's name is on the door.

This and the six other rooms in this townhouse-style B&B, centrally located on 16th Street NW, were styled with devotees of African American literature in mind. With portraits of Maya Angelou and other literary giants, this place is a strong reminder of the wealth that black writers have contributed to American literature.

Four of the eight guest rooms are dedicated to African American writers. The Zora Neale Hurston Suite has the Harlem Renaissance writer's fiery spirit: The walls are deep red; a poster of party scenes hangs next to the bed; and the queen-size bed, covered with colorful spreads, invites you to curl up for a while, with or without a book.

In the Walter Mosley Suite, a small shelf of tomes, an antique typewriter and a portrait of the edgy creator of suspense tales evoke his spirit. In the Toni Morrison Suite, a huge photo of the Nobel laureate stares at you from the wall. Small collections of books by or about each of the writers honored -- including Mosley's "Little Scarlet" and various biographies of Hughes -- are kept in the rooms and sitting areas.

The Langston Hughes Suite at Akwaaba DC is just one room with a literary theme.

"I wanted to honor two legends and two living writers," said Monique Greenwood, the former Essence magazine editor who, with her husband, owns this and four inns in other cities.

The other suites in Akwaaba DC (the name means "welcome") are decorated according to literary themes: science fiction, romance, poetry and imagination. The ground-floor salon, with its soft couches and easy chairs, makes an inviting reading area.

In the three years since it opened, Akwaaba DC has become a literary retreat of sorts. Authors hold book parties and readings here. Last year, Lucy Hurston read from her book about her aunt Zora Neale Hurston. Book clubs use it as a base for retreats and other special get-togethers.

Akwaaba DC, 1708 16th St. NW, Washington, 877-893-3233, http://www.akwaaba.com. Rates for double rooms range from $150 to $190 a night, including breakfast.