INN VIEWS\It's not too early to plan for romance.

Byline: Bobbi Zane Special to the Daily News

The weekends around Valentine's Day are usually among the busiest of the year for bed-and-breakfast inns.

Thus this word to the wise. If you're thinking about indulging in a romantic b&b splurge this Valentine's Day, book soon - especially for the weekends.

Because the sweetheart celebration arrives on a Wednesday this year, the best chance of finding that ideal romantic room may actually be on "the day."

Not all b&bs offer the serene setting that most romantics seek. Some considerations you might want to use when locating the ideal inn for a romantic escape come from the most recent issue of INNroads, edited by Sandra W. Soule, the longtime writer of a series of guidebooks under the banner "America's Wonderful Little Hotels & Inns."

Soule's five-point list includes the following: lovely setting, quiet room, appealing decor, private breakfast served at your convenience and private, adult atmosphere.

Lovely settings abound in Southern California. You can find a water view at the Malibu Beach Inn, [phone]; Inn on Mount Ada in Avalon, [phone]; Blue Lantern Inn in Dana Point, [phone]; Cardiff-by-the-Sea Lodge in Cardiff, [phone]; and Chateau Du Lac at Lake Arrowhead, [phone].

A quiet room may be one with a private entrance, a cottage or a well soundproofed one in a newly constructed building.

Several Santa Barbara inns meet those qualifications. They include the Old Yacht Club Inn, four rooms with private entrances, [phone]; the Glenborough Inn, a secluded suite with private garden and hot tub, [phone]; and the Bath Street Inn, a carriage house with three suites, [phone].

Appealing decor is usually a matter of personal taste.

But rooms furnished with antiques, equipped with fireplaces and two-person Jacuzzis just feel more romantic. Some to consider are Heritage Park Inn in San Diego (antiques), [phone]; Christmas House in Rancho Cucamonga (antiques, private outdoor hot tub), [phone]; and Seal Beach Inn in Seal Beach (romantic French ambience with antiques and a flower garden), [phone].

A private breakfast, served at your convenience, may be a little difficult to locate. Innkeepers at both the Channel Road Inn in Santa Monica, [phone], and the new Inn at Playa del Rey, [phone] have flexible policies about breakfast service and offer the option of dining at individual tables. Breakfast is served in front of the fireplace in suites at Julian's Orchard Hill Country Inn, [phone].

A private, adult atmosphere is essential to any romantic escape. Although California inns generally accept children as guests, those mentioned here maintain a tranquil ambiance.

Although not mentioned by Soule, a special dinner should be part of any romantic package. Loma Vista Bed and Breakfast in Temecula, [phone], offers guests staying Feb. 10 a chance to enjoy a Valentine dinner at nearby Mount Palomar Winery.

And Brookside Farm in Dulzura, [phone], will be serving dinner to guests Feb. 14.