Bed and breakfasts
Photo: David Wright, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A bed and breakfast (often abbreviated to B&B, B and B, BnB or BB) is an accommodation type that really just modernizes the age-old, world-wide practice of travellers staying at a private residence or boarding house, often with a full breakfast included.
The host family's local knowledge is often a tremendous asset in ensuring a rewarding stay. Typically there are just a few rooms and personal contact is much greater than in a hotel or motel setting. Sometimes the B&B is a converted old stately residence with the owner's family acting as staff. Bed and breakfast travelling has a loyal following as many find that they get a "home away from home" experience, often with better value than with hotel or motel stays.
AmenitiesIn developed countries today, providing deluxe bed and breakfasts has been raised to a sort of art-form. At the top end, B&Bs obviously compete mainly on two main things: bedding and breakfast.
Choosing a bed and breakfast
UnderstandUsually, a Bed & Breakfast is owned and managed by an individual. If you cannot speak to someone you know who has visited there, visit first, or a call to the owner would be a good idea.
Regional differencesIn some areas breakfast is not always served. In other establishments, a bare-bones "continental breakfast" may be little more than coffee and pastries. Be sure to understand when booking.
AssociationsThere is no single national association, but most provinces have some form of provincial-level association with varying criteria for inclusion:
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Bed and breakfasts" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: David Wright, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons