Types of stay
What does half board mean? Breakfast plus dinner, drinks and who it suits
4 min read · Updated
Half board is a meal plan in which the price of your room includes breakfast and one other meal, which is almost always dinner. The rest of the day's eating, mainly lunch, and most drinks are yours to arrange and pay for. It sits between bed and breakfast and full board.
This guide explains what half board covers, how the choice between dinner and lunch works, why drinks catch people out, what the plan is called in brochures, and which kinds of trip it suits. It gives no prices. If you are comparing it with the plan above it, see what does full board mean.
Breakfast plus one: the half board formula
Kiwi.com puts it plainly: half board means your hotel rate includes your room, breakfast and one other meal each day, almost always dinner. Mews defines it in similar terms, as a meal plan that includes breakfast and one additional meal, usually dinner, within the cost of a hotel stay. TUI's board-basis page says that with half board your breakfast and evening meal are included at your accommodation.
The word half refers to the meals: of the three main meals, you get two. The remaining one, lunch, is left out, and Mews says half board works well for guests who spend part of the day away from the hotel.
KAYAK says the term is used less than it once was, that some hotels do not offer half board because their size or location does not justify it, and that smaller hotels may not have the restaurant facilities to cater to it.
“Half board means your hotel rate includes your room, breakfast, and one other meal each day, almost always dinner.”
Dinner, lunch or a swap: how the second meal works
In most hotels the second meal is dinner. KAYAK says it is usually dinner, although some places offer lunch instead, and recommends confirming before you book. Kiwi.com adds that many hotels let you take lunch in place of dinner on some or all days, but that this is not universal, so you should ask at reception on arrival rather than assuming.
Mews describes dinner as served buffet-style or as a set menu during the property's scheduled meal hours. That fixed timing is part of the deal, so plan your evenings around it.
If you expect to arrive late, to be out for a special dinner, or to need an early start, ask how the hotel handles missed meals. The sources do not say whether meals can be refunded or moved, so this is a question for the property.
Wine, beer and water: why drinks surprise half board guests
Drinks are the part of half board that most often causes surprise at checkout. Kiwi.com says drinks with dinner are usually extra, and lists wine, beer, soft drinks and sometimes bottled water as items typically charged to your room. Mews says half board includes water, coffee and juice at breakfast at many properties, with dinner beverages and other drinks costing extra.
KAYAK is more generous: it says alcohol is not usually included in a half board stay although soft drinks usually are, and suggests checking with the hotel before you book. The common message is that the drinks policy is set by the hotel, not by the term half board.
Where drinks are important to you, look for the upgraded version below, or ask what is covered at dinner before you commit to the rate.
Half board plus, DB&B and the modified American plan: other names and upgrades
The same plan appears under several labels. Saga Holidays says half board is also known as dinner, bed and breakfast (DB&B). Wikipedia's entry for the American Plan describes a modified American plan as one that includes breakfast and dinner but not lunch, the same pattern as half board.
Operators also sell upgrades. Kiwi.com mentions a rate called half board plus (HB+), which adds drinks with dinner, and TUI says that with Half Board Plus drinks are included with meals but that the choice and quantity vary by hotel, so you should read the individual description.
These are the labels to look for on a booking page, and the table lists the usual wording and what it normally means.
| Label | Usual meaning | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Half board (HB) | Room, breakfast and one other meal, almost always dinner | Whether the second meal can be lunch |
| DB&B | Dinner, bed and breakfast; another name for half board (Saga) | Whether drinks are included |
| Modified American plan | Breakfast and dinner, not lunch (Wikipedia, American Plan) | Terms of the individual hotel |
| Half board plus (HB+) | Half board with drinks at dinner; choice and quantity vary | Which drinks and how many |
| Full board | Breakfast, lunch and dinner | See the full board guide |
Day trips, city breaks and business trips: who half board suits
Mews says half board suits city explorers, day-trippers and business travellers who want flexibility during the day. KAYAK lists the benefits as two guaranteed meals a day at the hotel, more chances to try local cuisine outside it compared with full board or all-inclusive, the convenience of eating where you are staying, and fewer extra costs to juggle.
Mews also lists the downsides: lunch is extra, meal times are fixed, extra drinks and snacks can add up, and the plan is less suitable for guests who stay on the property all day. If you are likely to be at the pool or the hotel for lunch every day, full board may fit better.
Two small-property formats, covered in what is a pension and what is a hotel garni, show the range of what a stay can include.
Half board for a week: pacing, variety and local restaurants
Over several nights, the question shifts from what is covered to how it feels. Mews notes that full board menus may become repetitive on long stays, and the same can apply to a half board dinner that rotates a limited menu. If you plan to be somewhere for a week, ask whether dinner is a buffet, a set menu or a choice, and whether it changes daily.
A pattern some travellers use is to keep half board for most nights and skip dinner on one or two to eat out. Whether that is allowed, and whether any adjustment is made, depends on the hotel. As the sources do not address it, ask at reception.
For more flexibility, a stay with its own kitchen takes meals into your hands entirely. Cooking in an aparthotel kitchen explains what to expect, and the same trip could be done with bed and breakfast and dinners out; what is a bed and breakfast covers that format. To see apartment-style options, browse Rome stays with a kitchen, long stays in Vienna or family stays in Madrid.
Frequently asked questions
What does half board mean in a hotel?
Your room rate includes breakfast and one other meal each day, almost always dinner. Lunch and most drinks are extra, according to Kiwi.com and Mews.
Does half board include drinks?
Mews says water, coffee and juice at breakfast at many properties. Kiwi.com says wine, beer, soft drinks and sometimes bottled water at dinner are typically charged to your room, while KAYAK says soft drinks are usually included but alcohol usually is not. Policies vary by hotel.
Is half board breakfast and dinner or breakfast and lunch?
Usually breakfast and dinner. KAYAK says some places offer lunch instead, and Kiwi.com says many hotels let you swap, but it varies, so confirm with the hotel.
What is the difference between half board and full board?
Half board covers breakfast and one other meal. Full board covers breakfast, lunch and dinner. See what does full board mean.
What is half board plus?
A version of half board that Kiwi.com says adds drinks with dinner. TUI says the choice and quantity of drinks vary by hotel, so read the hotel description.
Is half board the same as bed and breakfast?
No. Bed and breakfast includes breakfast only. Half board adds a second meal, usually dinner. See what is a bed and breakfast.
Stays and pages mentioned in this guide
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Sources
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