What is a bed and breakfast? How a B&B works and what to ask

The bed and breakfast definition: a room, a morning meal and a host

Wikipedia defines a bed and breakfast as a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast, and says the host generally lives in the same house. Merriam-Webster is briefer: an establishment, such as an inn, offering lodging and breakfast. Wikivoyage describes it as a modernised version of the age-old practice of travellers staying at a private residence or boarding house, often with a full breakfast included.

There is a second use. Wikipedia notes that bed and breakfast also describes the level of catering included in a hotel's room prices, as opposed to room only, half board or full board, and Wikivoyage's hotel guide lists it among the meal plans. A hotel listing marked bed and breakfast is not a B&B in the guesthouse sense; it is a hotel room with breakfast included. Our guides to half board and full board cover the other meal plans.

What a B&B stay is like: few rooms, personal contact, set times

Wikivoyage says a B&B typically has just a few rooms and much greater personal contact than a hotel or motel, and that the host family's local knowledge is often a real asset. Wikipedia adds that in the United States B&Bs are often private family homes with between four and eleven rooms, six being the average. Wikivoyage says some are converted old stately residences with the owner's family acting as staff.

The same Wikivoyage article gives an honest account of the limits. Check-in and check-out policies are usually stricter than in a hotel, there is no 24-hour desk clerk to check you in at 2 am, and breakfast is usually served at set times or by agreement. Furnishings belong to the owner, who may photograph the room before you arrive and may bill you for anything removed. Bathrooms may be shared with other guests or en suite.

At the top end, Wikivoyage says, B&Bs compete on bedding and breakfast. At the basic end, a clean room with a bed may simply be the best value. Quality varies widely, so reviews and direct contact with the host are your main guides.

B&B, pension, hotel garni, guesthouse and boarding house compared

Several formats overlap. Wikivoyage describes pensions as small, simple hotel-like lodgings common in Europe, usually run by an owner who lives on site and often offering meals, with typically 5 to 15 bedrooms. Wikipedia's B&B article lists the inn, the hostel and the hotel garni under See also. Our guides to pensions, hotels garni and boarding houses cover each in turn.

The distinction that most affects a booking is whether you get a kitchen. A B&B does not, and a vacation rental does. In France the line is written into the terms. Wikipedia's article on the gîte says a chambre d'hôtes is necessarily lived in by the provider, with breakfast served each morning, whereas a gîte is an independent holiday home that is always self-catering.

Chambres d'hôtes, casas particulares and minshuku: B&Bs by country

Wikivoyage lists local names: chambres d'hôte in France, which it says are legally required to serve breakfast; casa particular in Cuba; casas rurales in Spain; pension in parts of the Netherlands; mínsù in Taiwan; and several terms in Québec that differ from French usage. Wikipedia adds the Israeli zimmer, the Japanese minshuku, which typically serves dinner as well as breakfast in the ryokan tradition, and notes that in Italy B&Bs are regulated under a national tourism law with each region setting its own rules.

Grading differs too. Wikipedia says VisitBritain and the AA grade UK B&Bs on a star system and that a majority have en suite facilities. In India, all B&Bs must be approved by the Ministry of Tourism and are categorised Gold or Silver against set criteria. In Ireland, Fáilte Ireland says accommodation using a prescribed term must register, while non-statutory accommodation, which it gives B&Bs as an example of, can choose to apply for voluntary approval. It describes its Welcome Standard as a voluntary quality approval programme. Quality marks are a useful guide, but not every good B&B takes part.

Breakfast: what is served and when to ask

Wikivoyage warns that in some places breakfast is not always served and that a continental breakfast may be little more than coffee and pastries, so confirm when you book. Hot breakfasts at set times are common in smaller properties, and the menu depends on the host.

If you have special dietary needs, ask in advance. Wikivoyage lists dietary accommodation among the questions to put to the host. Guests with allergies or restrictions often prefer a place with a kitchen of their own; cooking in an aparthotel kitchen explains that option.

• Is breakfast included in the price, and at what times is it served?
• Can the host cater for your diet, and what is the menu?
• Is the bathroom private or shared?
• What are the check-in and check-out times, and is late arrival possible?
• Are children and pets welcome, and do the hosts have pets?
• What are the cancellation policy and minimum stay?

When a B&B suits you, and when an apartment is easier

A B&B suits a night or a few nights where you value local advice and a home-like setting: a walking trip, a village weekend, a historic town. Wikivoyage notes that some B&Bs cater to particular groups, such as older people or cyclists, and that others offer specialities like gourmet dining or horse riding.

It is a poor fit if you need to come and go at all hours, want a kitchen, or are staying several weeks. For that, compare a vacation rental or an apartment-style stay. A family in Dublin might compare B&Bs with long-stay apartments, and a traveller in Edinburgh can browse stays with a kitchen. For a design-led small hotel rather than a home stay, see what is a boutique hotel.