A bed and breakfast (or B&B) is a small lodging Lodging is a type of residential accommodation. People who travel and stay away from home for more than a day need lodging for sleep, rest, safety, shelter from cold temperatures or rain, storage of luggage and access to common household functions establishment that offers overnight accommodation and breakfast Breakfast is the first meal of the day. The word is a compound of "break" and "fast", referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal. Breakfast meals vary widely in different cultures around the world but often include a carbohydrate such as cereal or rice, fruit and/or vegetable, protein, sometimes, but usually does not offer other meals. Typically, bed and breakfasts are private homes with fewer than 10 bedrooms available for commercial use.

Overview

Generally, guests are accommodated in private bedrooms with private bathrooms, or in a suite of rooms including an en suite bathroom. Some homes have private bedrooms with a bathroom which is shared with other guests. Breakfast is served in the bedroom, a dining room, or the host's kitchen.

B&Bs and guest houses A guest house is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world a guest house is similar to a hostel, bed and breakfast, or inn whereas in other parts of the world , guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging. In some areas of the world, guest houses are the only kind of accommodation available for visitors who have no local may be operated either as a secondary source of income or a primary occupation. Usually the owners themselves prepare the breakfast and clean the room etc., but some bed and breakfasts hire staff for cleaning or cooking. Although some bed and breakfast owners hire professional staff, a property which hires professional management is usually no longer considered a bed and breakfast, but enters the category of inn Inns are generally establishments or buildings where travelers can seek lodging and, usually, food and drink. They are typically located in the country or along a highway or hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms and air conditioning or climate control.^{[citation needed]}

Some B&Bs operate in a niche market. Floating bed and breakfasts for example are a concept originating in Seattle Seattle (pronounced /siːˈætəl/ see-AT-əl) is the northernmost major city in the continental United States, and the largest city in the Pacific Northwest and in the state of Washington. A seaport situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound (an arm of the Pacific Ocean) and Lake Washington, about 100 miles (160 km) south of the Canada – United^{[citation needed]} in which a boat or houseboat offers B&B accommodation.

Regional differences

Australia

Despite the cultural similarities and a population more than twenty times greater, there are far fewer B&Bs in the whole of Australia For at least 40,000 years before European settlement in the late 18th century, Australia was inhabited by indigenous Australians, who belonged to one or more of the roughly 250 language groups. After sporadic visits by fishermen from the immediate north and discovery by Dutch explorers in 1606, Australia's eastern half was claimed by the British than there are in just the South Island The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean. The territory of the South Island covers 151,215 square kilometres (58,384 sq mi) and is influenced by a of New Zealand.^[1]

Since the 1960s the average per capita disposable income of Australians has been greater than that of New Zealanders and this has mitigated the powerful incentive to let out rooms in their homes to travellers.^{[citation needed]} Another factor may be that Australia has, apart from City States Whereas nation-states rely on a common heritage, be it linguistic, historical, economic, etc., the city-state relies on the common interest in the function of the urban center. The urban center and its activity supplies the livelihoods of all urbanites inhabiting the city-state such as Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres north of the equator, in the Southeast Asian region of the Asian continent. It is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north, and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. A, the greatest concentration of city dwellers anywhere on the globe and these cities are amply supplied with budget hotels and motels.^{[citation needed]}

British Isles

B&Bs, and frequently guest houses A guest house is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world a guest house is similar to a hostel, bed and breakfast, or inn whereas in other parts of the world , guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging. In some areas of the world, guest houses are the only kind of accommodation available for visitors who have no local, are a budget option where owners often take pride in the high service levels, local knowledge and personal touch that they are able to offer.^{[citation needed]}

There tend to be concentrations of B&Bs in seaside towns where, historically, the working classes Working class is a term used in academic sociology and in ordinary conversation to describe, depending on context and speaker, those employed in lower tier jobs as measured by skill, education, and compensation holidayed such as County Down County Down is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the south-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,448 km², with a population of approximately 516,000.[citation needed] It is also one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland, lying within the historical, Northern Ireland Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west. At the time of the 2001 UK Census, its population was 1,685,000, constituting about 30% of the island's total population and about 3% of the population of, and Blackpool, England Blackpool (pronounced /ˈblækpuːl/ ) is a seaside town and unitary authority in Lancashire, England. Situated along the coast of the Irish Sea, it has a population of 142,900, making it the fourth-largest settlement in North West England behind Manchester, Liverpool and Warrington. It lies 40 miles (64 km) north-west of the city of Manchester,, and isolated rural areas such as the Highlands of Scotland The Scottish Highlands include the rugged and mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault, although the exact boundaries are not clearly defined, particularly to the east. The Great Glen divides the Grampian Mountains to the southeast from the Northwest Highlands and Connemara Connemara is a district in the West of Ireland consisting of a broad peninsula between Killary Harbour and Kilkieran Bay in the west of County Galway where there is not the year-round concentration of travellers that would sustain an hotel. They are present in most towns and cities, and their numbers vary on trade such as for business travellers and tourists: York York (locally /ˈjɔːk/ ) is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence and Edinburgh Edinburgh (pronounced /ˈɛdɪnbɹə/ ( listen), ED-in-brə or ED-in-bə-rə) (Scots: Edinburgh/Embra/Emburrie) (Gaelic: Dùn Èideann) is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland after Glasgow and the seventh-most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council is one of Scotland's 32 local government for example both have several hundred establishments known as either B&Bs or guest houses. In very busy areas, B&Bs may display a sign saying "VACANCIES" (rooms available) or "NO VACANCIES", to save both the hosts and potential guests the trouble of them having to enquire within.

Breakfast Breakfast is the first meal of the day. The word is a compound of "break" and "fast", referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal. Breakfast meals vary widely in different cultures around the world but often include a carbohydrate such as cereal or rice, fruit and/or vegetable, protein, sometimes is usually cooked on demand for the guest and is usually some kind of full breakfast A full breakfast[† 1]. is a traditional cooked meal, typically and originally eaten at breakfast, though now often served at other times during the day. Common alternative names for the dish include bacon and eggs, or the fry-up[† 1], but some offer a continental breakfast Breakfast is the first meal of the day. The word is a compound of "break" and "fast," referring to the conclusion of fasting since the previous day's last meal, hence "breaking the fast". Breakfast meals vary widely in different cultures around the world but often include a carbohydrate such as cereal or rice, fruit.

In recent years B&Bs in the UK The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland[note 7] is a sovereign state located off the northwestern coast of continental Europe. It is an island country, spanning an archipelago including Great Britain, the northeastern part of the island of Ireland, and many small islands. Northern Ireland is the only part of the UK with a land have struggled against budget hotel chains such as Premier Travel Inn Premier Inn is the UK's largest hotel brand, with over 40,000 rooms and more than 590 hotels. Originally opened under the "Travel Inn" brand name in 1987, it has been owned by Whitbread during its entire operation and was set up to compete with the Travelodge brand which was at the time owned by Forte and Travelodge Travelodge refers to several hotel chains around the world. Current operations include, United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Spain, Ireland and Australia; however, many of these are operated by independent companies who have no connection with the brands operating in other countries. Traditionally, business travellers used B&Bs but many of these clients now tend to stay in budget hotel chains. However, in holiday areas the B&B and guest house still prevail. Unlike the hotel chains, they provide a more comprehensive service and breakfast is included in the price, and some who stay regularly may simply like knowing their hosts.^{[citation needed]}

B&Bs tend to place their bedrooms within three different categories:^{[citation needed]}

• Deluxe: This standard of B&B accommodation in Ireland is considered to be very high and deluxe rooms would be available in high end B&Bs and guesthouse accommodation. Deluxe rooms would often have additional furniture or Jacuzzis in the bathroom. Check the description.
• En-Suite: There is a private bathroom within the bedroom. This will always contain a WC and washbasin, and a shower or bath or both.
• Standard: There is not a bathroom within the bedroom. In this case there will be shared bathroom facilities in another room on the corridor. Usually there will be a washbasin within the room.

Cuba

In Cuba The Republic of Cuba (pronounced /ˈkjuːbə/ ; Spanish: República de Cuba, pronounced [reˈpuβlika ðe ˈkuβa] ( listen)) is an island country in the Caribbean. It consists of the island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second, which opened up to tourism in the 1990s after the financial support of the Soviet Union ended, a form of B&B called casa particular Casa particular is a phrase meaning private accommodation or private homestays in Cuba, very similar to bed and breakfast although it can also take the form of vacation rental. When the meaning is clear the term is often shortened to simply casa ("private home") became the main form of accommodation outside the tourist resorts.^{[citation needed]}

Israel

The Israeli B&B is known as a zimmer (German for room). All over the country, but especially in the north of the country and the Galilee, zimmers have become an alternative to hotels for romantic weekends or family vacations.^[2]

Italy

In Italy, regional law regulates B&Bs.

India

In India India, officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with 1.18 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world. Mainland India is bounded by the Indian Ocean on the south, the Arabian Sea on the west, and the Bay of Bengal on the, the government is promoting the concept of bed & breakfast.^[3] The government is doing this to increase tourism, especially keeping in view the expected demand for hotels during the 2010 Commonwealth Games The 2010 Commonwealth Games are the nineteenth Commonwealth Games, and the ninth to be held under that name. The Games are scheduled to be held in Delhi, India between 3 October and 14 October 2010. The games will be the largest multi-sport event conducted to date in Delhi and India generally, which has previously hosted the Asian Games in 1951 in Delhi.^[4] They have classified B&B in 2 categories - Gold & Silver B&B. All B&B will be approved by the Ministry of Tourism who will then categorize it as Gold or Silver based upon the pre-defined criteria.^[5]

Kyrgyzstan

The tourism industry in Kyrgyzstan includes some B&Bs. One group, called CBT, organises homestays with people who own homes and rent rooms by the night. They help tourists and travelers in Kyrgyzstan find places to stay.^{[citation needed]}

New Zealand

As in the USA ^ b. English is the de facto language of American government and the sole language spoken at home by 80% of Americans age five and older. Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language, bed and breakfasts in New Zealand tend to be more expensive than motels A motel is a hotel designed for motorists, and usually has a parking area for motor vehicles and often feature historic homes and furnished bedrooms at a commensurate price.^{[citation needed]}

North America

Many B&Bs in North America North America is the northern continent of the Americas, situated in the Earth's northern hemisphere and in the western hemisphere. It is bordered on the north by the Arctic Ocean, on the east by the North Atlantic Ocean, on the southeast by the Caribbean Sea, and on the west by the North Pacific Ocean; South America lies to the southeast try to create a historical ambiance, with old properties turned into guesthouses A guest house is a kind of lodging. In some parts of the world a guest house is similar to a hostel, bed and breakfast, or inn whereas in other parts of the world , guest houses are a type of inexpensive hotel-like lodging. In some areas of the world, guest houses are the only kind of accommodation available for visitors who have no local decorated with antique furniture.^{[citation needed]} For example, the Holladay House Formerly called the Doctor Holladay House, the Holladay House in Orange, Virginia is on the nationally-recognized Journey Through Hallowed Ground. Named for Dr. Lewis Holladay, a prominent Virginia physician, the Holladay House has witnessed almost two centuries of American history. The building is historically significant because it is one of in Orange, Virginia is an 1830s Federal-style Federal-style architecture is the name for the classicizing architecture built in the United States between c. 1780 and 1830, and particularly from 1785 to 1815. This style shares its name with its era, the Federal Period. In the early Republic, the founding generation consciously chose to associate the nation with the ancient democracies of brick building that has been converted into a bed and breakfast. In the last ten years, B&B and Inn owners have been launching upscale amenities to improve business and move "up-market." It is not uncommon now to find free wireless Internet access, free parking, spa services, or nightly wine and cheese hours. Due to the need to stay competitive with the rest of the lodging industry, larger bed and breakfast inns have expanded to offer wedding A wedding is the ceremony in which two people are united in marriage or a similar institution. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of wedding vows by the couple, presentation of a gift (offering, ring, symbolic item, services, business conference facilities, and meeting spaces as well as many other services a large hotel might offer.^{[citation needed]}

The custom of opening one’s home to travellers dates back the earliest day of Colonial America. Lodging establishments were few and far between in the 1700s, and apart from a limited number of coaching inns (a few of which survive as inns today), wayfarers relied on the kindness of strangers to provide a bed for the night. Hotels became more common with the advent of the railroad, and later, the automobile, and most towns had at least one prominent hotel.

During the Great Depression, tourist homes provided an economic advantage to both the traveller and the host. Driving through town (no Interstates then), travellers stopped at houses with signs reading Tourists or Guests, indicating that travellers could rent a room for the night for about $2. The money generated needed income for the home owner and saved money for the traveller.

After World War II, middle-class Americans began travelling in Europe in large numbers, many experiencing the European-style B&Bs (Zimmer frei in Germany, chambres d’hotes in France) for the first time. Some were inspired to open B&Bs in the U.S.; tourist home owners updated their properties as B&Bs. The interest in B&Bs coincided with an increasing interest in historic preservation, spurred by the U.S. Bicentennial in 1976 and assisted by two crucial pieces of legislation: the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 The National Historic Preservation Act is legislation intended to preserve historical and archaeological sites in the United States of America. The act created the National Register of Historic Places, the list of National Historic Landmarks, and the State Historic Preservation Offices, and the Tax Reform Act of 1976 The Tax Reform Act of 1976 was passed by the United States Congress in September of 1976, and signed into law by President Gerald Ford on October 4, 1976, becoming Pub.L. 94-455, which provided tax incentives for the restoration and reuse of historic structures.

Through the 1980s and 1990s, B&Bs increased rapidly in numbers and evolved from homestay B&Bs with shared baths and a simple furnishings to beautifully renovated historic mansions with luxurious décor and amenities. The next big change started in the mid 1990s when the Internet became a major marketing force, making it affordable for innkeepers to promote their properties worldwide. Email marketing, in particular, serves as a useful tool for the Bed & Breakfast industry, for it proactively builds relationships with the existing guests after their stay. This helps increase the likelihood for more repeat bookings and also guest referrals in the future. At present, travellers research and book B&B online, checking out detailed photos, videos, and reviews. B&Bs are found in all states, in major cities and remote rural areas, occupying everything from modest cottages to opulent mansions, and in restored structures from schools to cabooses to churches.

Spain

In Spain, B&Bs are often run by people who place personal or family needs ahead of wealth and profit maximization. The business attracts numerous entrepreneurs with predominantly lifestyle motives, yet challenges them in specific ways. Spain does not have a B&B culture like Great Britain. As anything "modern" rules, locals usually shake their head at tourists visiting B&Bs when they could stay at a "proper hotel" for the same money or less.^[6]

A study^[6] of the years 1997–2000, using a sample of 1131 Spanish firms, suggests that marketing must be done over the medium to long term to be effective.

Regulations

Regulations and laws vary considerably between jurisdictions both in content and extent and in enforcement.

The most common regulations B&Bs must follow pertain to safety. They are usually required by local and national ordinances to have fire resistance, a sufficient fire escape plan in place, and smoke detectors in each guest room. Kitchens and equipment used to serve meals are also often required to be monitored for hygienic operation, but there are significant national and local differences.

In Hawaii, it is illegal to open a new bed & breakfast on Oahu as of 1989.^[7] The reason for the moratorium is to force home owners with extra room to rent out their extra space to low income residents who otherwise cannot afford housing on crowded Oahu.

Professional and trade associations

Many inns and bed and breakfasts are members of professional associations. There are international, national, regional, and local associations, all of which provide services to both their members and the travelling public. Many require their members to meet specific standards of quality, while others simply require a lodging establishment to pay dues. These associations also facilitate marketing of the individual B&Bs and provide a stamp of approval that the business in question is reputable.

While various local governments have regulations and inspect lodging establishments for health and safety issues, membership in a state/provincial/national bed and breakfast association can indicate a higher standard of hospitality. Associations sometimes review their members' properties and tend to have additional standards of care.

In the US for example, each state has an innkeeping association (usually non-profit) that exists to promote the industry and tourism. However, many state associations, have rigorous inspection criteria that often exceed government requirements for safety and cleanliness.

In Australia, the industry is represented by the Bed & Breakfast, Farmstay and Accommodation Australia Ltd (BBFAA).

Organizations such as the Automobile Association also provide periodical inspections of B&B inns.

In the British Isles the national approval boards set up by governments are far more stringent than others,while in Ireland there is an association that will only use the national tourist board's approved members (Almara Accommodations Dublin)

Studies

Tourism Queensland study

In January 2003 Tourism Queensland conducted a review of current research to gain a better understanding of the Bed & Breakfast (B&B) market^[8]:

Michigan State University study

According to a study by Michigan State University Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act. Its alumni include at least six winners of the Pulitzer Prize. MSU’s record of Rhodes Scholars:^[9]

According to this study, many bed and breakfast visitors make use of evaluations, given by other guests. This system of independent reviews is one of the fastest growing consumer content oriented sites on the net.

ComScore study

Another study suggests that people trust online reviews posted by previous guests:^[10]

Journal of Travel Research study

A study by the Journal of Travel Research stated:^[11]

Prince Edward Island study

A 2007 study on Prince Edward Island^[12]

TIME magazine

According to TIME magazine:^[13]

See also

• List of human habitation forms

References

1. ^ Private Stay Accommodation Directory, "Australia", accessed 4 April 2007 shows 43 pages for Australia as a country and a combined total of 51 pages for various regions of the South Island of "New Zealand"
2. ^ Mirovsky, Arik, There's gold in them thar hills..., Hareetz.com, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=656508&contrassID=2&subContrassID=10&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y, retrieved 2009-04-05
3. ^ http://tourism.gov.in/guidelines/Incredible%20India%20Bed&%20Breakfast%20Scheme.doc Guidelines For Approval and Registration of 'Incredible India Bed And Breakfast’ Establishments. (MS Word Document)
4. ^ http://delhitourism.nic.in/publicpage/bb.html Delhi tourism department promoting B&B in Delhi Delhi, known locally as Dilli , and by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with more than 12.25 million inhabitants in the territory and with nearly 22.2 million.
5. ^ http://delhitourism.nic.in/downloads/B&BRuleandapplicationform.doc Ministry of Tourism B&B criteria in Delhi Delhi, known locally as Dilli , and by the official name National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT), is the largest metropolis by area and the second-largest metropolis by population in India. It is the eighth largest metropolis in the world by population with more than 12.25 million inhabitants in the territory and with nearly 22.2 million.
6. ^ ^{a b} Getz, Donald; Carlsen, Jack (January 2001), Annals of Tourism Research (Elselvier) 32 (1): 237–258, ISSN An International Standard Serial Number is a unique eight-digit number used to identify a print or electronic periodical publication. The ISSN system was adopted as international standard ISO 3297 in 2007. The ISO subcommittee TC 46/SC 9 is responsible for the standard 0160-7383, http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/view/UQ:161616, retrieved 2009-04-05
7. ^ LEGISLATIVE CONCEPTS. REGULATION & PERMITTING OF VACATION RENTALS & B&Bs on OAHU
8. ^ Bed & Breakfast Tourism, Tourism Queensland, January 2003, http://www.tq.com.au/fms/tq_corporate/research/fact_sheets/bed_and_breakfast_tourism.pdf, retrieved 2009-04-05
9. ^ Koth, Barbara A, Assistant Extension Specialist; William C. Norman, Ph.D. candidate (6 June 2002), The Minnesota Bed and Breakfast Market: A Guest Profile (Research Summaries), University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fifth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 51,140 students in 2008–2009 Minnesota Extension Service
10. ^ Aun, Fred (3 December 2007), ComScore Study Reinforces Online Reviews' Impact on Offline Sales, ClickZ.com, http://www.clickz.com/3627751, retrieved 2009-10-04
11. ^ Monty, Ben (2003), "Hedonic Pricing and Willingness to Pay for Bed and Breakfast Amenities in Southeast Wisconsin", Journal of Travel Research (La Follette School of Public Affairs at the University of Wisconsin—Madison, University of Wisconsin—Whitewater) 42 (2): 195–199, doi A digital object identifier is a character string used to uniquely identify an electronic document or other object. Metadata about the object is stored in association with the DOI name and this metadata may include a location, such as a URL, where the object can be found. The DOI for a document is permanent, whereas its location and other metadata:10.1177/0047287503257500
12. ^ Significant research of bed & breakfast and country inns, The Association of Prince Edward Island, Tourism Research Center: At the University of Prince Edward Island The University of Prince Edward Island is a university in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada. It is the only university in the province, 2007
13. ^ Marchant; Witkowski, Tom; Benson, Jyl; Monday, Harriet (18 November 2002), "Bed, Breakfast And Beyond", TIME magazine (Time-Life), http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,56423,00.html, retrieved 2009-05-04

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