Bed and Breakfast, a term originated in the United Kingdom is a one of its kind in the hotel business. As the name suggests, the Bed and Breakfast, or B&B, offers accommodation and breakfast but not lunch or dinner. These are usually private homes that run the business as a primary or secondary mode of income and are usually small in size, with about 10 rooms or so. The profit motive is usually low.
In modern times, B&Bs have undergone some radical changes. It is now quite common to see a B&B offering free wireless Internet access, spas, free parking and other deals and discounts just like any other commercial establishments. B&Bs are quite popular in countries like United Kingdom, New Zealand, Cuba, Israel, Italy, Kyrgyzstan and all over North America.
The modern B&Bs are required by law to follow several safety regulations like fire escape plan and smoke detectors in the guest rooms. B&Bs are also members of professional trade associations - international, national, regional and local. The members meet now and then and share best practices and ideas. It is a general perception that members of B&B professional trade associations offer better service and stay.
Although B&Bs can be found in several countries, whenever one thinks of the term B&B, the image that comes to mind is a middle aged British gentleman and his portly wife who welcomes you with a smile and immediately lays down the rules of the house. Inside, there would be a comfortable drawing room with a fireplace and a wooden staircase leading to the guestrooms upstairs. The typical guestroom will be a cozy area that would have a wall to wall carpet, a TV or a radio, a small bathroom with a bathtub. On first glance, the rooms may seem very sparse, but that is the beauty of a typical British B&B room. It's a typical British establishment with British ambience. Although B&Bs have come up all across the globe, the quintessential flavor of a B&B is still associated with United Kingdom.
