Bed and Breakfasts: An Old and Cozy Tradition

If you have ever gone on vacation, you know there can be an endless array of choices about where to stay. Hotels, motels and inns are just a few of the choices. Another is the bed and breakfast. Bed and Breakfasts are built on the model of an old-fashioned boarding house, where the owners of the establishment also live at the establishment and serve their guests, who stay in private rooms but meet and eat communally. Many people consider this to be a charming business to own, and actively seek out large old Victorian homes to be used for this purpose.

Most Bed and Breakfasts can handle less than 15 guests, so reservations must be made far in advance to guarantee your room will be available. Guests typically stay for a specified period of time in a beautifully appointed room which may or may not have a private bath, and they are served scrumptious homemade, family style breakfasts each morning. The Bed and Breakfast may employ additional staff, who may be family members of the owner.

Generally speaking, those who choose to stay in a Bed and Breakfast are not planning to stay around the establishment throughout the day, but rather have plans to see the sights. With many Bed and Breakfasts located in the mountains, at the beach or on tropical islands, there is no shortage of beautiful and fun things to see and do. Most Bed and Breakfasts afford the traveler the opportunity to see and do things that are more unusual than the average sightseeing.

The idea of bed and breakfast establishments goes back into the 20th century, where it was acceptable for travelers to rest for the evening at private homes rather than finding an inn to stay at. However, in that time period it was important to concede rank and stay in the home of someone in your perceived class. You would not find a doctor staying with a barkeeper.

The bed and breakfasts of today make a point of bringing back the warmth and splendor of earlier times. People book rooms at Inns because they want to be pampered a bit, and know that is what they will receive. It’s also a chance to communally meet with other travelers and perhaps have the opportunity to make some new friends along your journey.