What is a Bed and Breakfast?, Bed & Breakfast Defined

Bed & Breakfast accommodations, also called B&Bs, can broadly be defined as independent small properties offering overnight lodging and breakfast in a home-like setting. Unlike the "sameness" in a motel or hotel, B&Bs are unique properties, making a singular definition challenging. Many are family-owned and run by individual innkeeper/owners. Often they are renovated old homes, many were once stately residences, a great number are in extraordinary locations, and each is distinctly individual. Many are in quiet residential neighborhoods, in small towns, or off the beaten path... but they can also be found in large cities and in popular destination areas. By their nature, bed & breakfasts generally have fewer guest rooms and are more intimate than traditional hotels, motels, lodges, and resorts. Variety reigns, from one B&B to another as well as in an individual B&B itself. Each guest room or suite is usually unlike any other - in size, configuration, decor, and individual characteristics. Historic old buildings which are converted into bed and breakfast properties often will preserve the character of the past while discretely incorporating modern comforts and technology, like individual controls for heat/air, spacious rooms, private baths, large flat screen TVs, and sitting areas. Overall, a bed and breakfast is commonly designed to create an atmosphere of romance, comfort, relaxation, and charm - aiming for an extraordinary and memorable guest experience.