Our good friends over at bedandbreakfast.com included this article on their site and we knew the info. here would be helpful to our guests as well!! Enjoy!
Myths and Facts about B&Bs
B&Bs lack privacy.
While meeting the many wonderful innkeepers and inngoers are a big reason travelers choose B&Bs, most are also more than accommodating when it comes to guest privacy. With almost all B&Bs offering rooms with private bathrooms and many providing flexible dining hours and private or semi-private dining options, staying in a B&B provides an exceptional experience for guests seeking a relaxing weekend getaway. Guests respect one another’s privacy and innkeepers work hard to provide gracious hospitality and give you as much privacy as you need. Many B&Bs have private entrances, separate cottages or carriage houses, for those want an option to the main house.
B&B means sharing a bathroom with others.
Back in the day, B&Bs were practically defined as places where you could rent out a room quite affordably with shared bathroom facilities. However, today’s modern B&B industry has evolved to where nearly all B&Bs, inns, and boutique hotels offer rooms with private bathrooms. In fact, according to the Professional Association of Innkeepers International, more than 97 percent of B&Bs offer private baths in some, if not all rooms. For those looking to economize on rates, a shared bath option is available in approximately 12 percent of B&Bs.
B&Bs are expensive and don’t offer hotel-like services.
Room rates for B&Bs vary widely, depending upon location, the property itself, and its amenities. B&Bs, however, are attractive to many travelers because of the great value for your dollar including such as free breakfast and other amenities, usually at no extra charge, like refreshments, Internet, onsite parking, afternoon teas, wine and cheese hours, and more. Many B&Bs also offer free Internet, flexible check-in, private pools, spas and spa services, bars, private balconies, luxury soaps/shampoos, high thread count linens, and much more, providing 5-star accommodations and service. Travelers are guaranteed to get these and other amenities at BedandBreakfast.com™ Diamond Collection™ properties, which are professionally inspected and maintain top consumer reviews.
Finally, B&Bs offer a level of personal customer service often unmatched by many other lodging alternatives. Innkeepers serve as not only managers, but as “personal concierges,” offering tips on restaurants, nearby attractions, and info only locals would know.
B&Bs are mostly older inns in rural areas.
Hardly! Many B&Bs are beautiful Victorian homes and/or listed on the National Register of Historic Places (many impeccably restored) – providing unmatched charm and elegance.
At the same time, however, there are über-modern inns located in large cities. You can find everything at BedandBreakfast.com – from beachside B&B cottages and quaint mountaintop inns to boutique B&Bs in the wine country and rustic ranch lodges. Many offer spas, restaurants, and other services suited for the local area, such as hiking, horseback riding, or skiing. What you can count on is that B&Bs offer undiscovered and surprising experiences for the perfect getaway.
B&B Traveler Trends
*March 2011 surveys of B&B travelers
- Almost 80 percent (78.9%) of B&B travelers are between the ages of 35-65.
- Nine out of 10 travelers (90.2%) say they will take at least one weekend getaway this summer, and nearly two-thirds (62.3%) say they will take two or more weekend getaways this summer.
- Nearly two-thirds (62.1%) of travelers say they will take two or more long weekend getaways this summer
- Besides price and location, when deciding where to stay, B&B travelers rank photos as the highest influencer (74.9%), followed by consumer reviews (62.4%), ability to book online (47.8%), friends’ recommendations (46.3%), and professional recommendations (43.4%).
- During their summer leisure travel, three out of four (76%) B&B travelers are most likely to stay in a B&B or inn this summer, followed by a moderate, three-star hotel (49%) and friends or family (41.4%).
- The majority of B&B travelers drive less than 250 miles for their getaway.
- B&B travelers report B&Bs enable them to get away from masses staying at hotels, while offering unique, interesting and intimate accommodations that are adult/couple-oriented.
- B&B travelers view themselves as romantic, travelers (not tourists), pampered, unique, adventurous and special.
