Bed and breakfast big island. Pros and cons of Bed & Breakfast

“Bed and breakfast” (English - bed & breakfast, B&B), that is, translated as “bed and breakfast”, is another accommodation option that is popular in many countries of the world, especially in Europe. Difficulties.net has already considered in detail the features of European hotels and apartment rentals, but now it's the turn of B&B.

"Bed & Breakfast" is essentially a private mini-hotel owned by one owner (family). This is, as a rule, a private apartment (house) with several rooms in which guests settle. At the same time, part of the territory of the apartment has been turned into a public space - a living room and a kitchen, as well as often a bathroom with a toilet, are common to all B&B guests. The basic services in this case can be called the provision of accommodation ("bed") and breakfast.

In no case should you confuse a bed and breakfast with a hostel, which, by definition, is a hostel (in most cases, you pay for an overnight stay in the same room with other tenants, of course, both the kitchen and the bathroom are shared). At a B&B you get your own room and quite often your own bathroom, for a price lower than the price of a hotel room. In addition, the owners of bed and breakfast mini-hotels, as a rule, fight for customers and create a truly homely atmosphere in their apartments.

Pros and cons of Bed & Breakfast

It’s different for anyone, but for me there are much more pluses than minuses in bed and breakfast accommodation, and lately I have increasingly opted for them when traveling around Europe.

The owners list their properties on the same booking engines as the hotels (there are also entire sites devoted to finding only bed and breakfast). Accordingly, you have before your eyes complete information about the conditions of accommodation, services and services, as well as reviews of guests who have already been there.

In the vast majority of cases in Europe, "bed and breakfast" is a well-renovated apartment (house) specially prepared for rent. This is a big plus, because, for example, in the case of Airbnb, you may well find yourself in a rather unkempt master's apartment, from where only a couple of days ago the owner took out some of his things, deciding to earn extra money on tourists. Unlike the same Airbnb, "bed and breakfast" does not require a deposit for your stay (in any case, I have not seen such).

Breakfast is served in the "bed and breakfast" in the hosts' common dining room, or you can cook it yourself in a hurry, taking your due (since you paid for breakfast) food in the refrigerator. In this regard, "bed and breakfast" differs little from a standard hotel: usually a choice of tea, coffee, juice, toast, pastries, eggs or sausages. There are a lot of variations here, for example, the owner of your B&B can even send you to the nearest cafe, where you can choose a drink + croissant or something substantial for a certain amount.

As a rule, the B&B owners themselves clean the rooms after the guests leave, or some of them hire someone from outside to clean.

The best option is if the B&B you want to book has only 1-2 rooms. There is a good chance that you will be alone during this period, without neighbors-guests, especially if you are only staying for one or two nights. This means that the entire spacious apartment will be at your disposal, which gives a completely different feeling than a hotel.

Of the minuses, one can only name the need to “check watches” with the owner of the mini-hotel before your arrival(because he can't sit and wait for you 24 hours like a 24/7 hotel reception) so in Europe be sure to have his local number handy.

Another moment. Many B&B owners prefer to be paid for their room in cash (far from everyone in Europe wants to pay taxes in full), so it’s better to have cash with you.

In general, this is a great option at a lower price to get a more spacious and comfortable room than in a hotel, often in the very historical center of European cities, with breakfast and often in addition with a warm welcome from the owners. Still, in the “bed and breakfast” the reception of guests is not put on such a stream as in a hotel or hostel, and this type of accommodation itself implies “home hospitality”. Usually the owner will also gladly tell you about everything interesting that is around and orient you in the city.

Bed and Breakfast hotels are an ideal option for those who prefer not to spend extra money on a room in an ordinary hotel, but at the same time rely on normal conditions of comfort and service.

The Bed and Breakfast system (bed and breakfast) or B&B is very popular in many countries of Western Europe.

This is actually one of the most common types of temporary residence in France.

To designate hotels of the Bed and Breakfast system, the abbreviation B&B is mainly used. B&B hotels are small family-run hotels that offer guests a full level of service plus home cooking.

The United Kingdom is considered to be the founder of the Bed and Breakfast system. It was the representatives of foggy Albion who were the first to come up with a name for a simple and convenient way accommodation while traveling. However, after several decades, a new type of temporary residence migrated to the entire European continent, including France.

In Bed and Breakfast hotels, the guest always has the opportunity to count on a comfortable minimum of services. These services actually consist of a bed (bed) and breakfast (breakfast). Hotels of the B&B system, as a rule, have a standard classification - from 2 to 5 stars. However, it should be noted that most of the hotels of this system do not have any status at all, but at the same time they do not at all represent shelters for the homeless.

The Bed and Breakfast system is a type of temporary accommodation in city or country private houses, where breakfast is included in the price. Accommodation in a B&B outside the city costs about 30 euros per person per night and about 40 euros for half board. "Room for the night" - an ordinary bedroom without a TV and with a shared toilet will cost 20 euros at all. But prices also tend to change depending on the area and season.

Most of the B&Bs are simple, but have a natural French flair. Usually a B&B offers lunch for about 5 euros and dinner for about 15 euros. In these hotels, coziness, comfort and cleanliness in most cases are much higher than the standard ones. This is due, first of all, to the fact that a unified assessment system for Bed and Breakfast has not yet been developed.

Home hallmark hotels of the B&B system is a management structure and a small number of rooms. In the world practice of hotel business, the main requirement for those hotels that want to be considered a Bed and Breakfast is management. The hotel must be managed exclusively by the owner of the house or members of his family. In the event that a B&B hotel receives professional management, it is considered only as a mini-hotel or guest house.

The advantages of the Bed and Breakfast system are not only in the price of the rooms. Often the owners of B&B houses offer their customers a lot of additional services starting with tours of attractions in Paris and ending with learning crafts. In addition, each B&B is almost an exclusive museum. In it you can see and appreciate not only the design skills of the hotel owners, but also get acquainted with local traditions and rituals.

Embroidery, figurines, tools and the way of cooking - in many B&B hotels, the way of life shows the national identity in a much deeper way than a variety of educational TV shows. On the given time the largest cluster of hotels of the Bed and Breakfast system (Europe) is located in the UK, Spain, Italy, Greece and, of course, in France. In total, there are over 50 thousand hotels of the Bed and Breakfast system on the planet.

Very often, B&B hotels are located in private houses, the owners of which rent out some rooms only during the favorable season. This type of accommodation at the resort is available, including in Ukraine and Russia. However, it should be noted that the comfort and services in Ukrainian and Russian B&B hotels are significantly inferior to European counterparts, and prices are often even higher.

Over the past ten years for amateurs budget travel Guidebooks for Bed and Breakfast hotels are constantly published. There are hundreds of resources on the Internet about this type of temporary accommodation on an ongoing basis, the most famous of which are agoda.com and booking.com.

Book a Bed and Breakfast in Paris!

Bed and Breakfast Villa des Princes Paris

Bed and Breakfast Villa des Princes is a popular B&B in the capital, located on the left bank of the Seine.

Just an hour south of the US city of Boston, Massachusetts, is a small town called Fall River. The city is actually small, with less than a hundred thousand inhabitants, and there is nothing remarkable about it, except that the picturesque river Taunton brightens up the local landscape. Once here was the center of the textile industry of the United States and Fall River predicted a great future. However, a lot of water has flowed under the bridge since then, and the city has not received any grandiose development.

True, there is something attractive here for lovers of the unknown and the paranormal. Who in the subject, immediately guessed that we are talking about the legendary house of Lizzie Borden, inhabited by the ghosts of their former owners. The story is similar to a good, very high-quality detective story, although everything really happened.

Baby Lizzie was born, like her sister, Emma, ​​in the family of a wealthy, but rather stingy, American citizen. Fate did not allow the children to enjoy maternal affection and love when Lizzy was only two years old, her mother ordered her to live long, and her father did not grieve for her dead wife, but immediately found her a replacement. The stepmother was domineering, obnoxious, picky and extremely greedy.

The stern woman, who does not recognize anyone but herself as beloved, somehow did not immediately accept the tiny girls, and communication was reduced to instructions on what, how and when they should do it. Lizzy was a good, obedient girl, did everything that her stepmother thought of her and did not grumble at her fate, managing to cheer up her younger sister as well.

One day, a real tragedy unfolded in the house. Suspecting that her stepmother was slowly poisoning her father, as well as themselves, Lizzy tried to eat only what was difficult to put poison into, for example, bread, eggs, fruits, but one day she really got very poisoned, so much so that she could hardly get out of bed . Neither her father nor Emma was at home at the time, and Lizzie was resting in her room. When her father returned, Lizzie went out to meet him and, having put him to rest on the couch, went back to her room.

It was the girl, who came out a little later, and discovered the corpse of her father, hacked to death with an ax. Lizzie sent a maid for a doctor, and the police came, it was they who also found the corpse of Mrs. Borden, also killed with an ax in the head. At first, of course, Lizzy herself was accused of murder, but then the jury acquitted her, and she inherited her father's inheritance, and sold the ill-fated house, moving with her sister to another. However, many are still confident in the guilt of the girl, and how it was actually found out is no longer possible.

The former Borden house itself still stands today, a hotel-museum called the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast was placed there. There are eight rooms where you can stay, but for some reason, residents do not stay for more than a day. They say that ghosts walk there, stomp their disembodied feet, wildly yell and scream, sometimes a child cries and women's sobs are heard, doors open and close themselves. Don't believe? You have the opportunity to check yourself.

Using various sites for searching and booking hotels, you often wonder - what is the difference between different types accommodation? Here we compare hotels of the Bed&Breakfast type (B&B) and hotels.

IN general plan we can say that Bed & Breakfast (literally "bed and breakfast" = "Bed and Breakfast") is actually the same hotel, but, nevertheless, there are nuances and therefore a hotel with a sign "Hotel" and a hotel with a sign "Bed & Breakfast" are usually not the same. Even on Booking.com there is a special section dedicated to Bed and Breakfast hotels (see). What is Bed&Breakfast (B&B)?

Based on the name, Bed&Breakfast is a type of hotel that provides only bed and breakfast (without the possibility of lunch and dinner). Not always, but in most cases it is. Another important distinguishing feature of Bed & Breakfast "s is that they are, as a rule, small hotels (for example, an apartment divided into 2-4 rooms or a house with 10-20 rooms), in which the owners themselves often live (well, only not in the rooms, of course, but, for example, in a separate part of the same house). Again, this is not a hard and fast rule, because it can be different. But in any case, Bed & Breakfast is managed directly by the owner or members of his family, and not hired managers (although here you can also make a reservation “as a rule”, since there may be differences depending on the specific country and the peculiarities of its legislation).

This, as they say, is about the differences in essence. but what are the differences between a typical Bed & Breakfast and a typical hotel? Here it would be nice to decide what is considered a typical hotel. If we talk about family-type hotels, which are also often called mini-hotels or guesthouses (“guest house” - guest house), then there are practically no differences. On the contrary, such hotels and B&Bs have much more in common. This, as a rule, is a “home-like” environment, starting with interiors, often made in the traditional style of the region in which the hotel is located, and ending with food, often close in essence to what is called “home cooking”. Again, we will make a reservation that not everywhere and not always, but often. It is also important to note that such hotels, as a rule, do not have round-the-clock "receptions". In practice, this is expressed in the fact that it is necessary to discuss with the owners in advance the time when you check in or leave the hotel so that upon arrival you will not be at closed doors. After check-in, guests usually receive the keys to their room and to the general entrance to the hotel, which are handed over upon check-out.

Strictly speaking, this, in our opinion, is the main purely external difference from non-family hotels managed by hired managers. Such hotels most often have a 24-hour front desk with an administrator constantly behind it. In these hotels, everything is much more standardized and, as many believe, soulless. However, we will probably refrain from judging. Both “classic” hotels and bed & breakfasts have their pros and cons, and tourists are different - some prefer a homely atmosphere and the opportunity to communicate directly with the owners of the hotel, while others are focused on greater isolation and solitude in emotional terms, so to speak .

Comparing bed and breakfasts and hotels, it is impossible not to touch on the issue of the cost of living. As a rule, prices in bed & breakfast "s are lower than in hotels geographically located in the same area. Let's say, if you look at the prices for accommodation in the center of Rome, then almost all the most economical options are B&B.

There are also differences in terms of the form of payment for accommodation. Most often, you can pay for a room at bed & breakfast only in cash, while hotels, as a rule, accept both cash and bank cards of international payment systems.

These are, perhaps, the main differences between hotels and Bed & Breakfast "s.

This is an unforgettable journey through the African expanses. Such an adventure will introduce tourists much closer to the culture of the local population and the unique wildlife.
Kenya is a country of magical landscapes, wildlife and original culture. It is in this part of the African continent that there are many unique and interesting sights, such as Mount Kilimanjaro, a glacier, beautiful lakes and more than fifty national parks. Therefore, tours to Kenya on a safari are incredibly popular. After all, what else do adventure lovers need, besides fresh African air and amazing nature?
While traveling through this incredible beautiful country you can get to know better the way of life of the people of Kenya and their history. But the most important thing is the opportunity to see with your own eyes very rare species of animals, plants and birds during the safari.
We invite you to this exciting journey that will forever change the idea of ​​​​rest in general!

1 day. (April 3)
Arrival (morning) in Nairobi. Meeting at the airport or hotel, transfer to national park Masai Mara (about 5 hours on the way). Stop at observation deck Rift Valley, lunch en route. Accommodation in a budget camp. Evening safari in Mar. Dinner and overnight
Masai Mara is considered the most popular and visited nature reserve in Kenya. The fauna here is unusually rich - more than 80 species of mammals and 450 species of birds. The landscape is foothills in the north and east, forests and plains in the south and west. The sun-dried savanna occupies most of the territory. The central part of the reserve is a wild nature untouched by civilization. The Talek and Mara rivers flow through the territory, which flows into Lake Victoria. The reserve is also home to representatives of the Masai tribe, who are considered the tallest people on earth. A visit to the Masai village is a unique opportunity to plunge into the life of these indigenous people of Kenya, who do not recognize the achievements of modern civilization.

Day 2 (April 4)
Breakfast at the camp, departure early in the morning. Full day safari in Masai Mare. Picnic lunch in the park. Dinner and overnight.
Morning and afternoon safari Masai Mara. Breakfast and lunch at the lodge. You will see huge herds of zebras and gazelles, an experienced guide-driver will take you on a special route, allowing you to see up close lions and cheetahs chasing herds of antelopes. wild nature Kenya has been preserved untouched for centuries, which is why African parks attract travelers from all over the world who dream of seeing the life filmed by Animal Planet in reality.
In the reserve you can meet the big African "five" - ​​buffalo, rhinoceros, lion, leopard and elephant.
Dinner and overnight at the camp.

Day 3 (April 5)
Breakfast. Short morning safari in Masai Mare. Moving on lake naivasha(about 4 hours on the way), lunch on the way. Check-in at Taphe Guesthouse or Fishermans Camp - a budget camp on the shores of Lake Naivasha. Boat trip with a visit to Crescent Island. Watching hippos in the lake, a lot of birds.
Dinner and overnight
Lake Naivasha is one of the most famous and visited lakes in East Africa. Geographically, the lake is located in the west of Kenya, about an hour's drive from Nairobi. It is part of a series of lakes of the Great rift valley and is located in its highest part, namely at an altitude of 1884 meters above sea level. Naivasha is of volcanic origin and is one of the most visited lakes in East Africa. The total area of ​​the lake is 139 km², and maximum depth- 30 meters. Naivasha is partially surrounded by mountains, including extinct volcanoes. The most famous of them is the extinct stratovolcano Longonot.

Day 4 (April 6)
Breakfast and transfer to Ol Pejeta park (about 4 hours on the way). Stop at Thompson Falls for a short picnic. Ol Pejeta is located at the foot of Mount Kenya. A small park where you will see rhinos, cats, visit the chimpanzee nursery. Check-in in the evening in a separate house. Pelican House. This is a separate house in the park. There is a fireplace in the house, it is very cozy right in the park next to the watering place for animals. There is a cook in the house, he will prepare dinner and breakfast for you. Overnight stay.
Ol Pagete Park has the highest density of predators in all of Kenya. The total area of ​​the reserve is 360 square kilometers. The main goal of the organizers of this Park was to preserve the "African Big Six" - animals that are gradually disappearing from the face of the Earth. These are the leopard, black and white rhinoceros, lion, elephant, buffalo and cheetah. Today, more than 100 black rhinos live in complete safety on the territory of the reserve, the total number of which on the planet is only 620 individuals. In addition, there is a chimpanzee nursery.

Day 5 (April 7)
Breakfast. Safari in Ol Pejeta Park, transfer to samburu park(3 hours on the way) lunch on the way. A small evening safari in Samburu Park. Accommodation in a budget camp. Dinner and overnight
The landscape of Samburu Park is different from others nature reserves Kenya. It is a lava plain (which is why the soil here has a reddish tint), covered with broken volcanic rocks, dried up river beds and steep hills, among which the Uaso Nyiro River flows, thus providing a vital ecosystem for the park. The vegetation consists mainly of acacia forest, interspersed with shrubs and grass, which break into small hills. At the same time, the winding loops of the river are bordered by a narrow gallery of riverine forests, in which acacias and doum palms bloom. This is a rather arid ecosystem in the country and therefore prone to large changes in animal populations as they move in search of water and pasture.

Day 6 (April 8)
Breakfast and morning safari in Samburu Park. Lunch and transfer to Nairobi (about 5 hours). Dinner and overnight at a budget hotel on the way to Amboseli in the town of Athi River.

Day 7 (April 9)
Breakfast and transfer to Amboseli(3 hours) Check-in at Kibo Safari Camp Very good campsite right at the entrance to the park. Lunch and evening safari in Amboseli Park. Great view of Kilimanjaro. Open type park, all animals can be clearly seen! Dinner and overnight at the camp.
By Kenyan standards, Amboseli is a relatively small park (392 sq km), but the richness of its flora and fauna has made it a nature reserve of international importance. Amboseli, which means "salt dust" in the Maasai language, is an important pasture land for Maasai culture, while "salt dust" itself is volcanic ash from the eruption of Mount Kilimanjaro millennia ago.

Day 8 (April 10)
Breakfast and morning safari in Amboseli. Lunch and transfer to Nairobi for the evening flight or check-in at the hotel (Hotel paid by yourself)

Terms of participation and booking of the tour for individuals on our website:

In order to take part in the tour, you must fill out an online form, after confirmation by the organizers of your participation, pay 30% of the cost of the tour for booking a place within five days. Full payment for the tour must be made at least 35 days before the start of the tour. In case of booking and confirmation of the tour less than 32 days before its start, payment is made within 3 days from the date of booking in the amount of 100%. In case of refusal to participate in less than 32 days, 20% of the cost of the tour is withheld, less than 14 days 30% of the cost of the tour, less than 3 days 100% of the cost of the tour.

The price of the trip is fixed in US dollars - 1565 $. Full payment, prepayment or the rest of the travel payment is made in rubles at the internal exchange rate on the day of payment.

Included in cost:
- Drop-top safari minivan
- Meeting and seeing off at the airport (if immediately on a safari and after a safari immediately to the airport)
- Entrance fee to national parks
- English speaking driver-guide
- Boat trip on Lake Naivasha
- Accommodation and meals at the indicated locations (catering except for the Pelican House in Ol Paget,)
- Water in the car
- Master classes in photography
- Guide support
- Medical insurance

Not included in the price:
- Kenyan visa, (electronic, we provide advice and assistance for the preparation of documents) ($ 50)
- Flight to Nairobi and back
- Hotel in Nairobi upon arrival and departure
- alcoholic drinks and juices
- visiting a Maasai village or samburu ($15)
- tips for the driver
- Products for preparing dinner and breakfast at the Pelican House in Ol Paget according to your taste and desire ($ 10-15).

Important travel details:
Holidays in Kenya are not cheap, therefore, in order to save money, we recommend scheduling an arrival in Nairobi on the morning of April 3, and a flight home for the late evening of April 10 or early morning of April 11. This will save on hotel and taxi! But this, of course, is up to you!
Given the expensive accommodation on such a trip, during our safari accommodation is provided in budget camps. The budget camp is a huge stationary tent, it has 2 beds, a toilet and a shower!

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