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Experience true Canadian hospitality, the B&B wayWhat is a B&B in Canada?- Packing Tips - Inns 4 Sale - Circle Tours |
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A bed and breakfast experience
can offer the finest features of a quality hotel, with the added pleasure of
making instant friends in a new place.
A B&B differs from a hotel in that the innkeeper usually owns the property and resides there. There are usually fewer than six guest rooms and they can provide very personal attention. There is no hard rule for this. Some 20-room inns offer breakfast and advertise themselves as a B&B even if the owner is nowhere in evidence.
Ratings systems are voluntary
and at the discretion of the individual property owners. Many unrated properties
are worth your consideration. All successful B&Bs have one thing in common:
the owners like people and enjoy having people in their home!
Most B&Bs are allowed
to serve only breakfast. Some serve a "Continental" breakfast, which
consists of coffee, juice and a choice of breads and pastries. Most serve a
"Full" breakfast, including fruits, cereals, eggs and/or meat, breads,
juice, and coffee.
Previous Guests' comments can be helpful. You should also see pictures and talk to the innkeepers before making reservations. You will be living in their home; you should feel comfortable from your very first telephone contact. Innkeepers themselves usually have a few rules out of respect for other Guests and for the home itself.
Cooking and unregistered
Guests are usually not allowed. Smoking, pets and children are always something
that must be confirmed in advance. As most owners don't have extra staff, it
is important to be aware of the check in and check out times. Operators need
time to clean rooms, go grocery shopping, do their bookkeeping, sewing, minor
repairs, etc. Avoid surprises for yourself and your innkeeper by keeping these
considerations in mind.
In a city property, parking
is often not available on site, but public transit makes it easy to get around.
Most B&Bs supply Guests with a house key so they can come and go at any
hour. Check-in time must be confirmed in advance, so the innkeeper can be there
to meet you. Not all B&Bs accept all or any credit cards. Deposit and cancellation
policies are generally less forgiving than hotels (as a late cancellation may
mean a significant loss to the small innkeeper).
While not always the case, B&Bs may cost less than a hotel, especially when you consider most have fewer taxes applied, there is no charge for local phone calls, breakfast is included, snacks are usually free and you don't tip the bellman. The love and attention the innkeeper lavishes on the property and on their Guests is an added benefit not often received in a large hotel setting.
Many B&Bs are child-free
zones. Many bed and breakfast Guests prefer an adult environment. Indeed, it
is for the assurance of this environment that most B&B Guests have selected
a B&B, rather than a hotel. Families with children should check first, as
many B&Bs are not generally set up to accommodate children safely, and many
are furnished (and catered) with adult tastes in mind.
There are reasons why some B&Bs often do not accept one-night visitors.
First, the innkeepers enjoy sharing their home and getting to know people from
all over the world. This is not often possible when a Guest checks in, sleeps,
has breakfast and checks out. This limits "satisfaction" for the innkeeper.
The second reason is economics: With few rooms to let, it maximizes occupancy
if the visits are longer. Accepting a one-night Saturday visit, for example,
might prevent another Guest from staying from Thursday to Monday.
That's another advantage to B&Bs over hotels. Innkeepers will always go out of their way to ensure you have every comfort and service within their power, and not expect gratuities.
Different terminology may be used by operators. Generally, the following
applies. Make sure you clarify when reserving.
En suite: In Canada, the term "en suite" refers to a bathroom that is private, inside and attached to the sleeping unit.
Private: A bathroom that is for the sole use of a sleeping unit but may be outside of the room.
Private Adjacent: A bathroom that is for the sole use of a sleeping unit but is immediately outside of the room.
Shared / Semi Private: Bathrooms that are used in common by more than one room. Should not be more than two guest rooms sharing. Each room should be supplied with its own towels.
The perfect choice for your vacation may be in a spot where there is a shared bathroom. Within the CanadaHosts ratings system that means that there will be a max. of four people to one bathroom. (Probaly fewer people than when you were a child at home) It does mean, however that you may be sharing the bathroom with people that you don't know. Your host will do their best to maintain this at a high level of sanitation, but there are a couple of things to keep in mind
When using a shared bathroom, try to be as quick as possible, take all your
personal items back to your room every time, and if you find that the bathroom
needs attention, do mention it to the host.
A visit to a B&B is not an ocean voyage. Leave your steamer trunks at home, please. Here are some handy tips for B&B visitors.
