Are you tired of the cold, impersonal accommodations available through franchised hotels and motels? Are you ready for a pleasant change in your choice of lodgings? Consider staying at a Bed and Breakfast on your next Canadian vacation. Rooms in Bed and Breakfasts are often decorated with welcoming homey touches that place them a notch above the rest, and are often styled to a particular theme. One finds a warmth and personality to this type of lodging that can truly make the traveler feel at home. And why not? It is someone's home.
Bed and Breakfasts, or B & B's, are private homes that have been converted into rooms for let. Stays in B & B's last anywhere from overnight to a week or so. They are much more personal than a hotel, and the ambience reflects the fact that the owners live there year-round. Some will run their B & B's as a small sideline, offering just a few rooms to the public with a minimum of extras. For others it becomes a full-time business with a large array of rooms and amenities, and a large clientele.
Food
Breakfast in these cozy homes can be as simple as juice, coffee, and a sweet roll, but other establishments will set out a smorgasbord of every breakfast food imaginable. Despite the name, some B & B's will offer meals other than breakfast, but one thing most people learn very quickly when they begin staying in B & B's: the food is almost always extraordinarily delicious. That's because most who offer full meals take pride in cooking home-style dishes from scratch, the kind that take one back in time to Grandma's kitchen. A few will specialize in certain types of foods. One B & B will be known for their pies. Another will offer an elegant low tea in the afternoon, perhaps consisting of scones, clotted cream, marmalade, and finger sandwiches. Many will have gift shops where lodgers can purchase souvenirs for family and friends.
Locating a suitable B & B is very simple
They can be found in guides that are put out by tourism associations and local Chambers of Commerce, and by search engines online. Most have websites where you can preview the properties and amenities before deciding to make reservations. Prices will vary from one lodging to another and can depend on such factors as proximity to tourist sites and size of the surrounding area. There are some that will allow small pets, but enquiry should be made to determine the lodge's policy. There are B & B associations that will accept membership from establishments that maintain a certain standard of accommodation. This will give the traveler some assurance as to the quality of the B & B.
B & B's will sometimes offer other services as well, depending on size and location. It's not unusual for a B & B to be booked for wedding accommodations, or for the use of their dining room for special dinners and receptions. If the grounds are particularly lovely they may even allow weddings to be performed in picturesque locations