Bed and breakfasts have their origin in medieval times when house owners would often taken in a traveler for the night and provide him shelter for a nominal cost. Since cooking was a time consuming affair and catering to unexpected dinner guests was a problem, the traveler would, if he was experienced, carry his own food with him or go a nearby tavern in search of sustenance. Since there was enough time over night for breakfast to be prepared, the traveler was given this meal and sent on his way.
Over the centuries the concept of a bed and breakfast establishment under went many changes. As word of mouth spread the reputation of places with a comfortable bed and good food, house owners found more and more people asking for a night’s accommodation and soon started making special arrangements to meet the demand. As time passed it became a regular source of income and developed into a business. In time inns and then the hotel came into existence.
The bed and breakfast as we know it today came into existence in the UK after World War II. The country was experiencing an influx of visitors, both governmental who were involved in post war reconstruction and businessmen who wanted to restart or commence operation. With hotel accommodation limited (many had been destroyed in the war) people found that opening their homes to paying visitors was a good source of regular income. Form here, as prosperity returned, the concept spread to rural areas and holiday spots where a bed and breakfast offered a more personal and economical option to staying in a large hotel. Also many of the remoter places that tourists wanted to visit did not even have a hotel within reasonable distance. From the UK this idea spread all over the world and bed and breakfasts are an increasingly popular choice for many travelers who are looking for more personal experiences of the places they visited.
A bed and breakfast is accommodation offered in someone’s home. If the proprietor does not live on site, he will be living nearby and run his business personally. Rarely do bnb establishments have paid professional managers. The original modern bed and breakfasts offered just a clean private room with a common bathroom and dining area for the guests to have breakfast. Modern visitors’ demands mean that new accommodation usually have ensuite (or attached) bathrooms. Breakfasts are normally of a very high standard, being home made and usually use local ingredients. Depending of the guest’s preference, he can be as sociable with the owner, his family and other guests as he wants. If he prefers his privacy, that too will be accorded to him.
It is difficult to place a strict definition on what constitutes a B&B. Locations, facilities offered (above the basic bed and breakfast) architecture, interior décor etc all vary. All these depend on the targeted guests, the people running it and local conditions. B & B accommodation maybe found in everyday home, mansions, town houses, farms, ranches, castles, wilderness cabins, historic hotels, wayside inns and so on.
The adbed&breakfasts of a B&B are that the atmosphere is more personal with the owner taking a personal interest in the comfort of the guests and being able to provide them with first hand local knowledge that can add immensely to the quality of the trip.
This site has been designed to let you find the best b and b stays in your designated area within Australia. Enjoy!