Post by High Priestess on Sept 25, 2015 17:21:13 GMT
Airbnb or B&B
This is probably a stupid question but what is the difference between a private room in a house where a breakfast is included and a Bed and Breakfast ?
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Legally? Often a B&B is 3 rooms or more.
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Thank-you J. I don't mean legally but regarding airbnb. Some places with only one or two rooms call themselves bed and breakfasts, so guests looking for places where breakfast is provided could use this in the search engine.
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OH. Hmmm. Is that one of the dropdown filters? I thought we only had 3 choices to make -- Private Room, Shared Room, and whole House or some such. And then I guess a "Breakfast Provided" filter.
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Underneath the price range there is More filters. This leads to 5 sub titles: Size, Options (instant book and super host), Neighborhoods, Amenities and Property Type. B&B can be found in the last one.
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In order to be a B&B, some states require a specific set of licenses and approvals including food safety. Be careful when (email hidden) on Airbnb - some are registered B&Bs that use Airbnb as just another listing vehicle and list only 1 or 2 rooms, some are private homes using the title without any official designation behind it at all.
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Yes, I see alot that seem to be private homes using the title, so was asking if should do the same in order not to loose guests looking for breakfast included.
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On my work I had folloing defintion of B&B:
B&B
- Offers overnight accommodation & breakfast
- Typically private homes with fewer than 10 rooms available for commercial use
- Rooms generally have ensuite facilities although in some countries shared bathrooms are common
- Usually the owners prepare the breakfast or meals and clean the rooms
- Tends to be (but not always) priced cheaper than ‘hotels’, but not as cheap as ‘hostels’
- In the US many B&B try to create a historical ambiance, with old properties turned into decorated with antique furniture
Maybe it helps!
E.g. in Germany, as Queene & Ted wrote, there are many legal requeiremnts for B&B, so, please, check your local laws.
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Thank you, I shall have to check french legal requiements.
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You are welcome :-) I checked the "List your space" now, they say: "You rent out several rooms within an establishment. Your service includes breakfast". So, If you have several rooms, where you rent out every one of them as distinct entity and you offers a breakfast for every guests, so, you would be a B&B. I think, it suits to your lovely and fascinating two listings. If I visit France, you would be my host! So, I keep my finger crossed that it will be easy for you!
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I offer private rooms in my home. I make it clear that we are NOT a B&B because, at least here in New England, that comes with a set of expectations that we are not going to meet. I think it's always better to under-promise and over-deliver than vice versa.
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That's exactly what I was thinking and the reason I didn't want to be a B&B. Already alot of people seem to confuse airbnb with hotels so claiming we are a bed and breakfast ( even if to all intents and purposes we are) will definately cause confusion.
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I seem to get new to Airbnb folks inquiring about my Casita and they see the name Airbnb and they question me if breakfast is provided. With my listing it is not. I did have a guest ask about breakfast at check in so I have mentioned it in my "Other things to Note" part in my listing. It says "We do not serve breakfast. I know the name of the company is Airbnb but were not a BNB." Just to make it clear.
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Sometimes the difference between an Airbnb offering breakfast, and a Bed and Breakfast, is mostly one involving government regulations. For instance, to be a standard B&B you often need a permit, and to get one can be expensive (costing more than many hosts make in one year of hosting) -- but cities aren't requiring such permits for those doing Airbnb hosting.
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Not in Germany, and I think it also in EU in general. It doesn't matter wether you list your service on Airbnb or somewhere else. It is just enough you start to offer the services.
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So are you saying that in Germany and the EU, to be an Airbnb host is quite similar or the same as doing an official B&B? Or do you mean, that you don't need a permit to do a regular Bed and Breakfast in EU? Indeed I was referring to situations in the USA, which is what I am more familiar with. I dont' know the EU situation....
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Hi Deborah, I don't know what you exactly mean with "doing official" :-) I hope, we are not talking past each other :-) So, in Bavaria /Germany even if I rent out only shared room, I HAVE to register it in the municipality. It is not complecated and for free, but I have to do it. It doesn't matter, If I rent out only through airbnb or have my own home page or give listing in the new paper or only word-of-mouth-advertising. Not doing so, I'm acting illegal. Furthermore, due to reporting obligation ("Gesetz der Meldewesen") every host has to engage guests to fill in the registration form with their adress, names, birthdays and so on. Not doing so, the host could get into huge trouble with police. In some municipalities (so in our) it is also duty to collect the visitor tax from every guest (except children under 3 years) and lead it away to municipality. If I offer other services in addition to renting out, such as breakfast, I HAVE to carry out a busines registration. It is not very epensive, it is just could be not so simple. In most cases, if you are very small, you could get examption of business registration itself. But, as Queenie & Ted wrote, the other requirments just could be staying. E.g. I know form our B&B nighbours that since pair of month they had to have an extra card for their breakfast with indication of all possible allergen could be in your food. This requiremnts its based on EU Directive. The authorities also send undercovers who checking this. Sure, if you are very small, they wouldn't verify you so exactly, if you're offering B&B or not. You can have luck. But im case of the guest intoxication or bad allergy if could become very angry and very expensive in the blink of an eye.
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I used to have breakfast included but not anymore. I have coffee or tea available. And if I feel like offering more I will. But, too many people had dietary problems and were too picky on their breakfast choices. I would go out and buy a whole bunch of stuff only to have guest say "Oh, I cant eat that."
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You seem to have been unlucky with your guests regarding breakfast. It's frustrating after you made the effort only to receive picky comments. I have been more lucky and thank goodness because for me it's one of my favorite parts of hosting. I offer alot of choice,make the bread ,brioche and jam,press the oranges, flip the pancakes and use the fruit, nuts and eggs from our garden. and generally tinker about so the table looks good. There is no waste as whatever the guests don't eat , we finish.