# Does England still have traditional bed and breakfasts?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-england-still-have-traditional-bed-and-breakfasts/560807>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 16, 2010, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-england-still-have-traditional-bed-and-breakfasts/560807 "2010-11-16T01:09:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![cantara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6f9a4e/32.png) [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-england-still-have-traditional-bed-and-breakfasts/560807/21 "2010-11-16T18:26:03Z")

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We were in England this summer and managed to find them easily enough.

There are Accomodation desks at tourist offices and rail stations that will arrange booking at local B&Bs. They will tell you the tarriff and you pay ~£5 to the booking agent and the B&B will take that amount off the rate.

Although 2 of the nicest ones we found were on the recommendation of a local innkeeper (that was fully booked) or pub owner (which belonged to the owner).

One of our favourites in the UK is on the north coast of Scotland at [Strathy Point](http://www.sharvedda.co.uk/). We stayed there just as she was starting her B&B around 1997. We’d gladly return. We were invited in to dine with her young family for breakfast. They were a delightful family.

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**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\
**Post date:** [November 16, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-england-still-have-traditional-bed-and-breakfasts/560807/22 "2010-11-16T20:10:54Z")

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> [@Ronald\_C.Semone](#):
>
> I can’t believe I wrote “bread” and not “bed”! I’m glad everyone knew what I was talking about.

Could have been worse: you didn’t type “bred.”

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**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-england-still-have-traditional-bed-and-breakfasts/560807/23 "2010-11-18T12:49:18Z")

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> [@grimpixie](#):
>
> Usually there will be a separate bathroom for the “paying guest” and a kettle in the room, but some B&B’s do invite you to share the lounge/living room with them…

some of my fondest memories of Scotland were the wonderful B&Bs I stayed at. I am so pleased that they are still around. Great times.

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**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\
**Post date:** [November 18, 2010, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-england-still-have-traditional-bed-and-breakfasts/560807/24 "2010-11-18T13:51:26Z")

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B&Bs are still everywhere, particularly in tourist spots.

For those less brave than the OP and don’t like the ‘pot luck’ approach, there’s a great guide to B&Bs published by [Alistair Sawday](http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Breakfast-Alastair-Sawdays-Special/dp/1906136025) - these are the pick of the best (NOT most expensive, by any means) and include the quaint and quirky. Some may drift into the ‘boutique hotel’ category, but many are traditional old two-room affairs.

We have a quite amusing reality show called ‘[3 in a Bed](http://www.channel4.com/4homes/on-tv/three-in-a-bed/)’, where three couples who own B&Bs take it in turns to stay at each other’s places and criticise the bed linen.

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