Bed and Breakfast vs Hotel (best, rentals, hotels, vacation)

[PurpleLove08]

My girlfriend and I are considering a trip to Asheville this summer.
Being a big planner and all, I'm looking into hotels and bed and breakfasts right now trying to figure out who might give us the most bang for our buck.

What are some of the pros and cons of bed and breakfasts?
What are some of the pros and cons of staying in a chain hotel?

I like hotels that have kitchenettes because we can stay in and make our own meals. At a bed and breakfast, I would feel pretty awkward going through someone's kitchen trying to make a meal.

At the same time, we like supporting locally owned businesses so that's the BIG reason why I want to stay at a bed and breakfast.

[jlawrence01]

Bed and breakfasts are NOT my cup of tea and I avoid them like the plague. However, here are the advantages and disadvantages as I see them.

Advantages:
1) Unique lodging as no two are different.
2) Tend to be more homelike and less standard hotel.
3) Hosts will generally be able to steer you toward "must sees" in the area.
4) 1st rate operations will provide you with a unique experience.

Disadvantages:
1) Until you arrive, you NEVER know what you'll get. A historical B&B in Chadran was a bedroom above a smoky bar.
2) Often, you have to share a bathroom.
3) No standards.
4) Often you are staying at someone's home. They may be impressed by it, you may not be.
5) B&Bs often cannot accommodate your scheule.
6) Often, they are more expensive.

[azoria]

Believe it or not, in the US I like to stay in the old motel courts when I can find them. They're generally on the old state highways or sometimes, in less renovated older parts of town. They often have porches with chairs and grass and trees. Rooms and bathrooms are big and they can have kitchenettes. Usually pretty cheap. (can be a bit rundown, might want to carry a couple of extra light bulbs ).

B & B's tend to be pricey, small, and overdecorated in some 'historic' building run by owners who have umpteen policies and rules and who go to bed at 10 PM locking all the doors. Not a big fan.

Older smaller hotels are ok, I like them. Glitzy ones with atriums and glass elevators, and piano bars, and beauty spas--no.

Hate US chain highway motels. La Quinta, Motel 6, Red Roof Inn, HJ's, the lot. They're all wildly overpriced, small rooms and ugly, usually located on some godforsaken freeway off ramp.

Sometimes you can find weekly serviced apartments. Those are good too.

[professorsenator]

B&B's can be tough if you like to go out -- and return -- late.

If you have loud, raucous sex at a B&B you'll get looks from the owners in the morning. If you don't mind the looks, no big deal. If you LIKE the looks, then go for it! If you don't want looks, stay at the Hilton.

[PurpleLove08]

Originally Posted by professorsenator

B&B's can be tough if you like to go out -- and return -- late.

If you have loud, raucous sex at a B&B you'll get looks from the owners in the morning. If you don't mind the looks, no big deal. If you LIKE the looks, then go for it! If you don't want looks, stay at the Hilton.

That was my concern...looks from the owners and being worried about them hearing us should any "loud, raucous sex" occur.

The particular b&b we're looking at is owned by lesbians so we'll find SOMEWHAT more comfortable but...eh....

I definitely hate feeling like I'm on someone else's schedule when I'm on vacation. I like that at a hotel you can return whenever you want and feel like you're not making a bunch of noise.

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

Bed and breakfasts are NOT my cup of tea and I avoid them like the plague. However, here are the advantages and disadvantages as I see them.

Advantages:
1) Unique lodging as no two are different.
2) Tend to be more homelike and less standard hotel.
3) Hosts will generally be able to steer you toward "must sees" in the area.
4) 1st rate operations will provide you with a unique experience.

Disadvantages:
1) Until you arrive, you NEVER know what you'll get. A historical B&B in Chadran was a bedroom above a smoky bar.
2) Often, you have to share a bathroom.
3) No standards.
4) Often you are staying at someone's home. They may be impressed by it, you may not be.
5) B&Bs often cannot accommodate your scheule.
6) Often, they are more expensive.

The one we're looking at, they have a bathroom in every room which is nice.

[BlueWillowPlate]

B & B's can really vary.
I've stayed in quite a few; it seems like the prices began to rise in the 90's, and since then, we still occasionally use them, but not as much as before.

Most are quaint and friendly with good food, but as I said, some are indeed over-priced. Sometimes it is well worth it to stay in a b&b, other times a hotel is preferable.

For me the pros are the quaintness and the breakfast. If the hosts who run it are pleasant, so much the better.

About ten years ago there was a movie called Flirting With Disaster that had some great scenes that made fun of bed and breakfasts.

[mdlee3]

I have very limited experiences with B&Bs, but a lot with hotels.

B&Bs:

I've only stayed at 2. One was clearly over-priced and we stayed their out of convenience. A convention or something was going on in town and all the decent hotels were all booked. The other one was pretty fair in terms of price, but the hosts were kind of rude. They were the type that would lock the doors at 9-10pm and then on top of that, if you weren't at the table when breakfast was being served, forget about eating there.

Hotels:

Wow! It seems like I'm in a hotel at least once a month. Some are the highway chain variety and some of them are the nicer places. In my opinion, all hotels have become over-priced, but I still prefer them to the B&Bs. Generally speaking, you'll deal with nicer people. Even if you find a rude one, you'll still have other people to complain to if you're patient about it. I go on vacation to be schedule free. The only schedule I want to be stuck with is the scheduling of the trip there and back. For this, hotels are definitely the best as you can come and go as you please, even if it's 4am, and won't be bothering anybody unless you're just obnoxiously loud as you walk to your room. On top of that, I've met some great people at hotels. People that have been all over the world and have some great stories to tell. In my job, it's always good to have connections so the hotels are good for my networking.

[BergenCountyJohnny]

Originally Posted by PurpleLove08

My girlfriend and I are considering a trip to Asheville this summer.
Being a big planner and all, I'm looking into hotels and bed and breakfasts right now trying to figure out who might give us the most bang for our buck.

What are some of the pros and cons of bed and breakfasts?
What are some of the pros and cons of staying in a chain hotel?

I like hotels that have kitchenettes because we can stay in and make our own meals. At a bed and breakfast, I would feel pretty awkward going through someone's kitchen trying to make a meal.

At the same time, we like supporting locally owned businesses so that's the BIG reason why I want to stay at a bed and breakfast.

A hotel is where a man brings his woman. A bed & breakfast is where a woman brings her man.

[njkate]

Not really fond of B&B's for all the cons already stated.

Also after a few days hotels wear me out so lately if we plan on being gone for a full week we use VRBO...we just booked a neat little two bedroon 1 block from beach when we go to San Diego ..this has worked for us for many reasons

1. Most have in unit washer & dryer...cuts down on the luggage just throw a load in before I go to bed & then in the dryer in the AM
2. Most have WiFi connections
3. All have fully stocked kitchens..eating 3 meals out for 7 days gets old real fast.
4. many like the one we are renting..have toys, ie bikes, kayaks, hot tubs,barbeque grills.. etc.. some have pools etc
5. some if you need it are pet friendly

Link if you're interested
VRBO® is Vacation Rentals By Owner