Bed and Breakfast Businesses: Part 2

A couple of days ago, I wrote about Bed and Breakfasts as great businesses for baby boomers.

Bed and breakfasts have been around for a long time. They started out many years ago in the U.K, spread around the world. B&B’s might have been called ‘guest houses’ in earlier times. They are not really “inns” since most are in private homes. Almost all provide breakfast (hence the name), but no other meals.

My sister has stayed in B&B’s in Ireland and Australia, and she says they are a great way to meet local people and learn more about the country. She often tells about the charming woman in Kilvara, near Galway, Ireland, who ran a B&B that looked like it was right out of a movie.

A bed and breakfast is a wonderful way to experience an area or a country, talking to people who know the sights and most of whom are willing to talk to you. My husband and I were in a B&B in Portland, Oregon, for just one night. We were at breakfast alone and disappointed that we hadn’t met anyone interesting. Just as we were about to leave, another couple appeared. Turns out they were from New Zealand, and we spent a lovely hour talking to them about our countries, our discovery that their daughter and mine both were runners in college, and their recommendations on cruises and sightseeing in NZ. Now, where else could you find such fantastic, interesting discussions on a trip?

I don’t think I would have been comfortable staying in a B&B when I was in my 20s or 30s, but as a baby boomer, I’m comfortable with meeting new people and experiencing new things, and I’m not afraid to strike up a conversation with someone.

Have you stayed in a B&B? What kind of experiences (good and bad) did you have?

Don’t forget my “50 things to do at 50-something” contest - comment and put yourself in the running for a $30 book gift certificate. Final comments must be posted by June 20.

Image: B&B sign in West Cork, Ireland. Source: www.newscom.com