Have you asked yourself what is the difference between a B&B and a Guest House? Ever wondered how ratings in catering are done and how hotels get their stars? Why is it, that you sometimes get a better room in a B&B than in a hotel?
Here is a little guide to help you answer these questions:
Bed and Breakfast
Bed and Breakfasts are first and foremost private family houses which offer a room/rooms in their home. They are normally comfortable places for a reasonable price. At the moment you pay around €35 per night per person sharing. Breakfast is normally a more or less full Irish with individual specialities.
Most of the B&Bs now offer en-suite bedrooms, but you might find shared bathrooms in older houses. The original idea is that you are, for a short time, a guest of the family and welcomed into their private space. Families are allowed to open their house as a B&B without any licensing.
As B&Bs in Ireland have no rating, you will have to decide for yourself if you like it or not.
Bord Failte, the Irish Tourist Board has introduced some standards for B&Bs, which take the approved B&B away from the original concept, where you are guest of the family. Approved B&Bs are often run as proper (summer time) businesses, in which you will have your own breakfast room, your own lounge and so on. Usually Approved B&Bs are slightly more expensive, as getting the approval costs quite an amount of money per year, not mentioning the fire, safety and building regulations they have to comply with.