Difference between bed and breakfast and Airbnb

Are you wondering about the differences between bread & breakfast and AirBnB? If YES, here are the complete set of differences to note in 2023. If you are interested in renting short-term apartments, you might want to know the difference between bread & breakfast and Airbnb. Notably, Airbnb has been dominating the short-term rental space with its peer-to-peer model. On the other end, the B&B sector remains the “go-to” solution for shorter stays.

A good number of rental companies eager to capitalize on the short-term rental demand fill that space between Airbnb and traditional bread & breakfast. Sometimes called “managed apartments” or “apartment hotels,” these businesses put together the comfort, space, and convenience of having your apartment with the fully managed services offered by hotels.

These companies also let travelers book a private apartment in the same way they would book a hotel room. With a bread and breakfast apartment, travelers can easily settle into a well-furnished and serviced space that feels like it was specifically meant for them without battling another person’s knick-knacks or personal proclivities.

However, make no mistake about it, an Airbnb is not the same as a bed and breakfast. Although there are few similarities between a B&B and an Airbnb, there are also many differences. But for years hotels, motels and other accommodation sectors have stolen terms from the B&B industry.

Airbnb is particularly popular with travelers who require a place to stay whilst on holiday, which is why their closest competition is the bed and breakfast industry. However, to note the differences between the two, you will first have to understand the services they both offer.

Table of Content

• Bed & Breakfast
• Pros
• Cons
• Airbnb
• Pros
• Cons
  • Licensing and Inspections
  • Flexibility
  • Comfort
  • Meals
  • On-Site Staff

Bed & Breakfast

Bed and Breakfast are most often small properties that provide overnight accommodation and homemade breakfast. In most situations, they are private family homes, and the hosts themselves occupy some parts of the estate. For the most part, these accommodation units are built from charming old houses with a homey atmosphere.

Pros

• Delicious homemade Breakfast: Have it in mind that fresh breakfasts are always included in the price of the stay. In most situations, breakfast is enjoyed by all guests at the same time in a common area or in your room for an extra fee.
• Personalized experience: For individuals who may not like the impersonal nature of hotel rooms, a B&B stay is perfectly what you need since the innkeepers can always offer you friendly service and individualized suggestions.
• Activity options: A good number of inns offer a vast range of scheduled events each day, on the property or nearby attractions.
• Local insight: For individuals who intend to experience local life, a B&B more or less has a built-in tour guide to offer all the local insight that you appreciate when visiting a new place.
• Meeting new people: When leveraging an estate like a B&B you’ll have the enabling platform to connect with others, and depending on what you are looking for, this might be a pro or a con.

Cons

• Lack of Amenities: while a good number of B&B offers unique amenities, these establishments might lack the necessary and standard ones, which means you either have to be ready to compromise or book another option.
• Scheduled time: A good number of these establishments have a strict breakfast time and a well-noted lineup for the offered activities which cannot sit well with someone who doesn’t appreciate a schedule on holiday.
• Lack of privacy: If you aim to enjoy some time by yourself or you just want to stay in your group, the inn might not offer you the needed privacy.

Airbnb

Airbnb is a platform that strives to make travel more inclusive and accessible to everyone. They are known to steadily work towards achieving more for the millions of hosts and travelers that can list their space and book unique accommodations anywhere in the world. They verify personal profiles and listings while also maintaining a hitch-free communicating system for hosts and guests.

Pros

• Vast selection: Note that this platform provides a vast range of properties – apartments, houses, single rooms, suits, houseboats, and even castles.
• Free listings: Have it in mind that hosts are not expected to pay to promote their estate on Airbnb; the listing can include written descriptions, photographs with captions so that the guest can easily understand and find what they are looking for.
• Search specifications: Since Airbnb is a large platform, they provide numerous ways to search for properties such as type, amenities, language, price, etc.
• Other services: Owing to the company’s growth, they’ve grown their offerings to include experiences and restaurants to create a full circle.
• Price decisions: The platform doesn’t decide the price of each property, the host is tasked with that, and they can charge as much as they see fit per night, per week, or per month.
• Protection & safety: To enable ensure a hitch-free operation the platform holds the guest’s payment for 24 hours after check-in before releasing the funds to the host while having a Guarantee program that will see to property damages for owners.

Cons

• Extra Fees: Have it in mind that the platform mandates some extra fees for guests between 0% and 20%, to see to the customer support they offer, and for hosts 3% to 6% per reservation to cover processing costs.
• Damage: Note that if hosts experience property damage, the Guarantee program sometimes may not cover everything, and this is a con for hosts.
• Lack of trust: As with almost everything online, you can find some hosts that are not as honest as others, and that is why it is advisable to check out the reviews and the experience others have had.
• Legality: In some places, the law restricts you from renting out properties which means you may be expected to obtain certain permits.

Key Differences Between Bread & Breakfast and Airbnb

If you are looking to choose between a bed and breakfast and an Airbnb property, you need to realize the differences between these properties before booking a room. Nonetheless, here are key differences to note;

1. Licensing and Inspections

Note that B&B properties are expected to be licensed by the industry. Just like hotels, these establishments have strict rules to follow to maintain viability in the business. Insurance, inspections, and licensing are part of a well-established B&B. However, when you contact an Airbnb, you are contacting basic property owners who may not have any form of experience in the hospitality industry. Also, note that their property won’t be licensed or outfitted for guests.

Most often, you may not even know where the property is until the very last minute. But, a professional B&B provides you with all the necessary information before time so you know what to expect. Have it in mind that this licensing and inspection process is very necessary for guests to consider when making lodging plans as this affects all aspects of your lodging. These inspections and licenses warrant a clean and sanitary environment, which is of the utmost priority for these types of establishments.

1. Flexibility

Note that at a well-established professional B&B, flexibility is part of the offering. You can reserve a room for a single person, or bring the whole family to spread out. You can enjoy a suite of rooms that may even include a deck and also come with your pets. You can also meet with a friendly host who can inform you of available dates, the best time of the year to visit, and activities and day trips to keep you excited.

However, with an Airbnb, you may not necessarily see or know what the property looks like until you arrive. There is also a possibility that it won’t suit your needs. Some Airbnb’s may also have certain extremely restrictive conditions that might cause your trip to be less fun than it needs to be. You also have nobody to offer good recommendations or to help make your trip the best it could be.

1. Comfort

A well-established B&B creates a space that is all your own. An entire room with adequate closet space is waiting for you to leverage it as your temporary home. Meanwhile, when you land at an Airbnb, you more or less don’t know what to expect. Note that the closet might be full of the owner’s clothes with no place to keep your things for the time being.

Also, instead of being full, Airbnb may be completely stripped of its contents. You may arrive at an almost empty home with no amenities. Bed sheets may become an issue with countless other items to bother about. However, a traditional B&B cannot function in these conditions, and you won’t meet issues with these professionals in charge.

Also note that Airbnb can include either ancillary properties owned by individuals, or they can be rooms or entire houses that are occupied by the owners whenever they are not rented out. It simply entails that they may not be accommodating for a temporary visitor and can make your stay uncomfortable and/or tedious, especially if you don’t bring your own things.

But in a well-established B&B, you will find all of the necessities that every traveler is expected to need – such as toiletries, fresh towels, beverages, and more. Also, have it in mind that these accommodations ensure that you don’t have to overcarry for your stay while also offering a luxurious feel to the B&B.

1. Meals

At a B&B, property owners normally cook breakfast from scratch. In most situations, the property might have specialty food that attracts the guests. For some of these properties with attention to detail, afternoon snacks might also be available. In-room coffee and tea are quite possible, and of course, water is always available to make sure you and your traveling companions stay hydrated.

Note that B&B establishments were established as a lodging option for the night, but they also create an entire experience that involves a sumptuous and hearty breakfast the next day. Regardless of how long you stay, having a homemade breakfast can end up being the highlight of your trip.

Meanwhile, an Airbnb may or may not have food available in the refrigerator. Note that you only have yourself as the cook, and filling the kitchen might be first on the list as you arrive. This can be very tiring and an unwanted task especially on the first day of your long-awaited trip, and having to cook meals can take substantial time away from other activities during a vacation. Also note that some Airbnb’s may not even have their own kitchen, and you may have to share with other guests.

1. On-Site Staff

One of the primary differences between B&B and Airbnb is the on-site staff. At a B&B, hosts tend to greet you as you arrive. These hospitality experts will show you around the property so that you know what is available during the period of your stay. They will also escort you to your room, and allow you to explore the property otherwise.

In addition, you might also become friendly with the B&B staff if you enjoyed your stay, especially for those who don’t mind going out of their way to ensure you are comfortable and happy with your stay. However, Airbnb experiences are known to lack any form of customer-service flair. You just have to walk into a home that is more or less a rental.

Have it in mind that it is not a requirement that anyone shows you the property or the amenities, and most often you will just retrieve the key from a lockbox and show yourself in. Additionally, you will lack the warmth and hospitality offered at B&B’s establishments once you experience having to look after yourself in an Airbnb.

Conclusion

The major difference between a B&B and an Airbnb property comes down to traditional versus modern hospitality ideas. But although there are numerous benefits to staying in a B&B, some of the elements that most people would find attractive may be less exciting to a different kind of customer, that is where Airbnb becomes relevant owing to the vast range of options.