The Great British B&B
02 April 2004
2004 edition of The Good Bed & Breakfast Guide says the industry is thriving.
Gone are the days when a stay at a bed and breakfast meant just that, a place to sleep and a quick meal in the morning says the 10th edition of The Good Bed & Breakfast Guide 2004 (published, 2 April 2004). These days an increasing number of B&Bs; are not only offering luxury breakfasts; they're also adding touches such as freshly cut flowers and in some cases hot tubs and Jacuzzis - not to mention a complimentary night cap to round things off. With more places providing accommodation of a standard good enough to rival some of the better hotels, the B&B; industry in the UK, says the Guide, is thriving.
And, it's not just luxury on offer. An increasing number of B&Bs; are putting the needs of their customers first whether providing transport to and from the station or asking in advance about special dietary needs. Virtually extinct are the unfriendly owners no one sees until it's time to leave and pay up. Nowadays the average B&B; caters for all things great and small - in some cases that includes dogs and playrooms for children as well as large gardens for strolling and napping, nature trails and farmyard walks.
Elsie Dillard, editor of The Good Bed & Breakfast Guide 2004, said:
"B&B; owners are getting better and better at what they do. They understand the importance of the small touches which go a long way to making a stay extra special."
Also inside the 2004 edition of The Good Bed & Breakfast Guide are the Editor's Top 20 B&Bs.; Of her choice, editor Elsie Dillard said:
"Each of the B&Bs; chosen has something special, such as a particularly beautiful and intriguing house, a striking setting or wonderful meals.
"The main ingredient in each case is a host or hosts who are willing to do that little extra to make a stay with them especially enjoyable."
EDITOR'S TOP 20
For each new edition of the Guide the editor chooses her top 20 favourites, basing the selection partly on first-hand knowledge of these B&Bs;, and partly in response to feedback from readers since publication of the last edition.
LONDON
Harlingford Hotel, London WC1
ENGLAND
Degembris Farmhouse, St Newlyn East, Cornwall
The Knoll, Lakeside, Windermere, Cumbria
Boston House, Windermere, Cumbria
Underleigh House, Hope, Derbyshire
Watermeadow House, Hooke, Dorset
Number 34, Barnard Castle, Co Durham
Old Manse, Colchester, Essex
Harbourside Hotel, Folkestone, Kent
Upper Farm, Clapton-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire
West End Guest House, Richmond, North Yorkshire
Glenander House, Bamburgh, Northumberland
Dockers Barn Farm, Pillerton Hersey, Warwickshire
Lumb Beck Farmhouse, Addingham, West Yorkshire
Mizzards Farm, Rogate, West Sussex
SCOTLAND
Edenwater House, Ednam, Borders
Ninewells Farmhouse, Newburgh, Fife
WALES
The Ferns, Betws-y-coed, Conwy
Plas Llanmihangel, Cowbridge, Llanmihangel, Vale of Glamorgan
ISLE OF MAN
Beach Croft, Port St Mary
