'Bed and Breakfast' is a British term for a guest house which will offer accommodation and breakfast the next morning (but will not offer any other meals). B&B's are typically British, and their owners tend to pride themselves on high standards of service and their knowledge and passion of the surrounding area. Their rooms will be cosy and homely, and the guest can look forward to a traditional full English breakfast in the morning, consisting of bacon, sausage, egg, tomato and mushroom. Tourists have the choice of thousands of B&B's around the country, and can acquire a room quite cheaply.

Unfortunately, recent years have seen the British B&B struggle, having to compete with budget hotel chains that are on near enough every street corner. These chains have the power of the advertisement of their brand, and a lot of customers will opt for their services because they know what they'll be getting. This has become a powerful tool to budget chain hotels, but has hit the B&B industry hard. B&B's tend to be original and reflect the style of the owners. Unfortunately, this isn't what a huge chunk of the British public want. A 'what you see is what you get' culture has hit the UK hard over recent years, as we've seen with chain restaurants and smaller grocery stores - people now opt for chained restaurants and larger supermarkets. Companies who own more than one outlet eventually gain the money to be able to market their brand to the public, which independent businesses do not have as a luxury. These chain brands begin to become a symbol of trust, and many consumers will begin to steer clear of names they're not familiar with. This is where independent B&B's start to suffer.

It is a shame that tourists are missing out on the fantastic experiences that independent B&B's have to offer. Each B&B is unique and will reflect the personality of its owners. Most bed and breakfasts will have about five rooms, which means that its staff will be able to concentrate on customers on a more personal level, which is usually of a very high standard. Remember that the staff in B&B's are likely to be the business owners, and will therefore be more likely to excel in customer service as it is in their best interests. Another thing which tourists will miss out on is the value for money that many bed and breakfasts offer. They can be a little more expensive than the average chain hotel, but the standard of service and quality is far more likely to exceed that of the chain hotel. Next time you have the opportunity to see more of the UK, stay at an independent B&B and sample some true British culture.