Is there a difference in a B&B and a home-stay?

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JBloggs

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Can't any home be a B&B if you serve breakfast and allocate private areas for guest use?
 
I guess so, but to have a B & B designation, most probably have to have permit / local zoning permisison etc etc. The homestay I think of more as people doing it under the table and not reporting or paying taxes, or if legit, maybe only have one room they rent.
 
I guess so, but to have a B & B designation, most probably have to have permit / local zoning permisison etc etc. The homestay I think of more as people doing it under the table and not reporting or paying taxes, or if legit, maybe only have one room they rent..
But what if it is a legit B&B but just does not appear like one? It is in the "homey' range? I am speaking about one that is no different than any house owned by any aunt or uncle we have had, with recliners, worn out sofas, garage full of junk, no headboards on the beds - comforters tossed over the beds, etc. Yes, they serve breakfast, yes they are licensed as a B&B, but should they be more professional? or is it okay to just be a hack B&B?
A guy asked me to look at his website, so I did, and I gasped aloud! Cash only, minimal landscaping, just a house on a street, in a city. Oh and we cook breakfast for you...I cannot respond I am in shock right now. It screams HOMESTAY to me.
 
It's like smut, you know it when you see it but it's hard to define.
I would say it fits the 'homestay' category if you are sitting down in the family's own dining room and their own living room and eating and watching TV with them. If the common space for the guest is also the owner's own space. If there are kids and they are always around where the guests go. Basically if there is no separation between the host and the guest.
Oddly, we looked at B&B's that fit that description but that are too big to be a homestay. The innkeepers had a single room of their own, everything else was shared. But, you could see it wasn't really a 'home' it was a business. So a homestay also needs to be 'homelike' but lots of us have designed our common spaces to make the guest feel 'homey' and relaxed.
Places where there is too much interaction between host and guest- you've seen the reviews- 'Innkeeper followed us into the pool,' or, 'Innkeeper went kayaking with us,' 'Innkeeper sat on the deck with us while we were trying to have a quiet drink and conversation.'
Some people have really nice spare rooms that they have fitted out really well for 2-4 guests. Other people with a 'business' skimp on everything and you wonder why they bother.
I don't think having a license makes it a B&B. They may just need a license to rent rooms.
 
I guess so, but to have a B & B designation, most probably have to have permit / local zoning permisison etc etc. The homestay I think of more as people doing it under the table and not reporting or paying taxes, or if legit, maybe only have one room they rent..
But what if it is a legit B&B but just does not appear like one? It is in the "homey' range? I am speaking about one that is no different than any house owned by any aunt or uncle we have had, with recliners, worn out sofas, garage full of junk, no headboards on the beds - comforters tossed over the beds, etc. Yes, they serve breakfast, yes they are licensed as a B&B, but should they be more professional? or is it okay to just be a hack B&B?
A guy asked me to look at his website, so I did, and I gasped aloud! Cash only, minimal landscaping, just a house on a street, in a city. Oh and we cook breakfast for you...I cannot respond I am in shock right now. It screams HOMESTAY to me.
.
Oh then...they obviously need to be on hotel impossible!!!! Like Isaid, some people donot have a clue! Did you stay there?If so why? Only one intown?
 
Seems like most localities define them differently. Here, if you only have one room you are a homestay - no health inspections, but you can serve breakfast and you have to get a business license and collect/pay the appropriate taxes. I honestly don't get why they didn't require the health inspection.
There was a major event here back in the 1990s and everyone was opening up their spare bedroom!!
 
I guess so, but to have a B & B designation, most probably have to have permit / local zoning permisison etc etc. The homestay I think of more as people doing it under the table and not reporting or paying taxes, or if legit, maybe only have one room they rent..
But what if it is a legit B&B but just does not appear like one? It is in the "homey' range? I am speaking about one that is no different than any house owned by any aunt or uncle we have had, with recliners, worn out sofas, garage full of junk, no headboards on the beds - comforters tossed over the beds, etc. Yes, they serve breakfast, yes they are licensed as a B&B, but should they be more professional? or is it okay to just be a hack B&B?
A guy asked me to look at his website, so I did, and I gasped aloud! Cash only, minimal landscaping, just a house on a street, in a city. Oh and we cook breakfast for you...I cannot respond I am in shock right now. It screams HOMESTAY to me.
.
do not get me started on this - was watching 4 in a bed - program where 4 bb owners go and stay with each other and vote who is the best value for money. The couple that won was a seaside place and were nice enough but to be honest there is a lot of game playing and winning isn't as important as not making a twit of yourself and showing your place is nice to stay in.
This couple have a sea side bb and its very seasonal - admitted freely they had had a tough year and were hoping winning would help - probably would as they represented themselves well. Took a look at them just out of curiosity -
1- no online booking
2- cash only
3 - no 3rd party advertising ie late rooms .com, book ing .com or ex peidia which in this country are virtually mandatory
4- the outside of the building could do with a little tarting up as the rooms inside were really nice - ie loosing passing trade to other nearby properties as people will assume if the outside is tired the inside is to.
5- no blog, no facebook and no twitter
Literally one not amazing but not desparate web site and a listing with the AA and trip adviser - sorry but no wonder you arn't having a great year.
 
I guess so, but to have a B & B designation, most probably have to have permit / local zoning permisison etc etc. The homestay I think of more as people doing it under the table and not reporting or paying taxes, or if legit, maybe only have one room they rent..
But what if it is a legit B&B but just does not appear like one? It is in the "homey' range? I am speaking about one that is no different than any house owned by any aunt or uncle we have had, with recliners, worn out sofas, garage full of junk, no headboards on the beds - comforters tossed over the beds, etc. Yes, they serve breakfast, yes they are licensed as a B&B, but should they be more professional? or is it okay to just be a hack B&B?
A guy asked me to look at his website, so I did, and I gasped aloud! Cash only, minimal landscaping, just a house on a street, in a city. Oh and we cook breakfast for you...I cannot respond I am in shock right now. It screams HOMESTAY to me.
.
do not get me started on this - was watching 4 in a bed - program where 4 bb owners go and stay with each other and vote who is the best value for money. The couple that won was a seaside place and were nice enough but to be honest there is a lot of game playing and winning isn't as important as not making a twit of yourself and showing your place is nice to stay in.
This couple have a sea side bb and its very seasonal - admitted freely they had had a tough year and were hoping winning would help - probably would as they represented themselves well. Took a look at them just out of curiosity -
1- no online booking
2- cash only
3 - no 3rd party advertising ie late rooms .com, book ing .com or ex peidia which in this country are virtually mandatory
4- the outside of the building could do with a little tarting up as the rooms inside were really nice - ie loosing passing trade to other nearby properties as people will assume if the outside is tired the inside is to.
5- no blog, no facebook and no twitter
Literally one not amazing but not desparate web site and a listing with the AA and trip adviser - sorry but no wonder you arn't having a great year.
.
You would be surprised at how many people will resort to anything except for doing what needs to be done. For example goo.gl/YiZqK . It's so much easier to write a fake review than to actually take care of the property and improve the property. Problem is, the location is great and it's right accross from a hospital, so you should get family that wants to stay close.
I have noticed that there is always that person who wants to get every last dollar out of the property without putting a farthing in. They run down the property as they seek to squeeze money out of it. But they are making the hardest penny. And it all adds up in the end in the low price on selling. One of the universities around here has been buying distressed hotels, converting them to dorms... with marble bathrooms! All because the owners don't want to put money in keeping their property current.
But I do know of successful properties that don't have online booking (you have to call) (and no 3rd party bookings). There are quite a few in the country-side that are cash only as well. Wouldn't work here, but if you are the only place for 25km, it might.
 
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