Would you stay at a B&B...

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

...that served kosher meals, or vegetarian meals, or vegan, or gluten free only meals?
Would it impact your stay or prevent you from making a booking?
Second, what do YOU expect to find for breakfast when YOU stay at a B&B? What if the website did not specify? Would you book a room and hope for the best?

 

[EmptyNest]

No I would not stay at a B & B that ONLY catered to SPECIAL DIETS. I do not want to eat their foods. I would NOT book a room with them.
I want a "normal" breakfast. Sweet or savory...doesn't matter...typcial would be uuice, fruit dish of some type, egg dish, some type of meat hopefully sausage, and some type of pastry or quick bread.
I would hope that the website would provide some "sample" menus. If what I normally would like to eat, then I may book it.
If I have questions, I would not hesitate to contact the innkeeper BEFORE booking.
Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

 

[Don Draper]

I would not hesitate to book at such a B&B if it was somewhere I wanted to stay anyway, because I love to try new things (and let's face it, any meal that someone other than me has prepared I am willing to eat!). But I wouldn't book there BECAUSE they offered those menus.
Prior to owning a B&B, when we would stay at them I would expect a plated breakfast, cook's choice. We traveled extensively when I was practicing a vegetarian diet, and I would try to make prior arrangements for meat free, but I was pretty laid back about just leaving meat on the plate and even picking around it in a casserole if it was there. It seems like most B&B websites DON"T specify much about breakfast. I guess we book for the room/location of the Inn, and the breakfast is sort of a bonus.
Our most bizarre experience, the innkeeper served us an apple dumpling with vanilla ice cream for breakfast...that's it! Even though we love both it was too early for something so sweet, so we made some excuses about needing to get on the road and headed for the diner on the corner! Mind you, the innkeeper had greeted us the day before in her bathrobe, fuzzy bunny slippers, and hair curlers (at 3 pm!) so by this point we didn't blink an eye.

 

[Morticia]

Here's the assumption I would make if the B&B specified they only served those foods/used certain cooking methods (as you listed them)- if that's all they serve, it's gonna be a really good example of how to do that. We all know I don't require meat (pork) at breakfast so vegetarian, vegan or kosher would be fine. Gluten free wouldn't be a bother, either because I know a chef who regularly does a GF lunch with desserts and it's very good.
If there was NO indication of what kind of breakfast was served, I would then assume it would be 'breakfast' foods that are normally associated with breakfast in this country (or whatever the country is the B&B is in).
So: eggs in some fashion, muffins/bread, cereal, fruit, pancakes, FT, crepes or similar, some sort of pork (and I'd hope for bacon!). Juice, coffee, tea.
Unlike the meal I got at a B&B in MA a long time ago...help yourself granola and yogurt and fruit salad out of a can. I was expecting FOOD for the price we paid.

 

[gillumhouse]

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that.

 

[Morticia]

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that..

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that.

I KNEW you would do that which is why in the other thread I said 'some of us would'!

Frankly, I still expect the B&B breakfast to be waaaaaaaaay better than anything the buffet at the hotel can dish up. Even if can make it myself. I've never even considered that a hotel breakfast could come close. Exceptions being VERY high end hotels.

 

[gillumhouse]

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that..

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that.

I KNEW you would do that which is why in the other thread I said 'some of us would'!

Frankly, I still expect the B&B breakfast to be waaaaaaaaay better than anything the buffet at the hotel can dish up. Even if can make it myself. I've never even considered that a hotel breakfast could come close. Exceptions being VERY high end hotels.
.

Yeah, I guess I am predictable.

 

[Morticia]

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that..

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that.

I KNEW you would do that which is why in the other thread I said 'some of us would'!

Frankly, I still expect the B&B breakfast to be waaaaaaaaay better than anything the buffet at the hotel can dish up. Even if can make it myself. I've never even considered that a hotel breakfast could come close. Exceptions being VERY high end hotels.
.

Yeah, I guess I am predictable.
.

Yeah, I guess I am predictable.

Ha, ha. Not that, we've just been hanging around together for awhile...

 

[gillumhouse]

Unless there was no where else to stay, I would probably not stay at a "only serve" B & B. What I expect is a good breakfast. If I know up front it is continental there had best be some super fantastic sweet rolls and great breads, juice and good coffee. If no mention about breakfast, I think I would ask when reserving or expect at a minimum juice, entree, and coffee.
In the 80s we stayed at a B & B that had juice, coffee, a couple boxes of cereal to choose from and milk for the cereal. I do not remember if there were sweet rolls. This was fine with us because we knew from the price it was not going to be gourmet ($25 plus tax per room with shared bath). We paid $68 per in Vermont, expected a full breakfast and got 1 egg to feed 4 people (paid in advance)! Remember, I did not get to be fat by missing breakfast - I do love a GOOD breakfast.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

I guess we book for the room/location of the Inn, and the breakfast is sort of a bonus.
We had a whole discussion on selling your second B on our old forum. I think it is beneficial to get those taste buds watering to get them to book a room over the next guy.
I think most of us WANT to have nice breakfast pics on our websites, but don't want to be chokeholded by them. Like those who see diff room pics, well dang we can't update them every time we switch out a quilt or replace a chair that a guest broke.
Good "food for thought" tho about the OTHER B being highlighted on the forum. Esp when your guests leave and tell you they just had the best breakfast.

 

[inncogneeto]

If they served a breakfast with high butter and sugar content,whole wheat, chocolate, bacon burnt to a crisp, coffee served with the mug half full of full fat flavored creamer...
maybe.

oh, and the option of a cheeseburger and a martini.

 

[Proud Texan]

I would think that the percentage of special diet needs is so small, that it's not cost effective to try and feed the infirmed masses. Serve a GOOD breakfast and the world will beat a path to your door. Serve yucky gluten-sugar-fat-egg (taste) free dishes they'll stay away in droves.
It's noble to try to accommodate these individuals, but where does it say that of all the cafes, restaurants, hotels in the world that serve food that ONLY B&Bs should serve food to accommodate special needs? Can you tell that this is a pet peeve of mine?

 

[gillumhouse]

I would think that the percentage of special diet needs is so small, that it's not cost effective to try and feed the infirmed masses. Serve a GOOD breakfast and the world will beat a path to your door. Serve yucky gluten-sugar-fat-egg (taste) free dishes they'll stay away in droves.
It's noble to try to accommodate these individuals, but where does it say that of all the cafes, restaurants, hotels in the world that serve food that ONLY B&Bs should serve food to accommodate special needs? Can you tell that this is a pet peeve of mine?.

Not every B & B does accommodate special diet needs. That is why those that DO post it on their web sites. But the hotels and restaurants are starting to "get it" and are offering to try to meet needs. They are no longer take it or leave it. They now have heart healthy, low-sodium, etc selections on the menu. They are trying. I try harder.

 

[YellowSocks]

It would depend on my other choices. If there were two comparable B&B's in the area I was traveling to I'd probably pick the other one.
As far as what I want, as long as there's some kind of food, coffee for dh, something non-coffee for me, I'm pretty easy. I'd book and hope for the best. But if there were two B&B's in the area, I'd go to the one that had the breakfast spelled out. Or I'd call and ask what they typically serve.
=)
Kk.

 

[trishany]

Yes, would impact my stay and prevent me from booking.
Your second question: eggs over easy with buttered toast.

 

[egoodell]

Nope would not stay, unless it was low fat and a B&B that was in an area where we could hike and do outdoorsy things - in effect a place to lose weight but it would have to be delicious.
Otherwise, we at our B&B feel that since you are paying (no matter where it's not cheap) to go away it's something special. And we try to provide a breakfast that is what our guests don't have the time to do for themselves.
So we have local ingredients, as much organic and farm fresh as possible.
One day sweet, one day savory. Start with special fruit dish and then entree that always has meat on the side.
We have been noticing, though, that people don't like hollandiase much these days. We are now asking at check-in so we don't waste the butter and eggs. And it's over herb scrambled eggs with meat on the side, so it's not that we are serving poached eggs. We've found most don't like poached eggs with the yolks runny.
Riki

 

[greyswan]

DH stayed at a Bed and 'Fridge in the DC area some years ago... the innkeeper lived off sight and told DH to just help himself to whatever's in the 'fridge - that was the oddest place he's ever stayed.

 

[EmptyNest]

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that..

Honestly..these days..the breakfast buffet at Hampton Inn or the Belgian Waffles I can make myself at some of the other places....are just fine with me

Therein lies the problem. If people are willing to settle for the breakfasts the motels are offering now and call them good enough, we are doomed. Why knock ourselves out to do a wonderful breakfast if the Hampton and the cook your own waffles are good enough.
The reason I will continue to keep the gluten-free ingredients on hand and bend over backwards to accommodate special diet needs is that THAT is what sets me apart from the chain sleep warehouse boxes.
I can only hope that people will continue wanting something better than that.

I KNEW you would do that which is why in the other thread I said 'some of us would'!

Frankly, I still expect the B&B breakfast to be waaaaaaaaay better than anything the buffet at the hotel can dish up. Even if can make it myself. I've never even considered that a hotel breakfast could come close. Exceptions being VERY high end hotels.
.

Oh Of course I expect a B & B breakfast to be waaaaay better. But honestly, there are times when we travel now..
I want to eat when I want to eat, without having conversations with anyone. So mostly bypass B & B's right now....sorry:-(

 

[gillumhouse]

Nope would not stay, unless it was low fat and a B&B that was in an area where we could hike and do outdoorsy things - in effect a place to lose weight but it would have to be delicious.
Otherwise, we at our B&B feel that since you are paying (no matter where it's not cheap) to go away it's something special. And we try to provide a breakfast that is what our guests don't have the time to do for themselves.
So we have local ingredients, as much organic and farm fresh as possible.
One day sweet, one day savory. Start with special fruit dish and then entree that always has meat on the side.
We have been noticing, though, that people don't like hollandiase much these days. We are now asking at check-in so we don't waste the butter and eggs. And it's over herb scrambled eggs with meat on the side, so it's not that we are serving poached eggs. We've found most don't like poached eggs with the yolks runny.
Riki.

And we try to provide a breakfast that is what our guests don't have the time to do for themselves.
Exactly. That is why my non-citric juice is never grape or apple and is rarely cranberry. These are the juices they will have at home. I do blueberry-pomegranite, paypaya nectar, just black cherry, balck currant nectar, just blueberry........ These are more expensive, but they are not the sameold/dame old.
Same with the entrees - how many people make bread pudding any more? or English muffin bread fresh from the oven? or have mango or pomegranite in the fruit dish?

 

[egoodell]

Nope would not stay, unless it was low fat and a B&B that was in an area where we could hike and do outdoorsy things - in effect a place to lose weight but it would have to be delicious.
Otherwise, we at our B&B feel that since you are paying (no matter where it's not cheap) to go away it's something special. And we try to provide a breakfast that is what our guests don't have the time to do for themselves.
So we have local ingredients, as much organic and farm fresh as possible.
One day sweet, one day savory. Start with special fruit dish and then entree that always has meat on the side.
We have been noticing, though, that people don't like hollandiase much these days. We are now asking at check-in so we don't waste the butter and eggs. And it's over herb scrambled eggs with meat on the side, so it's not that we are serving poached eggs. We've found most don't like poached eggs with the yolks runny.
Riki.

And we try to provide a breakfast that is what our guests don't have the time to do for themselves.
Exactly. That is why my non-citric juice is never grape or apple and is rarely cranberry. These are the juices they will have at home. I do blueberry-pomegranite, paypaya nectar, just black cherry, balck currant nectar, just blueberry........ These are more expensive, but they are not the sameold/dame old.
Same with the entrees - how many people make bread pudding any more? or English muffin bread fresh from the oven? or have mango or pomegranite in the fruit dish?
.

And I plan to try your English Muffin Bread very soon since I know it will be a hit!
Riki