Hotels FAQ

Question:

Do B&Bs in Great Britain advertise along the roads? Planning to spend a week in August driving around and would like to retain as much flexibility in travel and accommodations as possible. On trips in the continent, we have always relied on roadside signs, window signs etc for "zimmer frie" etc. and wonder if it is the same in GB.  Prefer to stay away from big population centers. Are local pubs a good source of information for overnight lodging? Bob

Response:

> Do B&Bs in Great Britain advertise along the roads?

Many of them do, not all. They also often have a method to indicate Vacancies / No vacancies. > Are local pubs a good source of information for overnight lodging?

Yes, besides at the countryside many of them provide some lodging, too. Also many tourist information centres have booklets about the lodging possibilities of the area. I just received a (free) booklet for Snowdonia, Wales. I ordered it from http://www.visitwales.com there is also http://www.visitbritain.com which I have often found useful. HTH, Elena

Response:

>Do B&Bs in Great Britain advertise along the roads? >Planning to spend a week in August driving around and would like to retain as >much flexibility in travel and accommodations as possible. >On trips in the continent, we have always relied on roadside signs, window >signs etc for "zimmer frie" etc. and wonder if it is the same in GB.  Prefer to >stay away from big population centers.

Yes, they will generally put a sign up if in front of the house (not "along the roads" in the middle of nowhere like billboards, if that’s what you’re looking for!). Note that in the bigger cities in GB you can also sometimes find B&B booking help in rail stations. A truly cool book: The World Is Already Yours Conscious living in the real world www.alreadyyours.com (sample chapter, etc…)

Response:

just received a (free) booklet for Snowdonia, Wales. I ordered it from >http://www.visitwales.com >there is also >http://www.visitbritain.com >which I have often found useful. >HTH, >Elena

I agree but as the B&Bs on these sites are all inspected and recommended they often get booked up early. It is wise to book a couple of days ahead if you have have a planned journey. I often receive calls at 4.00pm or later on the day folks wish to stay (usually their first night out of Heathrow or last night before returning to their homeland from Heathrow) and by then I’m fully booked! DC http://freespace.virgin.net/david.cantwell – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text –

Response:

> Do B&Bs in Great Britain advertise along the roads? > Planning to spend a week in August driving around and would like to > retain as much flexibility in travel and accommodations as possible. > On trips in the continent, we have always relied on roadside signs, > window signs etc for "zimmer frie" etc. and wonder if it is the same in > GB.  Prefer to stay away from big population centers. > Are local pubs a good source of information for overnight lodging? > Bob

If you want flexibility then just decide where you want to stay overnight by about 4pm. Go to the nearest Tourist Office (most small towns/large villages have one) and they will probably fix up a room for you. You will normally have to pay a small deposit which will be deducted off your bill at the B&B. As Elena says, many country inns have letting rooms. Farmhouse B&B are becoming common and offer very good value for money. They will be clearly signed. — BMW R1150GS Previous bikes CBR6FX, TDM850, VFR750FR & FJ, NX650, GS125ES

Response:

>many country inns have letting rooms.

  Please note that inns in the UK are not like "inns" in the USA. Our inns are public houses. M —

Response:

> Do B&Bs in Great Britain advertise along the roads?

In general, yes. To my mind, the best accommodation for the trip you have in mind will be found in country (or small-town) pubs, inns etc where accommodation is generally clean but basic and economically priced, food is good and cheap and the general atmosphere far better than in a B&B or hotel. — Regards, Vince Truck Driving In Russia- www.coventon.co.uk

Response:

I also agree with this except for the cheap food (although it is good). I’m yet to see cheap food in the uk. I find food prices there to be an astonishing rip off compared to the rest of Europe, North America or Australia… and I have no idea why? does anyone, as I’d really like to know. John.

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Do B&Bs in Great Britain advertise along the roads? > In general, yes. To my mind, the best accommodation for the trip you have in > mind will be found in country (or small-town) pubs, inns etc where > accommodation is generally clean but basic and economically priced, food is > good and cheap and the general atmosphere far better than in a B&B or hotel. > — > Regards, > Vince > Truck Driving In Russia- www.coventon.co.uk

Response:

> I also agree with this except for the cheap food (although it is good).

OK, to clarify, I mean pub food is cheap, relative to restaurant food. It is true that "eating out" is relatively expensive here. The reasons are that property is expensive to buy or lease in the UK, and business taxes are high (and the restaraurant owners have to find this money from somewhere) but mainly, I guess, because we don`t have a tradition of eating out in the UK. Our social scene revolves around drinking, rather than eating. Is this a good thing? Dunno. But I have yet to visit a bar or restaurant anywhere in the world which has the atmosphere of the British pub, and I am sure that many visitors would agree that a visit to the pub is a "must-do" on a visit here. As a guide to the OP though, you will pay