We all could do with some spring cheer, this week is B&B Week, 18-24 March, the national initiative championing the £2billion contribution B&B’s make to the UK economy and the 21st century benefits B&B’s bring guests.
B&Bs recently have reinvented themselves, bringing new levels of comfort, service and unexpected extras, that sees them regularly outscore larger establishments.
Andy Banner-Price is one of the world’s top accommodation providers, running multi-award-winning B&Bs who with husband Julian, in 2019 has won TripAdvisor’s most enviable global award, ‘The World’s Best B&B’ for ‘The 25 Boutique B&B’ in Torquay.
Celebrating this week’s #BandB Week, Andy highlights how B&B’s have evolved, why booking direct is best and how all of us could do with a special break right now.
‘Bed and Breakfasts no longer are all frilly and flowers, instead they’re now funky and fashionable.
Some people have never stayed in a B&B, or haven’t tried them since they were a child and visited Blackpool, Margate or Weymouth in the seventies. In those days, it was likely to be a small converted terraced house. The landlady often would wait up to let you in so she could lock up for the night and you had the obligatory greasy fry up for breakfast, bathroom facilities might have been shared, bacon rashers counted and there were no great comforts.
People’s homes have moved on since then and B&Bs have also moved with the times. Many B&Bs now offer better facilities than hotels and many will offer better value for money too. Take ‘The 25’ in Torquay for example – rooms are large and airy with stylish décor and fabulous en-suites. They have all mod-cons with Smart TVs, movies on demand, Nespresso coffee makers, Amazon Echo’s and air-conditioning.
B&Bs are unsung UK heroes, they’re big business and contribute £2 billion to our economy every year.
As well as a key UK economic driver, the UK’s modern-day B&B’s delight guests with the extra touches and personalised nature of the stays; choosing a quality rated establishment by The AA or Visit England ensures all legal, safety and overall cleanliness standards are met.
Booking direct gives the very best deal and builds the connection for a special stay.
If consumers use a third-party website listing lots of accommodation in an area, they will usually be charging the B&B a commission for each booking it passes to them. Cutting out the middle man and going direct, means the B&B will usually offer, not just a discount, but excellent added extras you can’t get booking via someone else.
Treating guests is what we strive to deliver with every stay; at ‘The 25’ we have a VIP Guest programme, offering not only a 5% discount on room prices, as well as a complimentary minibar and late checkout to please and delight our returning guests.
2019 is the ideal time to take a ‘staycation’ in the UK. Why worry about borders and passports with the dreaded ‘B’ word when there’s so many fantastic places to discover on your doorstep.
In the time it might take you to drive to the airport, you could already be settled into a fabulous UK B&B enjoying homemade cake and a complimentary drink.
As a nation, we all could do with a special break, so why not book a weekend away this week and show your support for small businesses during National B&B Week.’
The World’s Best B&B
Torquay’s hidden gem, ‘The 25 Boutique B&B’ was named the World’s Best B&B in January 2019, crowned by TripAdvisor’s Travellers’ Choice Awards; TripAdvisor’s most prestigious award.
This world-leading B&B, nestled at the heart of the English Rivera, scooped the no.1 position after TripAdvisor’s 5-star reviews were amalgamated on a worldwide basis according to TripAdvisor’s global algorithm.
Travellers’ Choice awards take into account the quality and quantity of traveller reviews and opinions specific to each award category; the hallmarks of Travellers’ Choice winners are remarkable service, quality and value.
‘The 25 Boutique B&B’ was opened under four years ago by hands-on married owners, Andy and Julian Banner-Price; in that time, as well as becoming The World’s Best B&B, the talented duo have won a staggering array of awards and achievements.
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