Staying at a bed and breakfast inn offers an experience well beyond your typical travel accommodation. A night's accommodation at a bed and breakfast provides you with the extra added value frequently sought by travelers as they seek a holiday accommodation or a family vacation accommodation. If you have not yet had the pleasure of spending the night in a B&B, allow us to offer a few comments on how the guests and innkeepers might expect to interact with one another for the best possible overnight accommodation experience. We look forward to hosting you and your family on your next trip to North Carolina!

How do you choose the B&B that is right for you? Ask the innkeeper questions before you decide. All innkeepers will gladly answer your questions by phone and send you their own brochure.

• Are there resident pets? Dogs and cats are not uncommon.
• Bed size? Can you only sleep on a queen, or need twins?
• Are non-smoking (or smoking) rooms available? Does the B&B have a smoke free environment?
• Are reservations required in advance?
• What are the Inn policies regarding: Cancellation, breakfast, check-in/check-out times, room payment, guest pets, minimum stay?

Some NCBBI Members are NOT open year 'round. Rates may vary by season or change without notice. Please consult the B&B of your choice in advance.

North Carolina Bed and Breakfast Association Etiquette

Bed and Breakfasts are as delightfully different from one another as the innkeepers who own and operate them. However, each B&B offers accommodations and a very special brand of hospitality. You will enjoy and relish different surroundings in every B&B you visit. Whether you are traveling for business or leisure, try it once and you'll realize that it is a very pleasant alternative from the cookie cutter layout of today's motels and hotels. These differences may pose questions for B&B guests. Do you need a reservation? What's for breakfast? What is appropriate behavior? We have tried to provide some brief and simple answers, for those of you who are too shy to ask.

Reservations

It is a good idea to call in advance to be sure a room is available. Advance deposits are often required; and cancellation policies vary, so be sure to ask when you call. In addition, advise your innkeeper if children or young adults will be accompanying you. Special arrangements may be necessary.

Breakfast

It is standard practice to include breakfast at no additional cost. It is usually offered one of three ways: Continental: rolls, muffins, or coffee cake, coffee or tea and juice; Continental Plus: extras are added to the standard Continental breakfast like cereal or fruit; Full: often includes many of the above items and one or more hot items. Some B&Bs serve you at the table, some offer breakfast buffet-style, and others may offer breakfast in bed.

How do I act at a North Carolina B&B?

Courtesy is the key. Mutual respect is the mode of operation between the innkeeper and guests as well as between the guests themselves. Guests are usually informed either verbally or in writing (a letter posted in your guest room or elsewhere), of policies which the innkeeper asks that guests honor. They are established to help guests become comfortable and familiarize themselves with how things work at each B&B. The rule of thumb: When in doubt, please ask.

Pack your good manners when you visit a North Carolina B&B.

A B&B is not an appropriate place for a noisy party. You will find that many B&Bs on our Association listing have a no smoking policy. If you have arranged to check-in at a specific time, please do so, or call ahead to arrange an earlier or later arrival. When coming and going from the inn in the evening, be mindful of the fact that sounds carry easily. If you stay at a B&B in which you share a bath, it should be left the way YOU would like to find it. Staying at a B&B on the North Carolina Association listing is a wonderful experience and great fun. Read the rules, ask a few questions and you'll soon feel at home. During your stay you will meet new friends, enjoy exceptional hospitality, and learn all there is to know about the local area. You are sure to love it so much that you will soon become a regular B&B traveler.