Worth an estimated 2 billion to the UK economy the bed and breakfast industry offers great holiday accommodation serving every conceivable destination imaginable. The average B&B has changed in recent years from being old fashioned to modern contemporary with facilities to surprise. Good wholesome breakfasts are on offer in many guest houses with some even sourcing local organic food.

The attraction of bed and breakfasts compared to holiday rentals is quite simply the freedom to book short stays at very reasonable prices and travel as you please from destination to destination. With warm and usually welcome hospitality, this is a popular type of accommodation. It used to be the case a long time ago that it was pretty hit and miss in terms of standards, however, with bodies such as the AA and Visit Britain providing rating standards, the consumer is now provided with information to help them decide on the quality of accommodation required. Recently, the internet has aided this process with reputable websites including Traveleden.com inviting genuine reviews.

A big attraction of staying in this type of accommodation is the ability to probe the owner for local information such as the best restaurant to eat, places to visit, family attractions and most crucially where to avoid! The knowledge acquired here will beat any official tourist guidebook.

If you intend booking bed and breakfast accommodation for the whole family, check to see whether family rooms are available as these will normally include extra beds or sofa beds to accommodate the little ones. In some establishments these rooms are located at the furthest end of the property to eliminate noise disturbance.

With car ownership at record levels, most holidaymakers will require parking. It’s worth checking to see when searching whether your BB offers safe off road parking to reduce the risk of car crime.

For those with high budgets, today’s modern establishment feels more like a boutique hotel rather than a bed and breakfast. Along with contemporary decor, a plush bed fitting, power showers, flat screen televisions and WiFi, there is a realisation that time has moved on.

Luckily for bed and breakfasts in seaside towns and the countryside, there has been something of a renaissance in recent years despite the recession. Carbon footprint climate change thinking along with the increasing cost of foreign travel and weak currency have all contributed to more of the population taking vacations at home.