Bed & Breakfast Etiquette - Does one tip?
 

I am going to England next week. I have never stayed in bed and breakfasts before but am looking foward to this experience. Being a newbie I am wondering how one tips? I don't know if this is handled differently than in hotels. Is there anything else I should be clued into? I do want to do what's proper.
Thanks for your help.

Simple answer: no, you don't tip anyone in a B&B. For what it's worth, it's unusual to tip in hotels in the UK either (apart from in the restaurant). I will now be contradicted by the usual crowd of non-UK residents who disagree and apparently know more about this than someone who lives in the UK and has stayd in countless hotels and B&B's here... (PS, they're still wrong).

No tipping. No need for it - non whatsoever. It's not expected. The occasion doesn't occur -it really doesn't. When would you tip - you'll carry your own bags, you only eat breakfast. Housekeeping - no don't really don't.

I've never tipped in the UK either. If I was staying a long time (a couple of weeks) I might just consider leaving something for the bed makers, however, I have never done so. So like Gordon, no.

If I was staying in a hotel and used their restaurant I would not tip, but I would if I went outside to another restaurant, even here I would only round up with a max of 10%, cash on table. If mandatory "service charge" or "table charge" was included then no tip. If the service charge or table charge was mentioned on the menu outside I would probably walk by.

In the UK we generally like things to be priced as they are priced and legislation is in place to keep it that way as much as possible. Added extras are "seen" very badly by the Brits.

I'm a non-UK resident and I have no idea if I'm the usual crowd but I think not as I don't often post to UK threads.

I've never tipped in B&Bs. I do tend to keep my room neater than in hotels and I usually flip the bed covers back to neaten the bed. Sometimes I even make the bed as I'm in someone's home, not a hotel. I'm more aware of electricity usage as well. Act as though you're a guest in someone's home, which your are, albeit a paying guest.

Thanks, I thought tipping wasn't necessary but you know how you can overthink things before you leave on a trip.

Assuming it is a real B&B - that is someone's private house in which they are renting out a couple of rooms you do not tip.

If it is a professionally run inn (will have more rooms, a bar/pub and usually dining room - serve lunch and/or dinner - and have a staff - then you tip as in a hotel.

If it is a professionally run inn (will have more rooms, a bar/pub and usually dining room - serve lunch and/or dinner - and have a staff - then you tip as in a hotel.

which is nowt.

<<If it is a professionally run inn (will have more rooms, a bar/pub and usually dining room - serve lunch and/or dinner - and have a staff - then you tip as in a hotel.>>

I have never, ever tipped in a UK B&B, guesthouse, pub (when staying) or hotel, and I can't imagine I ever will. It just doesn't occur to me.

Nope, never tipped in a b&b...professional inn or old style. It is just not done here. Never tipped in a hotel or any lodging in the UK either...

Re hotels ~ I cannot imagine <b>not</b> leaving something to thank the person who cleans the room. I don't care if they are paid a living wage; its still thankless work.

There are a lot of thankless jobs in the world...

I'll bet the person cleaning the room is thankful to have the job. It may not be thankless to them. But it's probably a good thing for them that you're condescending enough to think that way.

If it is called a B&B - no. Anyone who works there is likely to be either the owners or family. Occasionally a girl will come in to help clean but that is very unusual.

Same if it is an Inn - assuming you are talking about Europe/the UK. nytraveler may be thinking about places in the States where we tend to tip everybody who looks cross-eyed at us . . but in the UK -- nope.

well, it seems to me unfair not to tip the bellman who brings bags to you room, the waistaff who serves your breakfast or front desl staff/concierge who makes reservations for you, etc.

Now - how many 'inns' have you stayed that have a concierge??

You are complicating the issue -- The OP is asking about B&Bs, not high end resorts w/ concierge and bell staff.

And in a B&B that's likely to be one person who does all those jobs! ;)
I have never tipped when staying in a B&B here.

A b&b would not have a bellman, concierge etc. usually it is a couple that do everything...even cook and serve you breakfast and clean your room. They may have a small staff.

In the UK there is no need to tip at a b&b.

I wouldn't stay in a hotel who had staff who grabb your bag and take it to your room. I see it as gross invasion of my privacy. I'm not going to pay someone to invade my privacy. I've never ordered a bell in my life so no idea why I should pay a bellman. What else does concierge have to do but book things for me, that is why they are employed. (if they do something difficult then they might get £5 for the skill but only difficult things not just their job).

Thankless tasks, well thank them "thank you and please should be part of your conversation", I do.

I do it in other countries because.

Tipping is not done in UK hotels for goodness sake.

I do it (tip) in other countries because.