Figuring out B&B Prices
 

Looking through the B&B books, we are a little confused. We have been told that B&Bs are less expensive than hotels, but it looks like most B&Bs are 35 pounds per person per day. There are three of us including my 10 year old daughter. @ 1 pound = $1.45, a room would be $152 a night. I've found plenty of hotels in that range. Do we understand the pricing?

it depends on where you are visiting. Out in the country, 35 GBP per person is moderately high for a nice B&B. In London 35 GBP is low. <BR><BR>An example of how to figure a B&B's rate: If a B&B charges say 27GBP double, it will likely be around 20GBP triple and 35GBP single. Most B&Bs have double or twin rooms with plus a family room(s) and sometimes a single room.<BR><BR>You should be looking for a triple or family room. Except in London you should not have to pay more than 60GBP per night - and probably less. And remember, that includes a 4 or 5 course cooked breakfast.

Melissa,<BR><BR>Most of the B&B's have web sites with email addresses so you can tell them your requirements and contact them directly. Be sure you know if tax is included, and breakfast.<BR><BR>I recently researched the same thing as my family of four was going to London in late March. I poured over several books, but "Cheap Sleeps in London," by Sandra Gustafson, was my main guide. I picked some possibilities and then emailed. I found 25 GBP/person to be pretty standard and as low as we could go for a place that looked decent, but the rates were going up on April 1. <BR><BR>For us, this was less expensive than any hotels I looked at, as my husband is tall and his feet hang over the end of a standard double bed. Plus, our kids are boy and girl, 12 and 15, so they couldn't be in a double either. That generally meant we'd have to have two hotel rooms, which was more expensive.<BR><BR>You may have to just bite the bullet and pay more than you'd like to stay in London. We finally got used to that idea. We had a wonderful time and so will you!

Sarah,<BR><BR>Would you recommend the place where you stayed? I am traveling with my husband and son in July and am looking for a reasonably priced B&B for the 3 of us.

I'll tell you the results of my research. Hopefully, others will comment, if they've actually stayed at these places. Also, try searching for places, by name, on this site.<BR><BR>First, we stayed at the Swiss House Hotel in South Kensington. It was nice, but they no longer have the afternoon snack written about in all the guide books. It's about a 7 minute walk from the Gloucester tube stop and that 7 minutes got longer every trip. Still, it was clean and we had the family room on the first floor, which slept four and was quite large. I understand they have smaller rooms, as well. The breakfast was fine.<BR><BR>The Morgan Hotel, in Bloomsbury, is near the British Museum and gets good reviews (Frommers has it listed as best moderately priced B&B). <BR>Also, great reviews for the James/Cartref House. It's near Victoria Station and Buckingham Palace.<BR><BR>The Balmoral House is supposed to be exceptionally clean and nice. (Recommended in Cheap Sleeps and Lonely Planet) I think the street it is on is busy, but it may actually be family run, which would be a plus. Nearby is the Fairways, run by the sister of the Cartref House people, and its supposed to be good, too.<BR><BR>Check out the Vicarage House Hotel. I read about it and would have given my eye teeth to stay there, but it was booked. It's in an exceptionally pretty spot, I gather.<BR><BR>I have picked out ones that I read about on several sources, and that seem to be well liked by all and that had bathrooms and rooms for families. I tried to only look at ones that would be around 100 pounds/night for four, but, like I said, it will be more expensive everywhere in the summer.<BR><BR>There are many other places that I'm sure are good. It's just a matter of ferreting them out. Good luck!

Thanks.

The british national tourist office site has listings of zillions of B&B's. It is a little awkward finding them, but if you just roam around the site, you should find them

ttt for Laurie