Hello!

I am just starting my research for a trip to the Venice, Lake Como, and Riviera areas for the beginning of Sept. I notice that many hotels offer "full board and half board" options. Can someone please tell me what it is? I assume full includes breakfast and half does not - please educate me! thanks so much!

Half board is breakfast and another meal, either lunch or dinner. Full board is all three meals.

In my experience, "half board" means breakfast only, while "full board" means breakfast and dinner. This seems to be the usual practice in Europe, but check to confirm this with the hotels in which you are interested.

Full board is good if you don't mind eating in the hotel each night, or if they offer an option to dine in other hotel restaurants which may be owned by the same owner. I have found this with the Seidler hotels in Switzerland, a nice option.

My experience has been that of Therese: half board is breakfast plus another meal, usually dinner. Whole board would be 3 meals.

Half board is breakfast, and full board is breakfast and dinner. Lunch is sometimes included as well. Before choosing between the two options (if you can choose), consider whether you will be around the hotel for more than breakfast. Also, you might want to try other restaurants in the area.

Well, which is it? We have two different interpretations of Half/Full board.

I am under the impression that half board is breakfast & dinner??

From experience, I'm with Therese, Grandmere and Budman. Half-board when I did it included breakfast and dinner though I have heard someone say it could be breakfast and lunch.

If breakfast was the only meal provided wouldn't it be described as "bed and breakfast"?

I'm with Therese and Grandmere. Never heard of half board with only breakfast. Cicerone, what would you call it if 3 meals are included, if full board means 2 meals, breakfast and dinner according to you ;-) ?

Obviously these terms are not familiar among Americans as I have seen this question before. Do you have other names for that? Would you understand half pension and full pension ?

Curious hike from Europe

Hi Hike,

In the US we have "American Plan" 3 meals, "Modified American Plan" bkfst and dinner, and "Breakfast included".

Hi emw

It might be a good idea to ask the hotels what they mean.

Having been on many european "package" type holidays, Half Board is usually breakfast and evening meal, whilst Full Board covers all three meals. Personally I prefer bed and breakfasts or self catering holidays, then we can eat when and where we want, or even skip meals if not needed.

Oh yes, Dave is right B & B for breakfast only. Thanks!

Cicerone, Seidler hotels you mentioned, would that be Seiler hotel? That's a common name in Swiss Valais areas and a family called Seiler has at least a few 4-5 star hotels in Zermatt.

Another vote for half=bkfst + 1 meal; full=all 3 meals. We've done half several times, but never full because we are always out and about at noon.

Hi Ira, thanks for the clarification! So there is no plan only including lunch ? Of course it is logical to have only dinner rather than only lunch.

I suspect emw1000 got this when researching the hotels around Lake Como because a lot of them offer half or full board. Can you tell us which one it is (the hotel)since now everyone on this thread EXCEPT YOU has responded that they finally understand!!! We want to help...

B&B: Bed and breakfast
Half board: Breakfast & dinner
Full board: 3 meals

I personally never go for full board. I usually make a pig of myself at breakfast (stuffing a danish in my pocket for a snack) and then cruise on into dinner...

HTH!!

"since now everyone on this thread EXCEPT YOU has responded..."

Patience Intrepid. Perhaps emw1000 has better things to do (like work for a living) and can't get to the computer for a few hours.

If you would prefer to have lunch instead of dinner on half-board, most places will accommodate you if you let them know the day before.

Half-board is very convenient and can be a good value but you miss trying different restaurants in the area.

The hotel we're staying in at Sorrento, Il Nido, offers half board, either lunch or dinner. I was reluctant to commit to it even though I knew the restaurant was very good. I thought we'd be tied down--what if we were miles away and missed a meal we'd already paid for? And how about missing out on other local restaurants?

We decided to do half-board anyway. Why? My parents, who both stayed and ate there, commented that after one day you recognized faces in the dining room and that being the case, it was easy to talk to your fellow guests. Before long, there was the comraderie that only good food and good wine can facilitate. Everyone talked about everyone else's dinner, what they did for the day, where they lived... It all sounded like such a grand party that we couldn't resist! Half board it was for us.

I don't know if this is particular only to Il Nido, but I liked this little fringe benefit of dining in for dinner/lunch. It's something to consider if you're going to do several days at the same hotel.

I like doing half (or even full) board when I'm staying at smallish places in the countryside precisely for that sense of community: you get to know your fellow diners, the staff makes a point of figuring out what kinds of cheese you prefer, you can keep a bottle of wine over for the next meal if you'd like.

On the one hand you don't have the adventure of picking out new places to eat, on the other you don't have to worry about where you'll be eating.