Just starting to research a trip to Tuscany and Greece and have seen this listed in room rates. What does it mean/include? It has been on B & B sites. Thanks!

I believe "half board" means breakfast and dinner is included in the room rate.

paul

In Italy it means lunch or dinner is included, usually in addition to breakfast. It's a very popular way to travel to rural resorts in Italy among Italians, with a great many hotels taking a great deal of pride in the kitchens.

I have very rarely booked half-board in advance, except in the deep countryside, preferring to check out the local options when I arrive, but when I decided at the last moment to eat at the hotel, I was never turned away.

It can also be a frustrating thing to take half board if you are interested in food for food's sake, not just as something you need to do. Even if the place has a very nice restaurant, your half-board inclusion meal is likely not to be a choice from a menu but either a set menu or a choice from a much restricted one. There's nothing worse than entering the restaurant and seeing a menu with some great local specialties that you've been wanting to try, but finding out that meal will not be included.

On the other hand it is often a really good deal for budget travelers. Sometimes the place will include two meals almost for free above the price of the room.

As Neapolitan notes, the menu offered to customers taking advantage of half or full (all three meals) board often does not include the regular menu items.

On the other hand, these meals typically reflect what's specifically in season at that time (so cheap and plentiful at the market that day) and also tend to be (in my experience) a bit healthier---smaller servings of meat, more vegetables, etc. The menu generally changes every day, so you won't grow tired of it.

As for missing the specialties of the region you may be able to get them to waive the rules if you're staying for a while. Once while staying at a lovely place in Chamonix we decided to forego the usual meal in favor of a big multicourse special one involving fondue and raclette and so forth. We assumed we'd be paying for it, but instead the staff just counted it as the usual meal and did not charge us separately. This was towards the end of a week's stay.