Should we bring a host gift to the owner of the B & B in Venice? Grazie!

what a lovely idea. good on you!

Something that I have brought for "gifts" have been small maple leaf shaped bottles of maple syrup .
(as I am from VT)
Not sure your location, but if it could be "typical" of your area, that would be good.

For some "friends" I had met on one trip who invited me to stay overnight on a subsequent trip , I brought a book with photos of VT

and something I have done on every trip overseas is take some postcards of VT during foliage ,
and when I run into someone extreemely helpful (directions, restuarants, etc)
I will write out one of the cards and give it to that person, as a gift.
This is esp. good for someone who you may feel you would "insult" with a tip, but you want to show appreciation.

Have fun!!

If you have been there before & became friendly, if you've been having an email relationship, if he/she has done something special for you OR if you're just a really nice person & want to do it- fine. But if you're asking if this is expected/commonly done, the answer is no.

mclaurie's reply is really good. I think most B&B owners would be puzzled by a gift when you arrived, unless you'd developed a fairly close relationship with them. A tip when you leave,however, would be appropriate.

Hi jc,

Staying at a B&B is not the same as staying with friends. A gift is not expected.

Unless you have stayed there before and become personal friends - no. A B&B is a for profit (hopefully) business and they usually would not want nor expect little gifts from their "customers".

As a B & B is a business, who knows, some hosts may not wish to get a gift as it is not necessary. Unless like others have said, you've been a regular guest and have known the host a while.

Do most people tip B&B hosts? How do you determine what a proper tip would be?

Hi Judi,

I don't know about most people, but I do not tip the owners of B&B's or other hotels.

It is a business transaction. They set the price, you pay the money, you should enjoy your stay.

Thanks, Ira. That's what I always thought but after reading this thread I was afraid I was being remiss.

You would not tip the B&B owners - really bad form . . .. But the B&B offers evening meal and employs outside service staff, you can tip the wait staff.

At a B and B you are a "paying guest" so a tip would not be correct.
However a little gift from your home town, notelets with scenes, coasters or something similar given when you leave and you are saying your goodbyes and thank-yous would be quite nice.
As other people have said, it will not actually be expected.

Unless there is an established friendship (in which case you'd be staying for free), NO gifts and NO tips.

I've thought about this same question every time I take a trip. Finally, a couple of years ago, I made a decision. I picked up about 15 of those nice shiny "golden dollar" coins with the Indian guide Sacagawea on them. When I felt it was appropriate either because I became friendly with the owner/manager, or because I just wanted to leave something for them to remember me by, I would give them one or a few of the coins, explaining that they would be souvenirs of our visit for the host. In every case the gift was received with obvious gratitude. In one case, in a small town in Austria, I was surprised when the manager informed me that he had been collecting American dollar coins of the Susan B. Anthony type, but that he wasn't even aware of the "golden dollar" coin. So you might add this idea to the others that you have considered.

Wayne, when I wnet in 2002 I took some of the new Vermont quarters(my state)
and gave 2 to the owner of the B&B in Venice, for his two small children.
and when I saw a shop owner in Murano has "foreign" money on a shelf, i gave her a quarter to add to the collection.

Little things like this can be wonderful little momentos back to people who have "contributed" a good memory to ones vacation.

Just because someone owns a B&B , it does not mean they might not appreciate a "kind gesture" .

If your host are kind enough to let you stay at their place for free, then by all means a token gift would be in order.