What does "half-board" mean?
 

In the hotel descriptions of the Frommer's guide, it often says "rates include half-board." What's the definition?

half board is breakfast and dinner. full board is breakfast lunch and dinner, all inclusive is...all inclusive.

Actually half board is breakfast and either lunch or supper. Commonly, in modern times, the second meal is the evening one, and the afternoon one is usually not available. <BR> <BR>Half board is most commonly found in resort areas, rarely in cities except occasionally in a hotel with a particularly distinguished culinary tradition. <BR> <BR>Hotels that have half board (aka Modified American Plan) often require it in peak season. Which is to say they require you pay for it, though they don't force you to eat. :-) Some hotels offer a refund (usually partial) on days where you advise them in advance (usually by noon or earlier) that you do not wish to take the evening meal. <BR> <BR>Half pension is usually a pretty good value-for-money deal, particularly in small locations with few hotels or restaurants. The only downside, often, is that you'll get more to eat than you really want, or would normally have ordered at a restaurant. <BR> <BR>Note that beverages other than normal drinks at breakfast (coffee, tea, milk, hot chocolate) or tap water at dinner are usually not included in the price, but paid for separately. <BR> <BR>twenj

The half board can be a bargain, if the food is good. I would ask, however, how late dinner is served as part of the half board contract. <BR>In some cases, to use the French term, <BR>the meal is boissons non-compris. <BR>I got a mild surprise in a Swiss hotel when my bill had separate charges for every cup of tea, bottle of apple juice, and various other beverages that we had consumed with our meals. I could only presume that the bill was accurate because I had not kept a tally. <BR>

Topping.