Breakfast or no breakfast?

[Ian-And-Helen0]

Hi. My husband and I run a fairly sucessful AirBNB here in New Zealand. We provide a continental breakfast of a variety of cereals, toast with a range of jams/spreads, orange juice, yogurt and tea or coffee.  We recently did a world trip and was amazed that only one of the airBNBs we stayed at supplied breakfast. We would be interested as to how many do supply breakfast and how many don't.

I always thought that B&B stood for Bed and Breakfast?? Also is what we supply in line with others who do supply breakfast?

Cheers Helen

[Stephanie18]

I live next door and work from home so it's fairly easy for me to do the little extras. 99% of my guests eat what's offered.

I do send a note 2 or 3 days before their arrival to ask about food & beverages, they can opt out if they'd prefer but like I said, most everyone eats and drinks everything left for them. Comparison's to other local listings, I'm low to mid range on my prices for the size and amenities we offer. I sometimes stay busier than I like, truth be told.  🙂

[Lorraine58]

I am with you Stephanie  We live on site and provide local products for a full breakfast for our guests to cook - although on occassion when we have elderly people we offer to cook for them. Products include bacon and eggs, fresh oranges to squeeze, cereal, yogurt, bread for toast and spreads. Most people appreciate the breakfast and usually enjoy and consume most of what we provide. We are selling a service of a home away from home and enjoy the response.  Lorraine

[Danny299]

as a suggestion,,,if you don't want to provide the breakfast (which is what the "B" stands for), please prominently display it in your listing.   This will help guest like myself decide which AIRBed and BREAKFAST i will stay at. 

[Huma0]

I don't offer any kind of breakfast, but I'd love to hear from other hosts in London who do (I have a friend here who hosts and leaves guests a few simple things for their first morning only, but I don't know how common this is).

I do think it depends where you are located and also the kind of guests who visit. There are lots of places to grab breakfast a stone's throw from my house but also plenty of shops/delis/supermarkets, some less than a minute's walk away.

I give them instant coffee, regular tea and sugar, but also filter coffee (I have a coffee machine and caffetieres for their use) and a variety of herbal and fruit teas if they like. I tell them to help themselves to my milk. I often leave a bowl of fresh fruit in their rooms as well as drinking water.

Am I doing enough?

I think probably I am as most of them never even use the tea/coffee! No one so far has used the lovely display of different teas I prettily labelled. Although, having said that, a lot of them will take at least a couple of pieces of the fruit, so maybe I should continue with that.

What I do find is that, although I supply clean towels and travel sized toiletries, they seem to help themselves to other people's stuff in the bathrooms. Maybe those are more important to visitors to London!

[Ian-And-Helen0]

Interesting. I never thought about fruit -thats a nice touch. Only rarely do we end up with

both rooms occupied at the same time, so mostly our guests have their own bathroom.

I doprovide a small handmade soap, some shampoo (I sell Avon too) samples and a couple of

chocolates. Sometimes the chocolates are left but mostly the soap goes. I also supply

shampoo and body wash in the shower.

As Ive said I always thought B&B meant bed and breakfast. cheers Helen

[Danny299]

actually, you are doing a lot more than most.  Leaving fruit etc. for the guest is a big PLUS for you.  Many guests will appreciate the gesture. 

sure I can go out and find a supermarket and buy stuff everyday..but i can also find an AIRBNB in every neighborhood now.  Your customer service is whats going to separate you from the rest..keep doing what you're doing!

[Jennifer178]

It is not legal for me to cook for people as I do not have a license to serve food.  I have milk, tea, coffee,toast, jam and cereal.  I tell people they can make themselves eggs if they want to but nobody does.  I used to offer orange juice but I rarely offer it anymore because I do not drink it and my guests rarely drink it and I end up throwing it away.  The fruit ends up getting tossed.  I also threw away a lot of milk so I buy the smallest container I can.  I am surrounded by great restaurants and people like to eat out on vacation. The people that are visiting for work or a conference want to start their day right away and usually do not even have coffee from what I can tell. I would say about 50% of my guests do not use the kitchen at all. And half of the others only have coffee or tea.

Offering food turned out to be a waste of money.  The only guest who ever really cooks,  a repeat guest, uses my seasonings, olive oil and condiments.  I am happy to share.  I am friendly and engaging and let people know the offer of the above mentioned items is no problem. I leave for work at 8am and do not go into the kitchen in the morning bc I have coffee and a snack at work, guests can have the kitchen to themselves.  If I have baked for myself or my friends, I will put something out for my guests. 

[Huma0]

@Jennifer178 yes, same for me. If anything, they leave more stuff behind that they bought themselves. They hardly use what I offer so it would probably be a waste of money. Plus, I hate to throw away loads of food. Doesn't seem right.

On the other hand, I hear from these forums that most guests really appreciate a bottle of wine. The problem is, which wine to buy? If you ask them in advance, it kind of ruins the surprise.

[Ian-And-Helen0]

So far I have never "cooked" a breakfast for any guest. They have the use of my kitchen

but most eat cereals and/or toast. I try to give them jams/ preserves made locally.

As we are retired it isnt a problem as we are always home at breakfast time.

We dont have any problem with milk as we use it ourselves so always have a supply on hand.

cheers and thanks for your feedback.

[Ian-And-Helen0]

I dont do cook breakfasts and my guests have the use of my kitchen if they

want to cook something themselves. I dont have a problem with either fruit or milk 

having to be thrown out as we use whatever is there ourselves. The cereals we use

are the ones that come in mixed varieties and little one serve size. I always case the

local markets for local jams and honey which are very popular. 

I havent raised my price to cover these little extras but they do often get mentioned 

in guest reviews. cheers Helen

[David126]

There is of course a massive range of option on AirBnB, from couch surfing to multi million dollar properties with a staff.

I know in my County Breakfast is not normal, two places do what I would call an enhanced Continental Breakfast, the rest as far as I am aware nothing, and that is not just those listed on AirBnB. I looked up the place that I thought did a full breakfast and noticed that they had scaled back the food options and reduced their price.

When it comes down to it depends what the market wants, and seemingly more people want a cheaper room rate.

[Jennifer178]

I should also mention that a nice touch that I know my guests appreciate are little bowls of candies.  I have a bowl in the guest room with individually wrapped Dove chocolates, Werther's caramels, and mints.  I also have mints, butterscotch and more chocolates in the kitchen and living room.  These goodies stay good for ages but rarely last that long. It does not take much.  I even had one guest mention the chocolates in his review.

[Huma0]

@Jennifer178 are you a live in host? If so, how do you differentiate between what you are offering the guests and your own stuff? I never had a problem with it, but since I started putting a bowl of fruit in the room, some of them think that is an invitation to help themselves to anything else. I am sick of people stealing my avocados!

The bowl of fruit is a nice little gift for them. I don't want to have to say at the same time, 'This is for you, but don't touch any other food!"

[Jennifer178]

@Huma0 I am a live in host.  In my house rules I mention that the food is not shared but I list the breakfast itrems that are available. If they want something else, pls ask as I am happy to share if asked first.  When I show people the kitchen, I show them all the coffees and teas (a variety of options - bold/mild, cafffeine/no caffeine), I open the fridge and point out the Brita water pitcher, milk, eggs, butter and delicious preserves from a local farm. I also point out the cereal options and the bread from a local bakery.  By showing them what they have at their disposal, I am showing them what they may not have.

My cereal options are the cereals I eat.  I do not differentiate my food from what I offer the guests.  I have some expensive baking items that are put in  a cabinet a guest will not use.  I have had no problems with my food being taken. The day one of my juicy steaks are missing I will be sad. As I said before, almost no one cooks.  Most of my guests are here for less than a week and are either at a conference , visiting family or out soakingup the history of my city

As to adult beverages, I have had guests leave beer and I offer that to other guests if they want it.  I do have a lovely couple that come from time to time just to relax.  Last time they brought bread, eggs, butter, syrup, bacon, milk and orange juice to make us a wonderful french toast brunch.  Even the butter!  Brought it all in coolers from a 6 hour drive away.  As well as tons of snacks and more beverages. Then left all the extras with me.

[Ian-And-Helen0]

Well I guess we tailor our service to suit ourselves as well as the guests.

Its been very interesting hearing what other hosts do or do not offer their guests.

Thank you for the feedback. cheers Helen