Stay In Britain

A Guide to British accommodation

(Dingley Lodge Hotel - Market Harborough)

Author Tony Lucas

Produced by Reserve IT Limited 2012

www.stayinbritain.co.uk

Introduction

Every country has its own forms of tourist accommodation and

the names and standards that apply to these can be confusing for

the overseas visitor. In Britain, this can be even more confusing

as there are four different tourist authorities (England, Scotland,

Wales and Northern Ireland), each of whom have individual ideas

about how best to promote their region. In this booklet we

attempt to clarify some of the accommodation types and the

names used for them.

Terminology

In Britain, we may not use the same name for an accommodation

types that you may be used to. For example we don’t use terms

such as Motel, Condo or Gite and our accommodation terms may

be unfamiliar outside of Britain so it may be useful to have a

brief description of the terms we do use and what they mean.

Booking the right accommodation for your visit is after all, an

essential element in making your holiday a memorable one, for

all the right reasons.

Example of England Tourist Boad sign

Tourism Standards for accommodation

There are two major organisations that provide grading schemes

for accommodation available for holiday rental in the UK, the

Tourist Boards and The Automobile Association.

The main one is the Tourist Board which, for some strange

reason, doesn’t call itself the Tourist Board anymore but goes by

a variety of semi-commercial names such as Visit Britain, Visit

England, Enjoy England, Visit Scotland, Enjoy Scotland, Visit

Wales, Enjoy Wales, and Discover Northern Ireland. All very

confusing to the visitor to our shores who just wants to know

where they can find tourist information. A classic case of having

a great name that everyone knew and understood and then

changing it to something that nobody outside the industry

recognizes. Genius!

Example of Northern Irish Tourist Board sign

In many towns, especially in the main tourist regions, there is

often a Tourist Information Office. These are usually sign posted

and the staff are well informed about the local area and the

accommodation available.

Example of Scottish Tourist Board sign

The other organization that grades the quality of accommodation

is the Automobile Association or the AA as they are more

commonly called. Both organizations have, at long last, worked

out a common standard of grading that, in theory, should make it

easy to know what level of quality you are getting. However, as

with most quasi-governmental bodies and large organisations,

nothing is that simple as the grading scheme is based on different

criteria depending on the type of accommodation that has been

graded. So a three star hotel may be of better quality than a four

star B&B since different factors are used to arrive at the grading

level. The industry doesn’t like it and the visiting public,

especially from overseas, are confused by it.

Note that participation in these two schemes is voluntary and

because of the high annual cost of these grading schemes and the

presence now of other, internet based ways, to assess the standard

of any accommodation, increasingly, properties are not

participating in these grading schemes to the level that they used

to. So be aware that the absence of any official accolade does not

mean that the standard of accommodation is in any way less

than excellent. All it indicates is that the owner is not a

participant of the expensive and confusing official scheme.

Example of Automobile Association Sign

How to judge the quality of accommodation

Not as easy at it might appear. The grading scheme does give a

good indication but as we have seen it isn’t a mandatory scheme,

a lot of very good properties (the majority) don’t participate and

the grades are not the same across all accommodation types.

The other way to judge the quality of any establishment is to use

the social media sites (such as Facebook, Twitter or Youtube)

and visitor assessment rating sites (such as Trip Advisor).

However, a word of caution. Many of these sites, (including

Trip Advisor), allow comments from ANYONE without there

being any evidence that the person making the comment has

actually stayed at the property they are commenting on and the

person making the comment can remain anonymous. It is not

unknown for adverse comments to have been posted by a

competitor, by someone with a personal grudge or even by a

person seeking to blackmail the property owner into a discounted

rate. In some cases the criticism has been about facilities that the

property does not actually have. The owner’s right of reply or to

have such malicious or inaccurate comments removed is a

constant source of debate within the industry. Some sites do

make sure that comments can only be posted by guests that have

actually stayed at the property and in an identifiable manner, but

there is no way of necessarily knowing which sites do and which

don’t. Having said all that, on balance these sites do give a fair

indication of quality as long as they have a sufficient volume of

comments on any particular property. Use your judgment when

looking at these comments and don’t take them all at face value.

Our advice is to look for properties whose websites have lots of

picture and video material as well as using the social sites and, if

present, the recognized grading scheme. Then, if you feel it

necessary, use the visitor assessment sites to further check your

shortlist of properties.

Most properties are of a good quality but it is always worth

checking before you book.

Example of Welsh Tourist Board sign

Prices and discounted rates

Prices can be based on two styles: per person per night (often

shown as pppn) or per room per night (often shown as prpn).

Be aware of these differences as they can make a significant

difference to the cost of your holiday accommodation.

Rates can also be based on other factors such as meals. For

example the rate may be “Room Only” (or RO) where all meals

are excluded from the price, it can be Bed and Breakfast (or BB)

where breakfast is included but all other meals are not, it can be

Dinner, Bed and Breakfast (or DBB), in other words no lunch

included or Full Board (or FB) where all meals are included in

the package. Make sure you know which applies to your booking

as there are potential opportunities to save quite a lot of money if

you chose the rate that suites you best.

Discounted rates

It is always worth asking for discounted rates when booking.

Hotels want to sell at the maximum price of course but if they

have spare capacity on any day or period, they are often very

willing to offer a better or packaged rate if asked. This is

especially true if you are booking accommodation near to your

arrival dates as they will be more anxious to make sure they are

at maximum capacity.

It is always worth asking if any discounts or promotions are

available for your booking and they won’t be offended if you do.

At the worst, they can always say there are no discounts or

promotions available.

Be aware that many properties, especially, hotels, bed and

breakfast and Guest houses may also offer discounts for bookings

for several days as they want you stay as long as possible. Some

hotels have packages such as “three for two” where you book for

three nights (usually only applies to mid-week bookings) and

only pay for two nights. Many B&B’s will have a cheaper rate if

your booking is for several days.

In short, Ask!

Definition of property Types

It ought to be easy in theory but given the diverse nature of

property in Britain and the age and variety of styles of

architecture, there exist a variety of property types within each

accommodation category. Sounds confusing but once you

understand the basic principles of each accommodation type, it

will become clearer.

The main property types are each discussed on the following

pages together with some advice on how to get the best out of

their rate structures and discounts.

The accommodation types discussed are:

Hotels

Bed and Breakfast

Guest House

Inn Accommodation

Self Catering

Narrow boats.

Nearly all accommodation in Britain will fit one of these

categories.

Hotel

(Express by Holiday Inn London- Newbury Park)

Internationally, the most widely used term for accommodation is

“Hotel” and many visitors instinctively think of an hotel when

they wish to travel to the UK.

However, the term is ambiguous (and an hotel may not be the

most appropriate or affordable way to stay on your holiday) nor

may it be what you expected unless you understand the various

types of hotel that exists. Officially, the use of the term Hotel

applies to a property that has 20 rooms or more of which 75%

have en-suite facilities. In practice, there are a large number of

small hotels with 6 or more rooms that call themselves hotels and

operate as hotels and some budget travel accommodation, usually

near motorway junctions, use the term “hotel” but are in reality

budget motels.

The Tourist Board defines Hotels into several categories:

Hotel - Formal accommodation with full service. Usually of

more than 20 rooms. Graded 1 to 5 stars with 5 being the highest

Country House Hotel - A Hotel with large grounds or gardens

with an isolated, peaceful atmosphere. Graded on a 1 to 5 star

basis

Small Hotel - Usually less than 20 rooms, owner managed but

more personal than a chain hotel, usually with limited facilities.

Graded on a 1 to 5 star basis

Town House Hotel - A city centre hotel of up to 50 rooms with

limited facilities. Graded on a 1 to 5 star basis

Metro Hotel - a city centre hotel with no dinner service but close

to food outlets. Graded on a 1 to 5 star basis

Budget Hotels - The equivalent of a “Motel” in the USA. Pre-

paid, cheap travel accommodation with very limited services. No

grading is made for these properties. (You get what you pay

for.)

You can already see that there are a range of options available to

you within this category. Basically, the first three definitions tend

to be the higher end of the spectrum and the last three the cheaper

with limited facilities.

Choose the hotel type that suites your needs and budget but be

aware of the distinction that exists between these various hotel

types. Choosing the wrong one could ruin your holiday or end up

costing a lot more than you thought. Also bear in mind that a

small, family run hotel may give a more personalized service

than one of the large chain hotels, although they may not be able

to provide the same range of facilities.

Bed and Breakfast (or B&B)

(Staunton House – Leominster)

We are on safer ground here as the definition explains exactly

what you can expect as a minimum – a bed for the night and a

breakfast in the morning. Officially a bed and breakfast is defined

as an owner operated property with no more than 6 guests. In

reality that may be a very loose definition as we will see below

and the term Bed and Breakfast is becoming the more popular

definition.

A bed and breakfast is an owner run enterprise and you will be

living in a room in the owner’s house (or sometimes a property

attached to, or in the grounds of, the owner’s house). You can

expect a reasonably personal level of service and the freedom to

come and go as you please. Breakfast falls into two basic

categories: cooked, usually consisting of bacon, eggs, sausage,

beans, toast etc. often referred to as “Full English” (or a national

variation on that theme, such as traditional Scottish, traditional

Welsh etc), or a breakfast that consists of cereals and uncooked

elements (often termed “Continental”). Some properties will do

one type or the other and many will offer both so check before

you book. Additionally, some properties may provide evening

meals, a sandwich making facility or other meals but as a

minimum, you will get a breakfast and the meal is normally

included in the price.

As with hotels, prices can be based on two styles: Per Person per

night (often shown as pppn) or Per room per night (often shown

as prpn). Be aware of these differences as they can make a

significant difference to the cost of your holiday accommodation.

Guest House

(Glenhill Guest House in Worthing)

To all intents and purposes, a Guest House and a Bed and

Breakfast is the same thing despite any official definitions.

Officially, any bed and breakfast property with capacity for more

than 6 guests is a Guest House but, unless the owner is

participating in the Tourist Board grading scheme, the terms are

in reality used interchangeably depending on the whim of the

owner.

Again, officially, a Guest House is a more commercial business

than a bed and breakfast, with the possible provision of an

evening meal at additional charge but a B&B is also a

commercial undertaking and may also provide an evening meal.

The designations are in practice meaningless so you may judge

either by the same criteria.

Inn (or Pub) Accommodation

(Fauconberg Arms Inn accommodation in Coxwold, Yorkshire)

This is accommodation that is provided on the same basis as any

Bed and Breakfast (or Guest House if you prefer) but which is

provided in a Pub (short for Public House) or former coaching

Inn and this form of accommodation usually has the advantage

that you can get other meals and drinks during licensed opening

hours. The accommodation is usually above the bar/restaurant

area or in converted buildings in the grounds of the pub, often old

stables or store rooms.

The same rules and precautions apply as those outlined in Bed

and Breakfast above. Be careful that you know the meal

arrangements and the breakfast types on offer and check the

basis of the rate – rate per room (prpn) or rate per person per

night (pppn).

Inns and pubs that offer accommodation can be found in most

towns and villages and sometimes in quite remote country

locations. They vary from small country pubs to large former

coaching inns that were built to accommodate travelers using the

old stage coaches.

If the idea of staying at a typical British pub is your idea of

heaven, then is the accommodation to choose.

Hostel

(Bath YMCA)

A very affordable form of basic accommodation for the

backpacker, student or touring traveler on a budget. These hostels

can be found right across the British Isles and are an affordable

form of accommodation for those that wish to travel around the

UK. They vary from basic accommodation in student dormitories

on a university or a college campus during the vacations, hostels

that are in the YHA (Youth Hostel Association), to a private

hostel in a city centre. They are a very popular for those

travelling around the UK on a budget. They can take the form of

those that offer a communal bunk house, some that offer

individual sleeping facilities and some that are just a space in a

barn where you can put your sleeping bag and cook on your own

equipment.

Certain protocols are expected at all Hostels: each group cooks

for themselves using their own equipment and all utensils are

cleaned and returned and no litter or other mess is left behind. It

is expected that each resident has respect for the other guests at

all times and that there is no anti-social behavior or loud music

during the evening or night.

Self Catering

(Cyffdy Farm Cottages – Bala)

This is a very broad category with many types of property but

essentially it is what is says: You hire the accommodation for a

period of time (usually by the week rather than the day) and you

cook for yourself or eat out. You can reasonably expect the

property to therefore provide a well equipped kitchen, cooking

and eating utensils and table and chairs and usually a lot more

besides. This is a very popular form of holiday accommodation

and the standard is usually very high.

For a stay of a week or more in a particular place, a self catering

property is often the best option if you don’t mind cooking your

own meals and cleaning. Be careful that you know what is

provided in the letting and what you may have to bring with you.

For example, some properties will not provide bed linen or

towels (especially beach and bath towels). If you have a young

child you may want to know if a cot or highchair is available, if

you have a pet you wish to bring, you need to make sure that the

property owner will permit pets.

If internet and mobile phone connection is important to you

during your stay, check that it is available (and if there is a good

signal in some remote areas of Britain). Coverage is not yet

universally available in all areas.

Self catering properties range from that idyllic thatched cottage

deep in the countryside, a remote hunting lodge in the Scottish

Highlands, to a fully equipped self service apartment in the city

centre. They come in all shapes and sizes and styles, in all

localities and with prices to match. If you are travelling as a

party, then a self catering property that can accommodate a group

can be a very affordable form of accommodation during your

holiday.

Some interesting self catering concepts have arisen in recent

years and these include wooden lodges set in woodlands or

lakeside areas, wigwams, tipis, old railway carriages and

Mongolian Yurts in rural locations, to name but a few. The range

on offer is many and varied and there will be something to suite

everyone and every budget.

Camping & Caravans

(Castlerigg Farm Campsite in Keswick)

There are facilities for camping and caravanning in every part of

Britain and it is a very popular form of holiday. Always check

what any site offers as the quality of these varies from a space in

a private field to specially designed and high facility sites. Many

sites will accommodate both tents and touring vans but some may

specialize in one or the other only.

On site facilities will also vary, although almost all established

sites will provide toilet and shower blocks, washing facilities,

some will provide electric hook up and have on site shopping. It

is worth checking what is provided on site before you book and

also to check where off site facilities are located. If you have to

travel miles to find the nearest shop, you may want to bring a

certain amount of provision with you. If the shop is a few

hundred yards away you may decide not to.

Camping and caravan sites may be available without prior

reservation but it is advisable, especially during the British

School holiday season (July to September), to pre-book the sites

you want to visit.

Narrow Boats

(Canal Cruising Co Ltd – Stoke on Trent)

Britain, especially England, is blessed with an extensive network

of waterways and canals that were originally built to take goods

from one industrial production centre to a point of distribution or

market. They feature ingenious methods of moving boats through

waterways at different levels and putting canals through hillsides

using long tunnels. Some of the engineering involved in these

projects is incredible given the technology available at that time.

With the advent of the railway, most of these were abandoned for

commercial purposes but over the last 50 years many have been

restored as recreational and environmental facilities and the use

of Narrow Boats on the canals is now very popular. The craft are

easy to handle and basic training is provided.

These craft range from a basic craft with sleeping and cooking

facilities to luxury craft with whirlpool baths and luxury cabins.

Narrow boats can be hired by the week. This is a lovely and

leisurely way to see the British countryside and to visit many out

of the way villages and pubs that lie along the route of these

waterways and many companies exist that will hire out narrow

boats for both daily and weekly periods.

What accommodation is right for my holiday in Britain?

For many visitors, the first instinct is to book a hotel for their stay

and this may be the most appropriate form of accommodation for

many people, especially for a short stay or if it is necessary to be

in a city centre location. Everything is taken care of for you.

Meals can be taken in-house if you are reluctant to eat out. You

know more or less what your costs are going to be and you are

part of a group of visitors in the same environment as you are. It

feels secure. However, is it the best value for money? Possibly

not.

If you are a little more adventurous or if you want to see more of

Britain than just London or any of the main cities, then there are

other ways to stay during your visit. A Bed and Breakfast or

Guest House will very often be less expensive than its Hotel

counterpart and because it is owner run, may also be a much

more personal service and provide a better experience of the

British people. These properties exist in almost every city, town

or village so they are easy to find on the internet and easy to book

directly with the owners. If you are staying more than a couple of

nights, ask about discounted rates.

If you plan to be in a location for a week or two, it may be worth

considering a self catering property. You will have to shop

locally for provisions and cook your own meals (or eat out) but

you will have a base that is yours for the duration of the stay,

where you can come and go as you please and where you can feel

at home. At first glance, self catering may appear to be an

expensive option but in fact for a family or party, the cost can

actually be a lot less than a hotel or bed and breakfast where you

may have to book more than one room to accommodate your

family or party.

We would recommend that wherever possible, you book

accommodation well in advance of your visit to avoid any

disappointment, especially in the peak holiday season from July

to early September.

Whatever you choose, we hope you have a wonderful time in the

British Isles and that you find this booklet helpful.

About this publication

This booklet has been produced by Tony Lucas, a Director of

Reserve IT Limited, a company which specializes in tourism

within the UK and has produced a number of websites for visitors

to Britain. Their sites include Stayinbritain.co.uk which contains

details of over 40,000 places to stay and a wealth of information

about Britain. The website makes no charge for bookings made

through it service and has been used by visitors since 1999.

For further information contact us on:

Email: Support@stayinbritain.com

Telephone: +44 (0)1730 999101

Postal Address:

Ground Floor Unit 7

Rotherbrook Court

Bedford Road

Petersfield

Hampshire

GU32 3QG

Website: www.StayinBritain.co.uk

Appendix – The Star rating scheme

Accommodation standards are now rated by the Automobile

Associate (The AA) and by Visit Britain (The Tourist Board) to a

common set of standards using stars. This should help visitors to

feel more confident about the level of service any rated

accommodation provides. The following descriptions can be used

as a general guide to what you can expect:

1 star: Simple, practical, no frills

2 star: Well presented and well run

3 star: Good level of quality and comfort

4 star: Excellent standard throughout

5 star: Exceptional with a degree of luxury

However, just to confuse everyone, the ratings can also have

different meanings when applied to Hotels and other Guest

accommodation, so the same rating can mean different things and

be applied differently depending on accommodation type. This

means that a high quality property in one category can show a

lower star rating than a poorer quality property in another

category. The AA descriptions are simpler to understand and

have been used for the purposes of this booklet.

Accommodation standards Star ratings descriptions (taken

from the AA)

One Star

Hotel - Courteous staff provide an informal yet competent

service. The majority of rooms are en suite, and a designated

eating area serves breakfast daily and dinner most evenings.

Guest accommodation - Minimum quality requirements for

cleanliness, maintenance, hospitality, facilities and services. A

cooked or substantial continental breakfast is served in a dining

room or eating area, or bedroom only.

Two Star

Hotels - All rooms are en suite or have private facilities. A

restaurant or dining room serves breakfast daily and dinner most

evenings.

Guest accommodation - Courteous service, well-maintained

beds, and breakfast prepared with a good level of care.

Three Star

Hotels - Staff are smartly and professionally presented. All

rooms are en suite, and the restaurant or dining room is open to

residents and non-residents.

Guest accommodation - Friendly welcome, and good-quality,

well-presented beds and furniture. A choice of good-quality,

freshly cooked food is available at breakfast.

Four Star

Hotels - Professional, uniformed staff respond to your needs or

requests, and there usually are well-appointed public areas. The

restaurant or dining room is open to residents and non-residents,

and lunch is available in a designated eating area.

Guest accommodation - Attentive, more personalized service.

At least half of the bedrooms are en suite or have private

bathrooms. Very good beds and high quality furniture. Breakfast

offers a greater choice, and fresh ingredients are cooked and

presented with a high level of care.

Five Star

Hotels - Luxurious accommodation and public areas, with a

range of extra facilities and a multilingual service available.

Guests are greeted at the hotel entrance. High quality menu and

wine list.

Guest accommodation - Awareness of each guest's needs with

nothing being too much trouble. All bedrooms are en suite or

have a private bathroom. Excellent quality beds and furnishings.

Breakfast includes specials/home-made items, high quality

ingredients, and fresh local produce.

This edition first published in Great Britain 2012

Copyright © Reserve IT Limited 2012

The right of Tony Lucas to be identified as author of this

work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright,

Design and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,

photocopying, recording or otherwise without the prior

permission of the copyright owner.

ISBN: 978-1-4716-5821-1