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.

1. 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

2. 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.

3. 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

4. changing it to something that nobody outside the industry
recognizes. Genius!
Example of Northern Irish Tourist Board sign

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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!

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. 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.)

14. 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.

15. 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

16. 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.

17. 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.

18. 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).

19. 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.

20. 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

21. 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.

22. 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

23. 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

24. on offer is many and varied and there will be something to suite
everyone and every budget.

25. 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.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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.

31. 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

32. 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.

33. 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.

34. 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.

35. 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