Disadvantages, drawbacks and cons of "small, family owned" hotels

The big drawback is lack of services. I'm happy not paying for services I'm not using. When I'm vacationing, I want the hotel to provide only a clean, quiet bed, everything else is unneeded. When I travel on business, the hotel has more amenities - bell service, concierge, room service, hotel restaurant, 24 hour front desk, bar, etc.. Even then I don't use the services, except the pool/excercise facilities. I still wander outside to find food or maybe a sports bar rather than spend extra time in the hotel.

"In a b & b breakfast is understandably served during a small time slot, usually later in the morning." I don't find that to be the case. If anything, in a b&b they are more flexible. I like to eat a leisurely breakfast around 7:30, check my netbook for the day's itinerary, linger over an extra cup of coffee, and be at the train station shortly after 9. Since I'm often the only person staying at a b&b, they usually accommodate me. Larger hotels aren't going to hire staff for an extra hour just to accommodate your schedule.

In Germany I much prefer those "small, family-owned" hotels or Pensionen, usually at the recommendation of Let's Go or Rough Guide, if I am not going to stay in a hostel dorm room. I don't use Trip Advisor as a source for deciding where to stay. Location, ie., close to the train station and price for a single (EZ) are both important factors to consider, be it in Frankfurt, Münster/Westf, Munich, Hamburg, Regensburg, and esp., in Berlin. Most of the time the other guests are locals, so speaking to them at breakfast is no problem, if that chance comes up. Yes, sometimes, service is uneven but that's doesn't matter, as long the room is clean and secure, as are the WC facilities, either down the hall or en suite. I like the personal touch sometimes offered in a Pension in Germany at breakfast. Mainly, it depends on what your level of expectations is at a small establishment, and whether for the price and what you get for that, you can live with it, esp., in France, Poland, and England with B&Bs and small hotels.

"Most of the time the other guests are locals" Just wondering... why would "locals" be staying in a hotel? Unless they offer hourly rates...

I'll cite my list of drawbacks of SFOL (small family owned lodging): - Irregularity of service. In very small lodging options that don't have a professional staff, but rely mostly on the family of the owners, service can be very irregular between different days, rooms etc. The all-helpful son is sick? Too bad for you - the daughter hates front-desk tasks and will treat you not nearly as good. - Lack of standards. This happens at other hotels as well, but SFOL are prone to be even more unpredictable in terms of what is a continental breakfast, what is "wi-fi signal in the room", what is 24/7 reception, what is free parking in the premises. You can counter this with more extensive research on reviews or websites etc. - Forced intimacy. Dealing with few fellow costumers, particularly at low season, you can feel overwhelmed by the forced intimacy of certain SFHL, with things like "since we only have 2 rooms occupied for tomorrow, do you mind telling me at which time will you wake up and what you want for breakfast"? - Slower, reduced ability do promptly deal with problems. Any decent 30+ room hotel keeps at least a spare one for emergencies. In a B&B with 3 rooms, you are out of luck if the heating radiator stops working in the middle of night, or the bathroom pipes become clogged by not fault of yours. And they are less likely to have another place to send you. - HAving no "manager to call" Front desk hired personnel at hotels are usually supervised by a manager or something that can give a second look/opinion should an issue arise during your stay. In a SFOL, you are out of luck if the owner-in-chief says no.

- Using the friendly approach as means to corner you. Since they treat you as friends more than guests sometimes, SFOL can use that friendliness to extract money/concessions from you by putting you in a corner. Here is a first-hand story: once in Ragusa (Sicilia) me and a 2 friends (one male, other female) were staying in a small B&B. We were not a couple, just friends, and rented 3 different rooms for a 10-day long stay (we enjoyed our privacy at night). In the middle of our stay, the owner of the place, all too friendly, came asking if I'd mind bunking up with my friend in the same room for 3 nights because he "needed" an extra room to close a deal on two more rooms for a small group of 3 couples. Then he became very upset when we denied the possibility and tossed that he really needed the money from that group because his business was slow and that we shouldn't mind because we stayed most of the day out of his property hiking and the rooms had 2 single beds! How unprofessional. - Cancellation policies are usually harsher For those who need cancellation flexibility, for obvious reasons SFOL are more likely not to have cancel-for-free-until-6PM policies. - The owner might get upset by a negative review. Happened to me once, in a different situation, yielding a phone call requesting me to take down a negative, but educated and fact-based review I had written on Trip Advisor. She was saying the review yielded further questions by prospective guests (which was my goal) before they closed deals. The issue: after triple-checking before settling down to the place, and before checking-in, the owner arbitrarily set our check-out time for 9am instead of 12am as advertised. Her excuse? "You and your girlfriend had left the hotel every morning before 8:30, and I thought it wouldn't be a problem".

There are pros and cons for everything. I'd even argue that some of your items are true for big chain hotels too. Service isn't always consistent at a big hotel or even within chains. And many people want the more personal service small hotels reportedly offer. I've often had to request an early breakfast and that's never an issue at a small hotel whereas with a big hotel, the restaurant opens when the time says so. I'm sure small hotels have less flexibility if something goes wrong, but I bet you can find people that have shown up at big hotels only to find their reservation is missing and the hotel is fully booked. The key is for each person to know what it is they need. The guidebooks and especially travel review sites are really helpful to identify specific issues with hotels of any size. In a way, such sites are good for small hotels because people can pre-judge them and lessen their "risk" of staying in an unknown hotel without a corporate umbrella.

I was staying in a small 4-rms hotel in Florence. I was sick, so was prolonging my stay until the last minute to take advantage of being in bed until I had to go to the train station. The owner, a very nice woman, hovered over me trying to get me out-because the next couple were there and "needed to get into the room." Never mind that they arrived before 10 am to claim their room. I was staying at a lovely B&B in Brugge for two nights. I had a couple of friendly discussions with the owners, mostly the male owner. When I was leaving, the female owner was not present. I had my pack on my back and reached out my hand to shake the man's hand goodbye. He closed in for the cheek kiss and made it a very lingering kiss right at the corner of my mouth. I pulled away and charged out the door. What the...? I complained via email later and he failed to get my point that I felt he had crossed a line. Both these hotels are highly touted by RS readers, although the first may now be closed because of the age of my hostess. On the other hand, I've stayed at a number of B&Bs and small family-run hotels and felt very comfortable. The owners will often be available for conversation, questions, suggestions, etc. Pay is usually expected upon arrival, but not always. Look at the room before paying is my advice. As a woman, I prefer to deal with women owners usually.

In my experience, the biggest drawback of the small places is that when the person running the place is a micromanager, the customers feel it as opposed to the hotel staff. There's a place I've stayed at in Budapest a few times, but the second time the owner's micro-managing really got to me so I won't be going back there. I visited with my mom for the second time last summer, and the owner gave us instructions on how to control the air conditioning, and showed us the only buttons we needed to push. Well, the next morning we left for a long, hot day of sightseeing and turned off the A/C like the owner requested. When we got back late that afternoon I grabbed the control, and accidentally hit one of the buttons I'd been instructed not to touch. Whoops! I realized my mistake as soon as it happened, so I put the controller down and didn't touch anything else so I wouldn't make it worse. Well, the owner of the place just about had a cow! On top of that, she didn't know how to control the A/C much more than simply shutting it on and off. And based on friendly comments she made to me throughout our stay, I know she wasn't mad at me specifically for the incident, she was just really mad that something went wrong and she didn't know how to fix it! But it's hard for a client to be on the receiving end of a hotel owner's frustration/anger.

I'll begin by sharing that I stay at a wide variety of lodgings regardless of why or where I'm traveling (from private home with two rooms to expensive international chains) and will suggest that selecting a lodging appropriate to one's trip or destination is more a matter of personal preference based on many factors...there's no right or wrong way. And I agree with Douglas that, with the exception of the forced intimacy you mention, every other point listed can easily apply to any lodging, including big chains like Fairmont, Sofitel, etc. Your cons may be another's pros. BTW, it's unlikely that even the best large hotel will offer to allow you to park in the manager's private garage, offer to drive you to the airport free of charge, or suggest using his private garden for an impromptu birthday celebration. Just a few true B&B experiences I've enjoyed. But I've also had some great times at The Fairmont.

In Aviemore, years ago, my friend and I booked a room through the TI office. We booked a double, not a twin, not knowing the difference. The little Scottish lady took one look at us and just about slammed the door in our faces. She would have "none o' tha nonsense" in her B&B. It took some talking to convince her that there would be no shenanigans. I think it certainly takes more public relations skills to stay in a small place. If you have a problem, unless you are used to nicely but firmly getting things resolved, you may just keep your mouth shut.

I am by no means saying larger hotels are problem-free, just wanted to point out the world of B&Bs and "cosy and quaint small places" is not all perfect. I therefore agree with what others chimed in: the most important thing is to a place that fits your style. Moreover, I totally related to the "being on the receiving end of a micromanaging owner". Personally (and just that: personally), I like more professional and not-so-personal service that allows me more privacy and objectivity. But that is just me, I'm friendly but don't like small talk and don't make "instant friendship" with strangers at home, and even less when travelling on vacation. So I'd see a manager suggesting using a private garden of his house for a birthday party of me or my travel buddies as he/she mingling where he/she wasn't called for. Other people might have exactly the opposite reception. The good thing is that, at the end of the day, each one can find what suits them best in the price range they can afford.

I'm not sure I get the point of this thread, Andre. The fact is, unpleasant experiences can and do happen at EVERY type of accommodation. EVERYONE here has a story to tell, so no matter what anyone titles their thread, a number of others will have stories that support that argument. People stay wherever they find their needs and desires are best met. I like small, family owned hotels, but rarely stay there because I am looking for lodgings for 5. We have learned to like and bask in the advantages of apartments and hostels. Other people would shutter at the idea. Who cares. Personally, if all other factors are the same - cost, location, type of room(s), etc. - I would prefer a smaller establishment because it will probably differ the most from what I'm used to at home. That's why I'm in Europe as opposed to the USA. I'm looking to enjoy the differences. But you, living there, probably are not as interested in that aspect. I wouldn't expect you to be. But people do love sharing stories, so here's mine; Our family of 5 is sharing a large, very nice room in Colmar, France, at a RS-recommended B&B. After a wonderful, filling breakfast, I told our host that I needed to go soon to pick up our rental car. It was a couple miles away and I figured I'd walk. No problem. I had a map. She offered to drive me there instead, came in with me, and acted as translator when we discovered that the clerk struggled with English. I still think of her fondly to this day for that selfless act of kindness.

Give me the following: 1) Good location. 2) Good location. 3) Good location. 4) A comfortable, clean, quiet place to sleep. 5) A good breakfast spread. Meet those requirements, and I'm happy. Doesn't matter if it's Frau Fröhlich's Gemütlich Familie Freundlich Gasthaus, the Ibis, or Four Season's Regency. But please, just don't give me this condescending attitude about where I choose to park my rear end for the night: "As far as I'm concerned, spending more for your hotel just builds a bigger wall between you and what you traveled so far to see. If you spend enough, you won't know where you are. Think about it. "In-ter-con-ti-nen-tal." That means the same everywhere -- designed for people who deep down inside wish they weren't traveling, people spending someone else's money, people who need a strap over the toilet telling them no one's sat there yet."

Since 2000, I have spent 92 nights in 32 places that I would describe as SFOPs. I have never experienced ANY of the disadvantaes that Andre describes. His last two disadvantages make me wonder if he has even stayed in a real SFOP. I have never had to pay a deposit or agree to a cancellation penalty in any of them, or any of the other 6 places that were small but probably not family owned. One time, when I couldn't find accommodations available in Burghausen, I had to book a hotel in nearby Altötting. Altötting had a town booking service with an online contract that included a penalty clause for cancellation. Fortunately I eventually found a place in Burghausen and cancelled Altötting before the penalty period became effective. In addition most of the places at which I've stayed were "under the radar" of review websites - there were no reviews for the owner to be angry about. But I have had many great experiences. In one Privatzimmer, the owner figured out what flight I was taking from the US, and what train I would catch to his town and met me at the station, even though I didn't ask him to do so. Some years ago, my wife became ill (stomach distress) at the end of our trip. The owner where we stayed gave her some medicine out of his personal cabinet. At the last place we stayed, the landlady offered to fix her for breakfast whatever she thought she could keep down.

I totally agree with Tom's list (and point of view) except I don't even need a great breakfast. For me it is all about location, clean and comfortable, and price. I've stayed everywhere from a room to let in some small town in Norway that reminded me of grandma's place (last remodeled in the 50s) to modern, non-descript Novotels. I've booked mystery hotels on priceline. I've knocked on doors with "zimmer frei" signs in Germany. By the way on my last vacation, I stayed at the "In-ter-con-ti-nen-tal". It was free (hotel points from work-related travel), in a fantastic location, very comfortable, and had free wireless. The supposedly impersonal hotel desk clerk took care of my bag when I arrived early, helped me with directions to get to the starting point of a walking tour, and remembered my name when I checked out two days later. I'll "stoop" to a chain when it meets my price and location criteria. I make no apologies.

"People stay wherever they find their needs and desires best met...who cares?" Well, obviously some people on this board care very much when they consistently pipe up that a visitor to Europe would be crazy to "stoop to staying in a budget hotel" as it lacks that charm so necessary for an "authentic European experience". I've stayed at and recommended ALL types of lodging - from couch surfing to fancy 5 star experiences someone may want to try out for a honeymoon or anniversary. I don't understand the need by some responders on this helpline who want to make some people feel bad about choosing lodging that may be different from what they exclusively seek out when they plan their own trip overseas. Tom's list is something I agree with 100%. It is all about location, cleanliness and a comfortable bed for however much you can afford. If there is a nice breakfast included in the rate, that's great. If not, I'm more than capable of finding breakfast on my own.

Seems to me that there are many out there who like the intimacy and the other drawbacks of these lodging operations, while at the same time detesting big impersonal hotels. And others feel the opposite. So what's the problem? Folks who have dislikes of aspects of small places simply need to not use them, and everyone can be happy. There's places for all of us with all our tastes. It's not a "red-state blue-state" choice where one side has to abide by the other's viewpoint. This is what makes travel so great - it can be experienced on so mnay levels by so many different people, and the fact that someone is not happy with someone else's style is really irrelevant.

Regarding Tom's list: #5 - - usually adds too much to the cost # 4 - - okay, if there's one around # 3 through #1 - - screw that, make it cheap and I'll find a way to get where I need to go

In the 80s, I had two business trips to Europe. The company made all the arrangements, and we stayed mostly in 4* hotels. In between these trips, I made a trip at my own expense. Since I didn't have a lot of money, I got a copy of Michelin guide and wrote to 1* hotels (Michelin didn't show Privatzimmer). Most of the places were probably SFOPs. I decided after those trips that I much preferred the small hotels. After thinking about this, I realize that, unlike Ceidleh, I don't go to see sights. I can watch videos for that. I go for the people. I'm of mostly German ancestry, I have relatives in Germany, and I've studied Germany. To me the "thrill" is to interact with people in Germany in their language. I've been to the Alto Adige part of Italy, but I have absolutely no interest in Italy south of there or in Spain. Being retired, I can go where I want. If I were still working and had to go to those countries, I think I would want to stay in intercontinental hotels to avoid contact with the locals.

Although I agree with some of Andre's assertions I definitely have a preference for SFO hotels, but not B&Bs. To me there is a significant difference between a B&B with 3 or 4 rooms and a small hotel. Having only stayed in B&B's 4 or 5 times - most of those times I felt like it was almost too personal of an experience. No actual incidences to make me feel that way - it's just weird having the owner know all your comings and goings. The other problem I have with B&B's is I feel like I'm always very concerned about being quiet because the rooms are generally VERY close together and because I feel like I'm a guest in someone's home, and need to be extremely considerate. I totally agree with Tom's list that location is key, but for me staying in a 500 year old guesthouse or hotel with a lot of history and character really adds to the travel experience! I have been known to stay at large chain hotels when I got a really good price or for some other convenience, but strongly prefer the small hotels.

We often travel in the winter and get up early to maximize daylight hours. In a b & b breakfast is understandably served during a small time slot, usually later in the morning. That doesn't work out so well with our schedule. Also, a lot of smaller places have strict "no washing clothes in the room" rules and we like to do laundry almost every night.

In light of James' reference to a previous thread of last year regarding exactly the same topic with pretty much the same replies from all of the same people, why does this topic keep coming up? Why not bring up something new to debate, such as why Americans (some) apparently don't believe that our domestic carriers have crap equipment and service on international flights and believe there's some anti-US bias in those low Skytrax rankings they've earned. Yeah, I just read something about this yesterday. Sort of reminded me of back in the day when everyone was all worked up about the anti-US bias at Consumer Reports, who gave preference to the Japanese automakers (or so it was charged). I must say that when one flies on a Skytrax 4 star airline, such as Swiss, there's a big difference IMHO. If you're ever lucky enough to fly on a 5 star like Singapore or Cathay Pacific, you'll get a nice taste of what we're missing out on here with Delta, United, or American. There...new topic that should serve to stir things up a bit.

Tom, It puzzles me that on the Helpine mainstream lingo, a "local" is not applicable to somebody from the same country or region, but to a elusive human sub-genre comprising someone who is not only local (in terms of language/place of residence/nationality) but also who was allegedly not "corrupted" by "evil American customs and influence" when it comes to diet, career or lifestyle. The more "un-American" they look, the more "local" they are. So a German couple living in Berlin descending directly from Otto vön Bismarck and the Lüdwig, the Mad, will be locals, but only if they take the U-Bahn and not the cars, and if they shop at small stores in the Berliner Alee - God forbids they ever enter a Netto or, the worst possible crime, patronize the "soulless, bland" shops and "international" restaurants at Postdamer Platz. Also "local-ness" is a case of reverse classicism for some: an executive of an evil corporation can never be a local - bakers, chefs (only those dedicating to traditional cuisine, fusion-cuisine is evil), small shop owners, teachers (not university professors), the all elusive farmer-selling-its-organic-produce-in-the-marker and liberal professions are preferred as "locals". Thank the Almighty God (in a typical German Lutheran rite, of course) above for not allowing these people turning Europe in a living museum where people are not allowed to listen to iPods, teenagers banned from wearing knee-down jeans and Two-and-a-Half-Men is censored from TV in favor of Nordic sitcoms! Sorry for the rant slightly off-topic.

Umm...what?!? That makes no sense. I believe Fred meant that the other guests in the places he prefers in Germany are typically mostly German. Haven't you ever stayed in a place where most of the people there were tourists from whatever country you were in? I don't think he made any value judgments about evil-doer locals or filthy iPods, although there are certainly plenty of evil-doer European capitalists around, such as that Swiss National Bank CEO who resigned in disgrace the other day. :)

Michael, If you are travelling to a small hotel in Frankfurt, for instance, it is very unlikely that any guest will be from anywhere within a 100km radius (or else they would be sleeping home). They are as much of a tourist as you, only from the same country. It is a common thing in America as well: with exception of morally doubtful establishments that caters for, well, you know what, a given hotel in your city will be most likely filled with outsiders, be them from next state, the other side of the country, Canada or other countries, NOT with locals what you'd normally meet at your mall, city hall or DMV.

Single traveler, age 60 retiree, been to 65 countries Single traveler, age 20, student, been to 2 countries Single traveler, age 45, lives in Europe Couple, late 20's first time to Europe Couple, late 50's 17th time to Europe Couple, late 30's, lives in Europe Family of 3 with toddler Family of 4 with pre-teens Family of 5 with teenagers All of these types of travelers (and more) come to this site to ask for advice. They all have BOTH different expectations of Europe that we can intelligently guess at based on their travel party, age and history; as well as potentially different expectations of Europe unique to their personalities. It would be best if we gave advice based on what we can intelligently guess their needs may be combined with what their stated preferences might be, rather than suggesting they do what WE would do. We need to practice the good habit of walking in their shoes before we speak (or write). It also wouldn't hurt to try as best we can to as positive as possible (something I continue to work on - not 100% successfully)

@Lee: If you travel overseas for the people and not for the sights, then wouldn't you want to actually explore more than specific parts of Germany so you could meet more "locals" and learn more dialects? How does one have no interest in any other part of Italy except for a small section of far Northern Italy where a healthy portion speaks German? Do those people further south not count because they don't speak a language you want to practice? Thanks for the tip about videos! Me and hundreds of other posters on here have been needlessly spending thousands on airfare, lodging and meals when we could all just stay home and watch a video featuring castles, cathedrals, famous works of art or whatever other "sights" we waste time at being "tourists, not travellers".

"Do those people further south not count because they don't speak a language you want to practice?" Not for me. And that's my choice. Why, Ceidleh, if I'm trying to learn a language, should I go to a place where people speak another language, one I don't want to practice?

I think I had better define what I meant by "locals" as guests where I am also a guest in that particular Pension or small hotel. I am refering specifically to other German tourists as "locals." Most of the guests in the Pension or small hotel were German when I've stayed in Marburg, Sigmaringen, Lüneburg, Regensburg, Hamburg, Münster/Westf., Frankfurt, and esp., at the Pension in Berlin-Charlottenburg but not so much in Munich near the Hbf.

"Marburg, Sigmaringen, Lüneburg, Regensburg, Hamburg, Münster/Westf., Frankfurt, and esp., at the Pension in Berlin-Charlottenburg but not so much in Munich near the Hbf." For most of those, the fact that your fellow guests were largely German probably has more to do with the city than the type of lodging. Your chances of running into another American in Marburg is probably as high as running into a German in Knoxville or Topeka. Likewise, at a large business class hotel where I slept in Hamburg, a Chinese couple and I appeared to be the only non-Germans in the building.

Yes, I would agree that choice of city to be visited has a good deal to do with one's chances of running into other American tourists at breakfast, especially in Germany. If they go to Marburg, it depends on what they want to see. The last time I visited Marburg was in June 2007, stayed one night at the hotel across from the Elisabethkirche, and did not see any Americans at the hotel's buffet breakfast or at check out. The other guests were mostly German, either businessmen or tourists, and some Japanese.

PS- Andre, I think you have the topic for a new thread here. Call it "The Myth of the Local".

"How does one have no interest in any other part of Italy except for a small section of far Northern Italy where a healthy portion speaks German? Do those people further south not count because they don't speak a language you want to practice?" These are some strange questions/comments, Ceidleh. There is probably just a handful of people who really have a genuine and interest in traveling to every region of every country around the planet. I could name at least 20 countries where getting to know the culture and people up close and personal is an absolute non-priority, places I really do not care much about, if at all, and that I will never travel to simply because I have no connection to them of any kind. But that doesn't mean the people in these places don't "count", or that their existences would be more valuable if I showed up in their countries. The majority of us surely have much more interest in places and people that in our eyes represent our own cultural and family roots than in those of other random cultures and families.

Randy We are looking for a nice B& B in Colmar, France for September. Could you provide the name of the one in which you stayed?

Dee, I'll send you a private message with the information. You will have to log in as you would to leave any comment here, then go to the "my profile" link in the upper right to see your private messages. (Just FYI, specific person-to-person questions are best asked through a private message, but I have been guilty of not following that policy at times as well...)

Ah, it's B&B Wars, Episode VI. Put me in the non-B&B camp. Too many owners complaining that I sleep late and guests who ask personal questions around the breakfast table. I don't care for the forced intimacy. I stay in a variety of hotels from small to large. One of my most memorable recent stays was in a modern Copenhagen high-rise. Scandinavian design is for me an "authentic European experience." I like to mix it up quite a bit. But I do try to avoid the places where I don't feel I have reasonable privacy. I follow Rick's advice for some things, but for lodging I'm happy to find my own way.

One of the characteristics of SFOPs, not theretofore mentioned, is not a con but a pro, and a very BIG PRO. IMO it outweighs all the cons put together. That's price. I've spent 52 nights in Europe over my last four trips. That has included 12 nights in hotels, mostly in major cities, that I would not call SFOPs because they have many rooms, and staff members are not part of the family. In fact the owner was probably not present or actively envolved in the operation. Of the other 40 nights, 28 nights have been in what I would call a Privatzimmer - a room in a family's home. Note, these are not some elderly couple's spare room. They're in an area of the home separate from the family part. Most have had private bathroom facilities. You get a key to the front door, and you can come and go as you wish. Privatzimmer have cost me an average of €26/nt, EZ/F (single room w/ breakfast). The places I stayed for the other 12 nights I would still call SFOPs even though half had too many rooms to be a PZ, and the others were restaurants with a few rooms to rent. In those, the restaurants were family run; the husband cooked and the wife oversaw the service. I remember one where it was their daughter that showed me to my room. Those rooms have averaged €32/nt. And I have never experienced any of the disadvantages that some people here are fantasizing.

I had one poor experience with a SMOL (owner didn't show), and two great ones: the owners (one in Palermo, one in Agrigento) texted and emailed me to confirm the reservation (I made it through a booking service), and we kept in touch - I texted the day before arriving, let them know when my train would arrive, and the owner in Palermo picked me up at the station. I recommend this type of lodging if you establish contact before you show up.

The SFOP is a niche that, sadly, does not really exist for the most part in the US. B and B's do exist, at least in heavily touristed historic areas, but I feel a bit awkward traipsing through common areas of the house to get to my private room, and I generally prefer less guest comraderie than is the norm there. What fills the economic niche of the SFOP in the US tends to be cheap chains like Ramada, Super 8, Motel 6, which range from utilitarian verging on minimum security prison to appallingly filthy and sketchy. (Like the Ramada I stayed in once in Lancaster PA where the room was disgusting, the toilet unflushed, the bed clearly made up over recently used sheets, capped off when the police arrived at 2 am to arrest a half dozen rowdy patrons for a variety of offenses.) So, yeah, you can have a bad experience at a SFOP in Europe, but my proportion of good to bad experiences at them is far more favorable than my experience at cheap chain hotels in the US. YMMV of course.

ah man this is all hilarious. I have different requirements/desires for lodging for different kinds of trips. On a romantic city visit I want a really nice room because uh, I might be spending some extra time in it? But if it's a last-minute opportunity to travel somewhere on a limited budget, hostel it is. It really varies. But the snobbery of some of these attitudes seems silly to me. There are drawbacks and pluses to ALL kinds of lodging. One of my favorite experiences ever was at a small, family-run hotel (technically a hostel) in Cassis, France. A lovely family basically had two "dorm" rooms and two private rooms in their beautiful house, with thoughtfully appointed common areas full of books, DVDs, games, full kitchen access, breakfast provided, oh and a pool with an amazing view of the sea. I got to chat with other guests and got really drunk with one of the workers and two boys from Quebec. For a relaxing beach trip it was absolutely perfect. I also stayed in the "small, family-owned hotel" from hell in St. Malo, France. The rooms were dirty and weird, the owner was rude and refused to open a bottle of cider we'd bought locally (even though we'd already eaten in his restaurant and drank at his bar all night), they were baffled at the request for a wake up call (providing no other alarms or anything in the room) and ended up banging violently on our door 30 minutes late instead. There was no security and a bunch of drunk high schoolers were singing Queen songs at the top of their lungs right outside our window for hours starting after midnight and actually RUNNING THROUGH THE HOTEL after that. Not guests, mind you. There was no front desk service most of the time. It was the most horrid 2 nights I've ever spent. Honestly I'm going to go with what can give me a good night's sleep, good location, and good price.

There is something about moving to Germany that makes Americans smart. I'm looking for long term rental B&B's/family owned hotels now.

We've spent about 80 nights in Bavaria, Austria and the Italian Dolomites at family owned-operated B&B's, Pensions, Garnis, etc. since 2001 alone. cons - none that we ever experienced. Maybe we've been lucky? That's an awful lot of luck though. pro's - very reasonable rates, clean/comfortable rooms, atmosphere, good/quiet locations, breakfast included w/room price, nice views and we've stayed with some of the most wonderful people. Certainly added to our trips. That said, we've stayed at a couple of hotels in the Munich airport area, and while very nice places, lacked the charm of the pensions, etc. which we stay in. They also cost 2 to 3 times as much per night. Paul

Somebody mentioned Ramada, Motel 6 and their alikes. Many of them are actually franchises in which the local owner/manager has great deal on how the place is run. Yet, they usually (the decent ones) offer far more value for money than the average SFOL in Europe IMO, at least in terms of space and free parking for my car. But I always read reviews, sometimes cheap motel chains are okay for an overnight stay, sometimes they are not.

As a single traveler, who is not doing hostels these days, I like the SFOH, particularly the ones with nice residence bars. They offer another opportunity to meet people, whether it is your host or fellow guests. I've stayed in a favorite in Fortrose, Scotland, that I enjoy, but definitely has some Fawlty Towers aspects to it. The best thing that an owner did for me one time was stitch up my pants when the seam split. She dug out her sewing machine and stitched it up so well that it's hanging in there nearly ten years later. BTW I have enjoyed small hotels/B&B's in the US. If they have good Internet and a desk for my computer, they make a pleasant change from the unending nights in the Hyatt Place! Pam

This is some funny stuff!! I'm still laughing at "Frau Fröhlich's Gemütlich Familie Freundlich Gasthaus!!!" Boo-Yahh!! Mark me down in the category of never having made any reservations, ever, for any accomodations, while traveling. We will stay anywhere if the place is safe, cheap and clean. (And super nice places if the company is paying.) Have had nothing but good experiences at B&Bs and family owned places. We have had some of the best times/conversations around the breakfast table at zimmers/agros in Austria, Germany and Italy. When I was working construction on the island of Kudaka, and had a week off to go to Tokyo, I stayed in a capsule hotel for around 35 dollars. I just could not spend 200 to 300 dollars a night for a hotel room, which was the cheapest I could find. About four times the size of a coffin, but had a huge sento bath area, and you could shave, brush your teeth, and get a pretty good night's sleep. I stayed there 6 days and was glad to find the place, as it left me more money to eat and sightsee. And this "local" debate? I would guess anyone outside the pheriphery of their daily travels would be considered a tourist. We've shared lunch with Berliners, that were visiting Freistaat Bayern for the first time ever. Would they not be tourists?

I had an experience this weekend that highlights all of the drawbacks and advantages of a SFOH. Through the town's website, I booked a room in just such a place in Flumserberg, Switzerland, a lesser known, but wonderful resort town high in the Swiss Alps. Keeping with my mantra of "location, location, location", the hotel appeared, according to Google Maps, to be conveniently located on the main road, very close to some of the ski lifts and a cluster of restaurants. So, I arrive on Friday night in the middle of a howling blizzard. Driving along the main road up the mountain, I see a sign for my hotel that points off to a side road. I drive along a narrow, twisting road with steep inclines and descents, getting increasingly worried as the lights from the main area of town grow increasingly dim behind me. Turns out, Google Maps identified the MAIL BOX of the hotel, not the actual location. As I attempt the final ascent to the hotel, even with snow tires, my car can't make it up the hill. I run up the hill to the SFOH to find... nobody there. I decide to drive back to the main area of town to find another room... and my car gets stuck in the rapidly accumulating snow. Try as I might, the situation is hopeless. My car isn't moving. I walk through the blizzard to the first people I see. It turns out, they know the owners of the hotel. They call them and it turns out, they went to eat dinner. The owners assist me in calling the local version of AAA. After much effort, they are able to tow my car out of the snow and up to a covered garage, near the ski lifts. They then gave me a ride back to the hotel. I took my luggage with me, but left the skis in the car. Although the hotel doesn't have a restaurant, after my ordeal the owners prepare me a filling meal of bread, salami and local cheese. (cont.)

(cont) The next morning, the hotel is so snowed in that I have to walk 30 minutes up hill to reach my car and ski gear. Even the hotel's 4 wheel drive can't get through the snow. After a great day of skiing, I retire for the night. The next morning, although there is someone present to prepare my breakfast, nobody is present who can drive me and luggage uphill to my car. So, I had to walk up again, and drive back to pick up my luggage. Fortunately, the road was in better shape, but even so, I had a few close calls with my car. So, the moral(s) of the story... I'm still convinced that "location, location, location" is the most important consideration. Although the hotel reeks of all the charm you could ever want in a Swiss Alpine hotel, it sits in a location that's a huge pain in the rear to reach. The owners went out of their way to help me out, probably far more than an international chain would offer, but the lack of 24 hour service caused me a significant amount of trouble.

Tom, thanks for venting. That was interesting to read. I could almost picture the whole ordeal in my mind. I'm not sure what deeper meaning can be taken from it, however. If the hotel had been located where Google said it was, everything would have been fine. If the weather had been better, everything would have been fine. On the plus side, you now have a story to tell and will likely remember the trip vividly, whereas a problem-free ski weekend might, after a few years, be largely forgotten. That's ultimately what many American infrequent visitors are looking for; a memory. Some might not consider their choice of lodging to be critical to making memories, but many people do. I don't blame them. I do the same thing, though I would hardly expect you or Andre to approach things the way I do. (I find that most often, a hotel's web site has a "directions" or "location" link and I try to take a minute to cross-check their information with another source like Google to make sure I can visualize exactly how to get there.)

Randy, maybe your are right. For me, especially if I'm not travelling with a girlfriend (and I"m not married), the choice of hotel is somehow based on utility and comfort. Contrary to Tom, I will happily trade location for better room or one with more amenities, if I can still reach the places I want to go by car with relatively easiness. Some people will think having to hop on a car, tram, bus or else to get to the place they actually want to go is completely mood-killer and a no-go - hence the high(er) prices of 'centrally located' hotels in regard to main sites of a city/area. Others, like me, will happily stay in a hotel in an industrial park with "zero charm and zero character" as long as the room is big, has wi-fi, radiator makes no noises and the staff is professional and not intrusive.

"I'm not sure what deeper meaning can be taken from it, however." That there's advantages and disadvantages in every scenario, and sometimes the perfect storm of events (quite literally, in my case) can conspire to bring out both the best and worst in one's experience at a SFOH.