B&Bs - what amenities do they often have ?

For sure blow dryer. Soaps were hit and miss. Washcloths were not common.

IME, generally yes to things like soap, shampoo or blow dryers (although things vary from place to place - it's always a roll of the dice somewhat). I can not remember the last time I stayed on a place that didn't have that stuff. Once in a long while maybe one missing. We tend to always bring enough with us for one night just in case we show up to some low end place and there's no (whatever) - in a punch, we can always run out and get some the next morning.

The washcloth is just not found often in B&B's or hotels in the UK. I thought about that when I did get one in a hotel in Mexico recently. B&B's have come a long way since my sister and blew a fuse in a B&B in Edinburgh when we plugged in the hot rollers. :)

Pam

H, k8leeb19,

Just from personal experience, a lot of the B&Bs and hotels in Scotland are now going with liquid soap (body wash) dispensers in the showers, as well as shampoo dispensers. I guess that either soap and shampoo was being removed from the premises, or guests weren't willing to use soap used by previous guests. If you are concerned at all about finding bar soap in B&Bs, best thing to do is bring your own. Anyone who has stayed in a Travelodge in Scotland can attest to the minuscule bar of soap which they provide. :(

Tesco has an excellent bar soap which they sell for 25 pence. If you can't find a closeable plastic container for your soap in the travel section of your local drug store/Walmart, you can find one in Scotland at Superdrug or Boots. They run around one pound fifty. We had to get soap and a container on our trip last month. You can also obtain travel sizes of shampoo in Boots and Superdrug if you forget to bring it with you.

As far as blow driers, hotels have them, but not necessarily B&Bs. The owner of the B&B will usually have one for guests to share. Or you can let your hair dry on its own. It's better for your hair anyway.

On the subject of washcloths, only one out of the hotels/B&Bs/bunkhouses we stayed in over a 30 day holiday had such an item. You'd think that they'd be more easily found, but again, this may be something that you have to bring with you.

Best wishes for your holiday!

Mike (Auchterless)

I have just returned from the Highlands staying in B&B's and some hotel/lodges. All had soaps and shampoos. But I don't remember seeing conditioner. Some places had soap and shampoo dispensers fixed to the wall rather than small bottles and it was not always the best - but got the job done. I did not always see hairdryers in the rooms. Sometimes you have to ask the host. I just didn't bother with fixing my hair like I usually do at home.

Soap (or liquid body wash) and shampoo, yes, but it may not be the kind you like to use. Conditioner for your hair -- if this is important to you, bring your own small container of it. Most likely there'll be no hand lotion/moisturizer in an "average" B&B.

Since most don't provide washcloths, I bring a couple of old worn-out MicroDermaMitt silk washcloths because they dry MUCH faster than cotton terrycloth and take up minimal suitcase space.

If the B&B provides a hair dryer (I think most do, because from their POV it's better than having soggy towels), it's likely to be found in the desk drawer.

Washcloths or facecloths as they are known here in the UK are I believe seen as personal items and not always provided by hotels/guest houses and B&B's as a result. Visitors are expected to bring their own. That said, some accommodation providers do make them available for guests but they are not obliged to. Certainly back in my B&B days facecloths were not on the list of items required by Visit Scotland (the national tourist organisation for the country) which had to be provided for guests.

If you are booking accommodation in advance then I would ask at the time of making reservations what items will be provided by your hosts.

There was a very long discussion either here or on another travel site I visit about washcloths.

Most people from the UK were simply horrified that such a "personal" thing would be expected to be provided in a hotel or B&B and then reused by the next guest. Almost like we all expected there to be a reusable toothbrush in the room.

I don't see a wash cloth being any more personal than any other towel or linen provided by hotels. They all get washed in strong sterilizing soap and hot water. With some of the things I have heard of people doing with bath towels and bed sheets, I'm surprised the people objecting to wash cloths didn't bring their own linens.

It's just a cultural thing.

Totally agree Emma, my Mum and Granny had a wash cloth or flannel, have never owned one as an adult and would certainly not want to use one in a hotel, yuck!

To anyone who really thinks about it, consider what bodily fluids/wastes may have been on those (supposedly) clean sheets/duvets which are on your hotel/B&B bed. Washcloths/facecloths/flannels are a very minor thing to worry about. You use them for less than a minute. You're in that bed for six or seven hours or more!

I remember staying in a hotel in Ullapool back in 1994. I could swear that the bed linens had been there for weeks. I slept (restlessly) fully clothed on top of the duvet, with a (hopefully) clean towel covering the pillow. I would have gone elsewhere, but it was the last room in town.

At least the B&Bs have now switched from those dreadful nylon sheets of yesteryear to normal cotton sheets and duvet covers!

Happy travels!

Mike (Auchterless)

Regarding the facecloth/flannel issue, given that most lodgings now have shower gel and we use such a product at home, I pack along a nylon net “scrubbie” for shower time and some of those Olay Daily facial cloths (they are dry with gentle facial soap embedded). The scrubbie packs into a Ziploc bag between locales. Easy peasy.

About half the time, our B&B's have provided artisanal, local soaps, like thyme or oatmeal enhanced, rather than generic, industrial packaged soap. We usually are in 2-star type places, not super high-end, and those nicer toiletries are a surprise delight.

Any place that doesn't have a separate blow dryer in every room likely still has one they can loan, if you ask..

We just returned from our trip and stayed at a really wonderful B&B in Inverkeithing. They did not provide soap or shampoo, though, so it's best to either ask before your arrival or carry small travel-sized bottles of your own. This particular B&B did have washcloths but they were not replaced daily. I like a fresh one daily and virtually none of the other places we stayed at provided any at all. However, having been down this road before in other European destinations I came prepared with about half a dozen disposable, dollar-store washcloths in my suitcase.

Thank you so much everyone! This was all very helpful:)

And hilarious - the divide between washcloth or no washcloth people;)

Thank you:)

For what it's worth here are my thoughts. I am a B&B owner on the Isle of Skye in Scotland and also a very well travelled tourist. Most people in the UK would use shower gel rather than soap to wash themselves and that is what we (and most other B&Bs in the UK) provide in the bathroom. In our B&B we provide small bottles of body wash/shampoo from a small Scottish company. We also provide liquid hand soap and small bars of locally made soap. In my experience the only guests who use the bars of soap are North Americans. I also put flannels/wash cloths out and again it's mostly North Americans who use them.

As others have said we can't have electrical outlets in our bathrooms. This is because electricity is delivered at 240 volts in the UK instead of 110 volts in the US. Electricity and water do not mix well! We provide a hair dryer in the bedroom.

We also provide bathrobes, slippers, a small decanter of single malt and other home comforts.....

I think you will probably find that B&Bs have come a long way since the 1970s!

So helpful! Thank you:)

I like a facecloth in my bathroom. I have no qualms about using them as I know (or I hope) that they've been thoroughly cleaned as are the towels but I also pack a bunched up scrubbie for those occasions where there is no facecloth and it dries very quickly.

Most of our hotel stays are at Marriott due to our loyalty status so being an American company there are always facecloths whatever country we're staying in.

I also prefer liquid soap, I can't recall the last time I washed with a bar of soap. I certainly wouldn't expect to have to use one that had previously been used by a former guest.