Gifts to B&B Hosts?

I don't think you have to give a gift to your B&B hosts, unless you have stayed there before and they did something outstanding. One time we stayed at a B&B near Kew Gardens and the couple were simply amazing. They took us around town twice, gave us advice about where to eat, shop etc., and also had our kids in their living room to watch TV while we went out for dinner.

The next time we stayed with them, we took a gift for the family.

P.S. I think it was really nice of you to even consider a gift. Very thoughtful :-)

I'm not sure why you would have to give your B&B Hosts a gift. If we were supposed to do that we must have missed the memo because we have never done that when we travel.

You have a commercial arrangement with the B&B people and you certainly need not take a gift. That's a daft idea. If you were to return, year after year, to the same B&B and became friendly with the owners, then a gift would be a nice gesture. In your case, it would be silly and cause embarrassment.

A B&B is a commercial lodging, like a hotel. You pay to stay there, and so are not expected to take a gift. It's not like you are houseguests.

Hi Jean,
I think it's really nice that you have even thought of taking them a gift, but it certainly is not expected. Maybe just gift wrap the arm and leg!

I take a "hostess" gift BECAUSE, I have corresponded with them over several months and they have been very kind and helpful. It is my way of saying I appreciate their help and suggestions. They have gone above and beyond "their" responsibility of taking your reservation. If they have helped me after I arrive with arranging some of my itinerary and suggestions and have spent their time with me, I will give them a gift. I am taking Oregon pins, notepads, handmade scarves, Oregon jams in little jars - well I use to. It is just something I want to do because they have treated me so well. I know that's their "job" but they do go beyond what is expected of them. So I'm daft but I enjoy doing it. They are very appreciative because they don't expect it. I've taken trading cards and have given them to children out playing. They get so excited and enjoy looking at them.

Miss B, that sounds very nice and is exactly what we have done.

I agree with Miss B; I plan to take some Canadian cards and small items as gifts as my hosts were also helpful when I booked.

As a general rule, no, but there are always exceptions. This is a business to them. They want you to come back and they want you to tell your friends how nice they were. It is a daft idea.

I was at a B&B in Ireland last year that was chock full of dusty little knick-knacks from all over the world. At first blush it seemed really nice that many of their guests had brought gifts. But you could clearly see that the owners just didn't know what to do with all the stuff they had gotten over the years. Every available space had been taken up by these little gifts. I've never taken a gift to any B&B host but I usually send a thank-you card or email once I've returned home.

I agree w/Ms.B. My gift giving first started as part of a custom and now because of the same reasons Ms. B. listed, they are helpful, kind and if you are lucky the treat you better than family and not just a 'job'. First it is an Irish custom that when the 'yanks' visit their Irish relations in Ireland you ALWAYS bring a gift(s)and if you do not it could be taken as an insult to your relantions and an embaressment to the head of your family; which is never forgotten in Ireland. Before my first trip to Ireland, which I knew was going to be the 'tour of the sitting rooms' visiting both sides of my mam's family. We spent time gathering gifts to take over and went over many lists to make sure no one was forgotten. We also packed a few 'extra's' for our B&B hosts/hostess'; these items are always something small. Years later still doing same. Sometimes I pick up wine in Ireland and give that as a thank you. One particular b&b in Cashel loves getting magnets.

We took gifts only to the first B&B we stayed at (Dundrum House near Keady, County Armagh). We did that because Liz had been so very helpful ahead of time. She answered lots of questions, assisted with bus and train schedules and even let me have train tickets mailed there from England. The tickets could go only to a UK address. Since the family has three children we took things from our area for them. Also we had a very distant and newly discovered cousin who volunteered to meet us at the train station in Portadown and ministers at two family churches who took time with us. We brought small gifts for them as well.