Barbara Vaughan

Lil wrote:
    >
    > My Mom loves those hop on hop off bus rides. We did it in Washington
    > DC and when they got tired, it was very convenient. We'll look into
    > that when we get to Rome. Thanks.

These busses may be very convenient for your Mom. There is one called
the Archeobus that goes to some of the archeological sites outside the
city proper. However, much of Rome's charm is in the little streets
where no bus can go. Do try to do some walking off the beaten track in
the historic center and in Trastevere.

Barbara

Barbara Vaughan

Lil wrote:
    >
    > The B & B sounds lovely. I noticed they only had singles and doubles.
    > Perhaps another one that has a triple.
    >
    > by the way, what are people's experiences with B & Bs. My sister had
    > a horrible experience when she was a student when she went to London.
    > She said the B & B was old and rundown and breakfast consists of a
    > scone with some dishwater coffee.

B&B's in the UK run the gamut from grungy to elegant. I've never stayed
in a B&B in Italy. It's a fairly new concept. There's one now in the
town where I live, and I've seen it inside. It's very basic, but in a
charming house. (More charming on the outside than the inside, however.)

Barbara

Ken Blake

"Barbara Vaughan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Lil wrote:
    > >
    > > The B & B sounds lovely. I noticed they only had singles and
doubles.
    > > Perhaps another one that has a triple.
    > >
    > > by the way, what are people's experiences with B & Bs. My
sister had
    > > a horrible experience when she was a student when she went to
London.
    > > She said the B & B was old and rundown and breakfast consists
of a
    > > scone with some dishwater coffee.
    > B&B's in the UK run the gamut from grungy to elegant. I've
never stayed
    > in a B&B in Italy. It's a fairly new concept. There's one now
in the
    > town where I live, and I've seen it inside. It's very basic,
but in a
    > charming house. (More charming on the outside than the inside,
however.)


I've always had trouble understanding exactly what a B&B is,
especially in Italy. Since most Italian hotels give you breakfast
along with your room, how does a B&B differ from an ordinary
hotel?

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

barney

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Ken Blake) wrote:

    > "Barbara Vaughan" <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > B&B's in the UK run the gamut from grungy to elegant. I've
    > never stayed
    > > in a B&B in Italy. It's a fairly new concept. There's one now
    > in the
    > > town where I live, and I've seen it inside. It's very basic,
    > but in a
    > > charming house. (More charming on the outside than the inside,
    > however.)
    >
    >
    > I've always had trouble understanding exactly what a B&B is,
    > especially in Italy. Since most Italian hotels give you breakfast
    > along with your room, how does a B&B differ from an ordinary
    > hotel?

At least in the UK, the distinction between a B&B and a low-end hotel is
verging on the Jesuitical, I think.

(Ken -- I can't remember if you're a Brit, but if you are, forgive me for
the egg-sucking lesson.) Certainly in the UK, B&Bs can as Barbara said be
anything from dreams to nightmares: the common factors, I suppose, are
that they are in buildings that were once private houses rather than
purpose-built hotels or inns, and that they don't have full-service
restaurants.

Some don't do supper, most don't do lunch. Rooms may have TV and phone and
"en-suite facilities", but won't have minibars, desks with modem points,
laundry service, etc. etc.

Back onto topic, I've only stayed in one B&B in Italy: just outside
Bologna, and very much on the American luxury B&B model, where we
occupied what was essentially a small apartment on the top floor of the
house and were served breakfast on our balcony by the proprietress.

One of my co-travellers was a personal friend of the owners so I couldn't
really say that my happy experience there was necessarily typical of all
such establishments in Italy. But, like Barbara, I get the impression
they're rare there.

Ken Blake

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > In article <[email protected]>,

    > [email protected] (Ken Blake) wrote:
    > > "Barbara Vaughan" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > B&B's in the UK run the gamut from grungy to elegant. I've
    > > never stayed
    > > > in a B&B in Italy. It's a fairly new concept. There's one
now
    > > in the
    > > > town where I live, and I've seen it inside. It's very
basic,
    > > but in a
    > > > charming house. (More charming on the outside than the
inside,
    > > however.)
    > >
    > >
    > > I've always had trouble understanding exactly what a B&B is,
    > > especially in Italy. Since most Italian hotels give you
breakfast
    > > along with your room, how does a B&B differ from an ordinary
    > > hotel?
    > At least in the UK, the distinction between a B&B and a low-end
hotel is
    > verging on the Jesuitical, I think.


Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what "verging on the
Jesuitical" mens.

    > (Ken -- I can't remember if you're a Brit, but if you are,
forgive me for
    > the egg-sucking lesson.)


Nope, I'm from the USA.


    > Certainly in the UK, B&Bs can as Barbara said be
    > anything from dreams to nightmares: the common factors, I
suppose, are
    > that they are in buildings that were once private houses rather
than
    > purpose-built hotels or inns, and that they don't have
full-service
    > restaurants.


But many hotels, as opposed to B&Bs, in Italy also were once
private houses, and serve no meals other than breakfast. That's
what confuses me about calling something a B&B there. I have less
of a problem understanding the concept for a B&B in the USA.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

Barbara Vaughan

Ken Blake wrote:
    >
    > I've always had trouble understanding exactly what a B&B is,
    > especially in Italy. Since most Italian hotels give you breakfast
    > along with your room, how does a B&B differ from an ordinary
    > hotel?

In Italy, a B&B is usually in a private home. The one in my town is not
occupied by the owners, so what you have is the use of the whole house,
except for the bedrooms rented out to the other guests. I don't know how
the owner manages the breakfast part. Maybe she drops by to fix it up
and set it out.

Barbara

Barbara Vaughan

Ken Blake wrote:

    > Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what "verging on the
    > Jesuitical" mens.

The Jesuits were famous for their talent at splitting hairs.


    > ... many hotels, as opposed to B&Bs, in Italy also were once
    > private houses, and serve no meals other than breakfast. That's
    > what confuses me about calling something a B&B there. I have less
    > of a problem understanding the concept for a B&B in the USA.

The B&B's I've seen in Italy are in what would still be called a private
house. They would have none of the security features (fire doors, etc.)
required of a hotel. They are generally spare bedrooms or
mini-apartments rented out to guests in an owner-occupied home. As I
said, the one I've seen in my town isn't actually owner-occupied, but
it's in a small house (three guest rooms), and the owner lives very
nearby.

Barbara

barney

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Ken Blake) wrote:

    > <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > > In article <[email protected]>,
    >
    > > [email protected] (Ken Blake) wrote:
    > > > I've always had trouble understanding exactly what a B&B is,
    > > > especially in Italy. Since most Italian hotels give you
    > breakfast
    > > > along with your room, how does a B&B differ from an ordinary
    > > > hotel?
    > >
    > > At least in the UK, the distinction between a B&B and a low-end
    > hotel is
    > > verging on the Jesuitical, I think.
    >
    >
    > Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what "verging on the
    > Jesuitical" mens.

Pedantic, nit-picking.

    >
    > > Certainly in the UK, B&Bs can as Barbara said be
    > > anything from dreams to nightmares: the common factors, I
    > suppose, are
    > > that they are in buildings that were once private houses rather
    > than
    > > purpose-built hotels or inns, and that they don't have
    > full-service
    > > restaurants.
    >
    >
    > But many hotels, as opposed to B&Bs, in Italy also were once
    > private houses, and serve no meals other than breakfast. That's
    > what confuses me about calling something a B&B there. I have less
    > of a problem understanding the concept for a B&B in the USA.

Yes, I was talking about the UK -- in Italy I guess that as Barbara says
they are at an earlier stage of B&B "evolution" and are *still* first and
foremost private homes, whose owners rent out a few rooms.

Tmoliver

Barbara Vaughan <[email protected]> vented spleen or mostly
mumbled...

    >
    > Ken Blake wrote:
    >
    >> Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what "verging on the
    >> Jesuitical" mens.
    >
    > The Jesuits were famous for their talent at splitting hairs.
    >
    >
    >> ... many hotels, as opposed to B&Bs, in Italy also were once
    >> private houses, and serve no meals other than breakfast. That's
    >> what confuses me about calling something a B&B there. I have less
    >> of a problem understanding the concept for a B&B in the USA.
    >
    > The B&B's I've seen in Italy are in what would still be called a private
    > house. They would have none of the security features (fire doors, etc.)
    > required of a hotel. They are generally spare bedrooms or
    > mini-apartments rented out to guests in an owner-occupied home. As I
    > said, the one I've seen in my town isn't actually owner-occupied, but
    > it's in a small house (three guest rooms), and the owner lives very
    > nearby.
    >
Along with your description, the "classic" B&B, these days a number of
small hotels are advertising themselves as B&Bs to attract tourists who
have become accustomed to or desire that sort of accommodations. I think
the syndrome's most commin in the sort of hotel where the only ground floor
space is the door and staircase. Back 30 years ago, the same thing
happened, with some hotels finding themselves without lodgers, decided
(instead of adding bathrooms) to call themselves youth hostels and bunk
four to a single room...

Outside the immutably Byzantine bureaucracy, the Italian mind possesses a
substantial level of institutional flexibility, adapting quickly....

TMO

Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
Barbara Vaughan <[email protected]> typed:

    > Ken Blake wrote:
    >> Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what "verging on the
    >> Jesuitical" mens.
    > The Jesuits were famous for their talent at splitting hairs.


Thanks, I hadn't realized that.


    >> ... many hotels, as opposed to B&Bs, in Italy also were once
    >> private houses, and serve no meals other than breakfast.
That's
    >> what confuses me about calling something a B&B there. I have
less
    >> of a problem understanding the concept for a B&B in the USA.
    > The B&B's I've seen in Italy are in what would still be called
a
    > private house. They would have none of the security features
(fire
    > doors, etc.) required of a hotel. They are generally spare
bedrooms or
    > mini-apartments rented out to guests in an owner-occupied home.
As I
    > said, the one I've seen in my town isn't actually
owner-occupied, but
    > it's in a small house (three guest rooms), and the owner lives
very
    > nearby.



That makes it clearer. Thanks again.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
[email protected] <[email protected]> typed:

    > In article <[email protected]>,
    > [email protected] (Ken Blake) wrote:

    >> But many hotels, as opposed to B&Bs, in Italy also were once
    >> private houses, and serve no meals other than breakfast.
That's
    >> what confuses me about calling something a B&B there. I have
less
    >> of a problem understanding the concept for a B&B in the USA.
    > Yes, I was talking about the UK -- in Italy I guess that as
Barbara
    > says they are at an earlier stage of B&B "evolution" and are
*still*
    > first and foremost private homes, whose owners rent out a few
rooms.


Thanks. That's essentially what Barbara said too, and you both
made it clearer.

--
Ken Blake
Please reply to the newsgroup

Jenn

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected]
wrote:

    > In article <[email protected]>,
    > [email protected] (Ken Blake) wrote:
    >
    > > <[email protected]> wrote in message
    > > news:[email protected]...
    > > > In article <[email protected]>,
    > >
    > > > [email protected] (Ken Blake) wrote:
    > > > > I've always had trouble understanding exactly what a B&B is,
    > > > > especially in Italy. Since most Italian hotels give you
    > > breakfast
    > > > > along with your room, how does a B&B differ from an ordinary
    > > > > hotel?
    > > >
    > > > At least in the UK, the distinction between a B&B and a low-end
    > > hotel is
    > > > verging on the Jesuitical, I think.
    > >
    > >
    > > Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand what "verging on the
    > > Jesuitical" mens.
    >
    > Pedantic, nit-picking.
    >
    > >
    > > > Certainly in the UK, B&Bs can as Barbara said be
    > > > anything from dreams to nightmares: the common factors, I
    > > suppose, are
    > > > that they are in buildings that were once private houses rather
    > > than
    > > > purpose-built hotels or inns, and that they don't have
    > > full-service
    > > > restaurants.
    > >
    > >
    > > But many hotels, as opposed to B&Bs, in Italy also were once
    > > private houses, and serve no meals other than breakfast. That's
    > > what confuses me about calling something a B&B there. I have less
    > > of a problem understanding the concept for a B&B in the USA.
    >
    > Yes, I was talking about the UK -- in Italy I guess that as Barbara says
    > they are at an earlier stage of B&B "evolution" and are *still* first and
    > foremost private homes, whose owners rent out a few rooms.

in my limited experience, real B&Bs in England tended to be like in the
US, upscale with lots of kitch and frills and fancy meals -- whereas in
Italy, it tended to be a barely cleaned spare room with breakfast at the
kitchen table.

Billfrogg

It seems to me that B&B is mostly a new marketing buzzword. Forty years
ago, all your descriptions fit into the "pensione" category quite
perfectly. They varied from spare bedroom in a flat to a whole floor or
two of bedrooms with some baths en suite and most in the hall. B&Bs in
most larger towns are in my experince no different. The poor Brits and
USAsians are still apt to be disappointed by the breakfasts...no fried
foods...bill frogg
In article <[email protected]>, Barbara Vaughan
<[email protected]> wrote:

    > Ken Blake wrote:
    > >
    > > I've always had trouble understanding exactly what a B&B is,
    > > especially in Italy. Since most Italian hotels give you breakfast
    > > along with your room, how does a B&B differ from an ordinary
    > > hotel?
    >
    > In Italy, a B&B is usually in a private home. The one in my town is not
    > occupied by the owners, so what you have is the use of the whole house,
    > except for the bedrooms rented out to the other guests. I don't know how
    > the owner manages the breakfast part. Maybe she drops by to fix it up
    > and set it out.
    >
    > Barbara

barney

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Jenn) wrote:

    > in my limited experience, real B&Bs in England tended to be like in the
    > US, upscale with lots of kitch and frills and fancy meals

That may be true now -- but there used to be a lot of pretty awful B&Bs in
England. In the stereotype, at least, they were run by pinched, elderly
spinsters who'd inherited large Victorian houses, refused to serve
breakfast at 8:31am and scowled if you came in after 8pm or played the
radio above 10dB.

Of course, there were always some excellent ones too, though even there
"fancy" meals were a rarity: more like good, plain home cooking.

But I can't speak for the present. I've graduated to what I find a more
sensible mix of decent hotels and youth hostels, according to current
contents of wallet.

Rent Home In Rome

Hi, for your next vacation in Rome, please visit my web site
www.renthomeinrome.com
Thanks
Francesco


"Lil" <[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
news:[email protected]...
    > Will be going to Rome next year. Does anyone have any recommendations
    > for something in the affordable range? I would like something that is
    > within easy walking distance or near a bus or metro stop)of the
    > sights--one of my party has a bum leg and elderly.
    > Just taking a gander of the map, it looks like something in the
    > Quirinal or Esquiline Hills would be an ideal location--I've read that
    > the area around the train station is a bit on the iffy side.
    > Does anyone have any favorite hotels or locations to stay at that they
    > would not mind sharing?
    > Thanbks in advance.
    > Lil