A bed-and-breakfast doesn't just offer vacationers shelter and a morning meal, but instead provides a unique glimpse into the local culture and flavor that's often absent during hotel stays.

A bed and breakfast, often abbreviated as B&B, is a business that accommodates overnight guests and offers a breakfast menu. They traditionally take the form of a large family home with a limited number of rooms.

A B&B is someone's home. The owner/manager usually lives there and sometimes has separate accommodation, but often doesn't. Hotels are hotels, and it's unlikely you'll ever meet the owner.

Bed and breakfast owners either single-handedly, or with the help of spouse and family, provide guests with a comfortable, home-like environment. These workers, sometimes called innkeepers or abbreviated to B&B owners, clean rooms, assign rooms to guests, keep books and records, and provide some meals.