what does a host normaly give for a continental breakfast

[Jean40]

What are others giving for a continental breakfast please for bnb. I give brown & white bread for toast. 5 different cereals, individual butters, vegimite, rasberry jam, marmalade, 2 different types of milk low fat & full cream, also a large bowl of fresh fruit,{ 2 pears, 2 oranges 4kiwi fruit, 2 bananas, also a punet of strawberries or blueberries, also varity of coffees, drinking chocolate, milo & a variety of teas. i really struggle with what seems fare to my guests for a breakfast.

[Helen3]

I don't provide breakfast so hard to comment.

However in European terms a continental breakfast is normally croissant and jams/honey and/or pastries and coffee/tea.

It certainly wouldn't include fruit, cereal or the variety of spreads you have indicated above.

[Leonie3]

I give coffee/tea, muesli, yoghurt, toast and a variety of jams.

[Sandy68]

Hi Australia! I'm a host in Lyme Regis in the south west of UK. This summer season is my second and it has been madly busy. I offer the same as you and I think it quite sufficient especially if you are doing and getting one night bookings. You could as I do offer eggs, scrambled etc. I charge £5 per head for a full English, bacon eggs etc and people are happy with that. Be careful of wasting food if you have gaps in bookings. Oh and you could offer yogurt - don't know about Aus but people love it here. I love doing Airbnb it's hard work but I've met some lovely people from all over the globe.  So lots of luck and hope it goes well for you. 

[Helen3]

Hey Sandy

Sounds like your breakfast offering is very generous.

I would look at charging more for your English breakfast - unless you are going to a greasy spoon cafe - you would normally be charging £7 - 8. In hotels they charge about £15- 20.

[Jean40]

Hi Sandy, thank you for your comments .... that was one thing I forgot to mention I also have yoghurt too for guests, it is going really well & I enjoy the guests. Lyme Regis, we lived in Winterbourne Kingston on a farm for 7 yrs when we return to uk for a few years & we all loved our trips to Lyme Regis in the summer. But later returned to Australia in 1980 British born, but children Aussies. thanks again for help.

[Robin4]

@Sandy68......Now you’re talking, there is nothing like a FEB!!! I learned a lot about hosting from my time in England.

You Poms do it to perfection, but you always did...... and I guess I try to emulate you a bit.

I do tend to go overboard with what I offer. The fridge in the guest cottage is stocked with fruit juice, bacon and 3 eggs (someone is always greedier than their partner), two yoghurts, two tubs of fruit, a beautiful local Brie cheese, a golden ale beer and a dry cider, milk, both full cream and skim, a plate of butter,  and a pâtes. Whatever is in that fridge is yours to enjoy....no charge! I also offer cracker biscuits (for the Pate and Cheese) two cereals, a selection of Beerenberg jams, bread for toasting, the obligatory Vegemite (which Australians hate) three different teas and three coffees and a bowl of the best fruit I can find in my area!! Every bit of this is included in what the guest has paid.....I don't charge extras!

The standard comment is...."How on earth can you provide this and still make something out of it"

You have to shop judiciously. I buy a large carton of Lindts chocolates from Aldi when they are on super special. Every guest gets one on each of their bedside tables at night. The beer and cider I will buy when Dan Murphys have a door buster carton special! The bread is always on special for $1.00 a loaf somewhere in the area. I have a great relationship with the Paech family who own Beerenberg...the jams cost me nothing!! I buy a four pack of full size Dove moisturising soap from 'Cheap as Chips' for $2.00 (50c a cake) so every guest, even overnighters get a new full size cake of decent soap!!

I buy everything at the right price, I have set myself a budget, and what I include for every booking would never cost me more than $8.00 AU in total....that generally equates to $4.00 per guest. You might say 'more fool you' but read my reviews, it really does pay off. On top of that, for longer stay guests I love to cook the odd meal, and this has been described on another section of the forum, (Salmon Wellington, Chicken and Leak pies, Risotto)....

Yeah, it is going overboard but, I firmly believe that people come to a hosting site to be 'Hosted' and by God, that is what I do, and that is why, despite my humble level of accommodation in an out of the way area,  I am a Superhost!!!!

Cheers.....Rob

[Helen3]

Hi Rob

I'm so glad you enjoy the concept of hosting and going over and beyond.

However I wouldn't want to put new hosts off. I don't provide breakfast at all, have shared accommodation in an inner city area and have had superhost status ever since I started - becoming eligible after the first quarter.

What I am trying to point out for new hosts is that you don't need to invest in lots of breakfast items and goodies to gain and retain superhost status.

I do sometimes share chocolate croissants and a pot of fresh coffee with guests, or a bottle of wine or beer in the evening and with longer term guests I have sometimes offered to cook them a meal. However I don't include information about this on my listing as I won't always want/have the time to do this.

I love hosting and I think this is reflecting in my reviews. I do give guests a personal tour of the area tailored to their needs and leave water and retro sweets/chocolates in their rooms.

I also have a comprehensive and regularly updated magazine box full of what's on listings, maps and guides to local attractions.

I think what I am saying is that you can personalise your listing and give guests a tailored experience they will remember without having to always stock up on food items and have a breakfast available every day.

[Robin4]

@Helen3... Helen you are right, we are all different and we will all approach our hosting in a different way. I was treated to some wonderful hosting experiences when we were in England and that probably raised the bar for me. We stayed in many BNB's from Edinburgh, Thursk, Castle Carrock, Doncaster, Windermere to Bude in Cornwall and every one of these had a lasting effect on me....this is the way you look after people!

I like to think that what I offer is what I would idealy like to get when I am travelling.....maybe, pay it forward.

I want a great bed...no, a fabulous bed, because the bed is the hero of any accommodation!

I want books to read if I have some down time!

I want to be able to run a few things through the washing machine!

I want to grab an apple out of the bowl, a juice or a beer out of the fridge without having to put my hand in my pocket.

I know.....this is not London or Edinburgh or Bristol....my situation is different, I don't do it for a living, I do it because I just want to, and I agree, what you do is right for you, but what I do is right for me....Different Strokes for Different Folks!

Cheers....Rob

[Helen3]

Thanks @Rob0 - that was exactly the point I has making.

I have a collection of nearly 200 cookery books plus fact and fiction, board games and a CD collection which I know my guests love using and I am happy for them to cook.

Other hosts just offer a room and access to the bathroom.

Those like yourself and the ones you've stayed at focus on having a breakfast and drinks included in the price.

I love how there is rooms for all styles of hosting in our community 🙂

[Lawrene0]

What a great question, @Jean40! Loved reading all the responses. It is homemade waffles I provide here, with maple syrup - we're Canadian, it's de rigueur 🙂 - fresh or stewed fruit, and coffee/tea. 

But you asked about continental: When I need to set out continental, guests can toast waffles (left over from recent batches I have frozen) or bread, and there is fresh fruit and coffee/tea. 

Allowances for allergies, of course. 

Your breakfast sounds amazing. Except for the vegemite. Yuck. 🙂

[Jean40]

Thanks Lawrance for the feedback. I know what you mean regarding vegemite but aussies seem to love it... not for me. 🙂

[Robin4]

@Jean40   Do you know Jean, I do not know an Aussie that eats Vegemite!!! It's a bit like Fosters Beer! I frequent the various liquor outlets on a regular basis and I would not even know where to buy a 'carton of Fosters'......

But everyone around the world thinks we live on the stuff! Personally it would make me puke in anything but the smallest amount.

But the things we do have abundance of is Koalas. It is not often you won't see one in the trees around here. In fact they are becoming a bit of a nuisance! Our Government, in their wisdom decided to relocate many from Kangaroo Island, (Look it up) to the mainland because they were litterally eating their way through the Island....Every tree around Flinders Chase was being stripped bare!!

We wanted to go on a cull program, not just to limit the damage they do, but to protect the species from self destructing, but there was such an outcry from around the world that that plan had to be abandoned. There are sterilisation programs going on which help but they are considerably more common here than squirrels around New York.

Vegemite, I'm with you Jean.....Yuck!

cheers.....Rob

[Jean40]

Lawrance I have family in Tobermory Ont'

[Lawrene0]

Hi, @Jean40. Missed this earlier. (Using the @ symbol before someone's name gets their attention.) I am about 5 hours from Tobermory. It is quite nice, at the top end of the beautiful Bruce Trail. When you come to Canada to visit your family, be sure to stop in here. I'd say I will get in some vegemite for you, but glad to see that won't be necessary 🙂