History of Inns,  Bed and Breakfast, Guest Houses
and Small Inn Accommodations

A bed and breakfast, is normally considered a private home where a guest room is provided for over night stays. In some cases, the bathroom provided for the guest is shared with the family or another guest. Although now, guests expect a private bathroom. Breakfast is usually included with the price of the room.

A local inn or guest  house may be indistinguishable from a  bed & breakfast provided in a private home without the "breakfast" if local breakfast eateries are close by. Inn many places the inn close to a top local breakfast eatery is superior to the "Bed and Breakfast" which only supplies pastries and coffee.

Besides private residences, there are some establishments called B&B Inns. The same concept of room and breakfast apply. However, the major difference is the inn usually has more rooms available than the usual one to three bedrooms found in a private home. Inns may provide other services not provided in a private home like concierge and attractions booking.

These two terms are used in the industry to distinguish the difference between a stay in a private home and an inn. But remember, no two homes or inns are alike. They vary within the same geographic area of the country and even more in Key West, Florida. The friendly "at home" atmosphere is what attracts people to stay at an Inn, Guest House or B & B  and why they have become so popular. Each one has it's own personality.

Generally, a B & B is not the reason for a guest to visit an area, but due to the increase in publicity of B & B's this too has changed. The local and national press have written much about these types of accommodations. This has increased the number of visitors attracted by the B & B and small inn. Key West has an abundance of small inns and B&B accommodations.

In Key West travelers are attracted by, the weather, recreational, night life, historic sights, fishing, water sports or just to lay back and relax by a heated pool. Many women, seek out bed and breakfast accommodations as an alternative to the typical lodge, motel or hotel facility available in the Key West area. Inns and B & B's provide the traveler with a different lodging experience as well what many consider a safer environment.

The bed and breakfast concept has been around in one form or another since the beginning of recorded history. Bed and breakfasts have been very popular with the traveling public in Europe for hundreds of years. It was in England, Scotland and Ireland that the term B & B first came into use. Tourists will see a B & B sign in many windows there. The term B & B is not used in many other countries. International terms such as paradors, pensions, gasthaus, minskukus, shukukos, pousados are used to describe a small inn or bed and breakfast.

The US also has a history of bed and breakfast dating back to the time of early settlers. As the pioneers traveled  across this county, they sought a safe refuge in homes, inns and taverns.

During the tough times of the 1930's many people opened their homes to travelers to earn extra income. The term "boarding house" was used to distinguish those that fed their guests. This type of lodging declined during the 40's and 50's, As time went on, many saw them as seedy establishments only for the poor. In the late 50's, some people restarted with the B&B idea and called these facilities, Tourist Homes. With the advent of the US highway system many Motels were built at intersections and Tourist Homes on the old roads faded away.

Because of the number of Americans traveling to Europe in recent years and rediscovering the upscale European B & B's, there has been an increase in interest in the United States. Today, the B & B is not viewed as a low cost lodging facility but as an alternative to the typical standard chain hotel or motel room accommodations.

What type of people own a typical B&B or small inn ?

They are entrepreneurs who have varied backgrounds, from professionals to laborers. Almost anyone you can think of has opened and run a successful B & B Inn businesses. Singles, couples and families have also been involved.

Their reasons for opening a bed and breakfast? They are just as varied. They like people, they like to entertain and then there are those who just want to put the empty rooms in a large home to work. Some people just have more rooms than they need. Widowed or divorced people have been involved with B & B's. While they are run for a source of income, most people do not depend on them solely for their livelihood. People retired from other professions such as professionals or farmers who have a primary source of income typically operate a B & B Inn.

And all successful B & B Inns have one thing in common, the owners like people!

Many of these owners also have skills they want to use such as cooking in order to please their guests. Others may have historically significant homes they want to share with others.

At Mango Tree Inn we love to make our guests feel like they are at home away from home whether reading, relaxing in our heated pool or sunbathing.