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Bed & Breakfast Italian style: the taste of cozy atmosphere

How an Italian B&B could be seen as different from others in Europe or outside Europe? Style and Fashion are things that have always distinguished Italian culture from long time

by Daniele Bordoni, Silvia Ruggieri
http://www.bedandbreakfastintl.com

After World War II Italy has always been a tourist country, even before that period, just think about the XVII – XVIII and XIX Centuries Grand Tours for rich and educated people coming from Northern Europe and going to Italy to complete their education and enrich their knowledge. Despite the huge mass of foreigners coming and visiting Italy, the most common forms of accommodation were hotels, as family staying didn’t exist at all.

As it was said: “My Home is my Castle” and that was the case in Italy for quite long time. The strict sense of privacy probably came from being invaded by many peoples in the past and private homes remained the last resort, the only place which could be felt as their own at all effects.

Italy has always suffered from an endemic lack of rooms and bed places for tourists, especially on the cheaper level, while big and luxurious hotels have always been excellent and well appreciated by every visitors. The first significant change occurred when Rome experienced the Jubilee at the beginning of 2000. The city had to face an unprecedented mass of pilgrims arriving from all over the world. The City Hall and Christian organizations, churches, monasteries and convents had to open their doors and accept guests from outside, even from abroad. At the same time private houses were encouraged to open to paying guests: The side effect of this event brought a significant change in mentality and contributed to private house opening for family staying.



The change was slow at the beginning, but easy Regional Laws, few bureaucratic formalities and tax facilitations make Bed & Breakfast very easy to be started. The number of rooms to be kept at guests disposal were few, three or more depending on territories, but the activity began to spread and grow all over the Country.

A growing number of Italian families discovered the Bed & Breakfast and liked the idea.. They were bearer of a cultural change, but still on a limited scale as the majority of Italian families continued and still continue to look at this form of accommodation suspiciously. The B&Bs experienced a sort of boom which is still going on steadily.

How an Italian B&B could be seen as different from others in Europe or outside Europe?
First of all the houses in themselves. There are always nice, well kept and cosy, sometimes even elegant and furnished with taste. Style and Fashion are things that have always distinguished Italian culture from long time. Secondly, guests welcoming proved to be excellent, not just because of warm and friendly manners, but also for a few personal touches, such as offering a drink, a coffee or a tea, sometimes even an aperitif to freshly arrived travellers; some other times other things such as putting flowers or fruits in guests’ rooms. Thirdly, hosts proved to be nice and cooperative towards guests, by giving them all necessary details on how and what to visit, how to organize time or even to help in making itineraries Lastly, it was the sort of family atmosphere which cannot be defined precisely, but it was a mixture of things, such as chatting and being friendly with guests, making them feel at home, easy and relaxed.

The main drawback come from the fact that many hosts don’t know or speak foreign languages and communication is difficult sometimes, but it is very good when one or two foreign languages are spoken. Another problem comes from village or city cultural environment, which is not yet favourable to see private houses opened for family staying. Most of Italian Tourists remains suspicious about B&Bs and confuse them with hotels, pensions or room renting., which probably comes from being a “young” people on a tourist point of view.



The question is: Why someone from abroad, coming and visiting Italy, should go to an Italian B&B instead of a hotel? The answer is: to know real life. If you like the idea of seeing how an Italian family real life is, you should pass time with them, sharing experiences and communicating. Hosts make up for their shortcomings by being nice and cooperative towards guests.

Distances are shortening all over the world. Europe has nowadays become a small Country and people move and travel a lot. Family staying is a sort of bridge between different cultures helping shortening even mental distances, increasing comprehension and opening minds. Those who travelled in different countries of the world know that meeting other peoples increase their general knowledge and understanding of things.

by Daniele Bordoni, Silvia Ruggieri
http://www.bedandbreakfastintl.com
02 March 2009 Teatro Naturale International n. 2 Year 1

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