Dunbar House - Murphys, California
The History of the Bed and Breakfast Inns
A bed and breakfast (typically shortened to B&B) is a small lodging establishment that offers overnight accommodations and includes breakfast. Most B&Bs do not offer other meals and are private family homes offering accommodations with fewer than ten bedrooms.
Today guests are accommodated in private bedrooms with private bathrooms or a suite of rooms. Breakfast is in the bedroom, a dining room, or the host's kitchen. B&Bs may be a secondary source of income or a primary occupation for the property owner. Often the owners themselves prepare the breakfast and clean the rooms, but some B&Bs hire staff for cleaning or cooking. Properties with hired professional management are uncommon (unlike inns or hotels) but may exist if the same owner operates multiple B&Bs.
Most of the B&Bs in the Sierra Gold Country started as private homes and were inspired to open B&Bs to tourists. The private homeowners update their properties as a B&B. The advent of the renewed interest in B&Bs and the increasing interest in historic preservation.
B&Bs increased rapidly and evolved from homestay B&Bs with shared baths and simple furnishings to beautifully renovated historic mansions with luxurious décor and amenities. Many B&Bs created a historical ambiance by adapting historical properties decorated with antique furniture. One can now travel back in time.