Guest Houses

I've stayed in several b and be in the past but never ever had to share a table. I don't mind a good morning or a few pleasant words but wouldn't want to get into a conversation especially at breakfast. However, I'm going on an escorted tour early next year so think it will probably be a case of shared breakfasts and dinners.

I'm quite a sociable morning-lark-person, so I quite enjoy having the opportunity to talk with other guests at breakfast time. Mind you, reading all these replies, I am beginning to think it may not be reciprocated!
We once stayed in a very nice "boutique" guest house in Bath (The Bath House) where there wasn't a dining room; breakfast was delivered to your room on a tray, and there was a small table where you could eat it. It was a beautifully cooked and served breakfast, but I rather missed the sociability of the dining room, and the chance to talk to the owners or the other guests. So now all you grumpy, sleepy owl-people know where you can go for a private, silent breakfast!

We have stayed at a few B and Bs, they all had lovely bedrooms, but we've had the communal breakfast table a couple of times. I don't like it at all, I don't want to make conversation with complete strangers over the breakfast table, it's just not my thing! However, DH loves B and Bs complete with the communal breakfast table, he's a morning man, I'm an evening woman. I much prefer a nice hotel with a dining room where I don't have to make conversation with anyone other than the person I'm with; I also like an apartment (so long as it's high quality, I don't like poor quality ones) where we can do our own thing, eat what and when we want, and usually go out for dinner. We drove around Kefalonia earlier this year, staying at three different apartments, all lovely, and were able to start each day just how we wanted to, and luckily DH likes staying at rentals too.

I enjoy staying in B+B accomodation, although I wouldnt like to have to share a table and have to "small talk",and I would simply hate a long table.Its nice to say good morning when entering the dining room, but then it is nice to eat breakfast in peace. I recently stayed in a lovely B+B in Cornwall, the tables we quite close together so one could here others talking and exchanging tips for visitng places, it was nice to hear as I was alone on this trip.

I also like a late breakfast if possible, and not sharing. I often check b and bs out online...website...TripAdvisor etc., to see all the details..and sometimes photos. If it's early breakfast all together, I go elsewhere. We went to one in the summer where they'd cook up until 10.30-very civilised!

I am not a morning person and I like to have my breakfast in bed with a nice cup of tea and watch the TV for an hour before I get up, so I guess staying anywhere where I am forced to get washed, dressed and put my make up on and look half way decent before eating wouldn't be an ideal start to the day for me!

We often stay in city Travelodges and are always pleased if there is a Wetherspoons nearby as they do great breakfasts - good choice at reasonable prices.

YES

Not a 'morning' person either! My DD2 took after me. She would either sit silently morose at breakfast or be the first to start a row at the table should someone dare call her "Little Mary Sunshine"!

I don't like making polite conversation at breakfast either. Once I've had a cup of coffee I'm fine but not before.

I so agree. Stayed in a B& B in Somerset and my DH hates having to eat with other people in a squashed space. Next time we will go self catering. Also he complained he had no desk in his room. But he hates leaving home anyway.
And I like to go on an adventure...

We always used to stay in hotels but now often choose small b&bs which are often much better quality, far friendlier and a better price. By their very nature, they tend to be small with limited space in their dining rooms and breakfast is often a cosy affair which doesn't bother us one jot . It's usually easy to see on their websites the size of the breakfast rooms and if, for whatever reason you don't want to eat right next to someone else, you can choose accordingly. Better still, stay in an apartment where you can get up when you like and eat on your own! We do this from time to time & it's great to slob about in the morning in dressing gowns & have breakfast in them if we want to! Oooh, decadence lives!

We shared a table when we were on holiday this year. They were very nice people but I would rather been at a table with h on our own. I'm not unfriendly my h says I strike up a conversation with any one. We also had lunch and dinner with them nice couple but just felt out of my comfort zone.

I love my full English breakfasts whilst I'm away. But I would not want to share the table for breakfast whilst eating it, I like to eat my meals with the person I've chosen to go away with not who they decide to sit me with. So no you are not being grumpy.

If I had to share a table then I would just get on with it and try to be sociable. However, I think many people on holiday see this as a time to be by themselves, enjoying the experience together and it may well be a very rare treat for them to be away from the noise and pressure of families.

I know when I go away (usually alone) I relish the solitude and am content with my own thoughts. It sets me up for the coming months. So I much prefer to be at a table on my own. However, I have never been asked or had to share a table and I have been to many b&b or guest houses.

mixed preferences ! I have lived on my own for a long time so am quite happy eating alone. Some folks table manners are appalling and why do they want to know what I did before I retired ! Once I said I was a dancer with pans people ( wishful thinking)

DH and I now prefer Travelodges and the like - beautiful breakfast - and no owner breathing down our necks.

I stayed at a delightful Wetherspoon pub/hotel in Tewkesbury on my own (breaking journey to see DM, 300 miles driving on my own for the first time). Plenty of space for Breakfast, no need to talk to any-one & plenty of tables to choose from.

Dislike Premier Inn, hate buffet style Breakfast, I want some-one to take my order & bring it to me. I've a trip to St Ives next year when I'm staying in a B&B on my own for the first time, see how I get on, hope I can buy a paper as I like to lose myself in the news at Breakfast, not a very sociable early morning person & like to be left alone. My late DH knew not to be too lively

I hate making small talk and a shared table would make me uncomfortable. That's why we stay in hotels, rather than guest houses. A few months ago my husband and I were sitting at an outdoor table having a coffee in Galway. An elderly lady asked a young couple if she could sit at their table. I think they were too polite to say no, but they finished their coffee quickly and left. Who would ask to share a table?

Not harsh Riverwalk just not a morning person I'm quite sociable for the rest of the day.

Everyone has their preferences. U can always ask before u book if it's shared tables for breakfast, then u can decide whether to stay or not. When I was on a river cruise(. Different I know ) we had to sit with the same six people all week and we had a wonderful time. But I was aware it would ve been awkward if there were folk we didn't take to.

I am quite happy to share a breakfast table but it's the time restrictions that I don't like. I want to have a lie in on holiday and might not want an 8am fry up, preferring brunch at 10.30.

Definitely not the only one Teetime - I don't even like sharing a room at breakfast time!

As an Aussie who has made many trips to the UK staying in caravan parks, B&Bs and hotels from the north of Scotland to the south of England I do think you are being unreasonable and really rather grumpy. If you don't want to talk to people in the morning (and I'm one of those morning grumps) make sure you aren't sharing a large table, arrange brekky in your room or make other less social arrangements. How you plan your holiday is up to you, but don't blame other people because they they don't meet your requirements.

Some people are "larks" while others are "owls". As an owl myself I do not enjoy chatting to anyone first thing in a morning even at home or when we visit family or they visit us. I am far from being unsociable but need plenty of quiet in a morning to come round ...ideally drinking two big mugs of tea on my own..My husband is the complete opposite...too bright and breezy....radio on high....far too chatty. We have adjusted to this over the years quite well. If we stay in any guest houses or hotels were we are seated with other guests who like to chat...then my husband is just the person to do the honours....while I am still usually half asleep. On a holiday to Malta many years ago the evening meal arrangements meant as you entered the dining room a waiter would take you to your table which seated eight people. So every evening meal for the complete fortnight we were there we sat with many different guests as there was no particular table or guest list....just the destiny of eight at a table. This is were I came into my own....I loved chatting with different people discovering new places to visit each day...my husband looking at his watch ..hoping it was nearly time for bed.!