When booking hotels, we choose different types of food. How are such designations deciphered? Which option should you choose? We will tell you about the peculiarities of food in hotels in different countries.
RO (Room Only)
This symbol is assigned to hotels where there is no catering. The tourist uses the cheapest option - an overnight stay, or room only. Accommodation without meals is sometimes denoted by different letters - RR, OB, EP, BO, AO and NO.
BB (Bed and Breakfast)
BB type of food in hotels stands for "bed and breakfast", or bed & breakfast. It provides for overnight stay and meals in the morning. Breakfast is served in different ways. During the buffet, you choose your own food from the set of dishes on offer. Hotel restaurants usually prepare scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs, sausages, meat, sausages, cheese, fruits, butter, bread, coffee or tea. Sometimes they exhibit national dishes: in Thailand - Pad Thai noodles, and in Spain - ham and tortilla.
Continental breakfast (CB / CBF), consists of three to four courses. Pastry, honey, butter and coffee. Omelet, bread and coffee. Scrambled eggs, bun and tea. Expanded CBF is supplemented with cereal or muesli, yogurt, cheese, or ham. Such food is liked by all lovers of a light snack.
English or American breakfast (AB / ABF) includes scrambled eggs or scrambled eggs, pieces of fried bacon or sausage, fresh or canned tomatoes. Add a few mushrooms, white beans, jam, a couple of toast with butter, a glass of orange juice and a cup of coffee. Hearty and high-calorie food that energizes for a long time!
HB (Half Board)
Half board, or half board, is popular all over the world - meals twice a day. Usually breakfast and dinner, but sometimes breakfast and lunch are offered. At the same time, drinks are served only for breakfast - at other times they must be bought separately. There is a variant of HB + with pre-paid drinks.
HB is a profitable option for fans of outdoor activities. It will suit you if you spend most of the day on excursions, by the sea or on the ski slope.
FB (Full Board)
Tourists who are relaxing in a hotel or on a nearby beach love full board - three meals a day. Standard FB serves complimentary drinks for breakfast only. Sometimes guests are offered FB + with free local alcohol.
AI (All Inclusive)
All inclusive meals are common in 4 * and 5 * hotels. If you choose Al, then besides breakfast, lunch and dinner, you will receive snacks and barbecues, which include any drinks. Sometimes meals are provided around the clock, or 24 hours.
There are two service options: buffet style and à la carte restaurants. The buffet is the most democratic model, and it is actively used in beach hotels. All food is in sight, so guests can easily and quickly find dishes to their liking.
4 * and 5 * hotels often offer guests a-la carte. Tourists choose their dishes and they are served by waiters. The menu includes two or three types of soups, a couple of snacks and salads, hot dishes and a limited number of soft drinks and alcohol. You can order anything. The elite hotels have several a la carte restaurants with different types of cuisine - Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and others.
UAI (Ultra All Inclusive)
The "ultra all inclusive" includes any alcohol, including imported ones - like Scotch whiskey or French cognac. With this type of food in the hotel, you can count on lunch and afternoon tea. Food is served when it is convenient for the guest. The guest can eat around the clock. Even when the cooks are not working, he will be served a plate of meat, cheese and bread so that he can starve the worm.
Children's meals in hotels
What will the child eat during the rest? This topic worries all parents. The restaurants of 4 * and 5 * hotels offer a children's menu, but this does not mean that there will be many healthy salads and cereals among the dishes. Often, to the delight of the little tourist, the hotel serves a variety of fast food.
The problem is solved by a buffet or by ordering an individual menu. In addition, fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available in shops and markets.
Food in Turkey
All types of food are in use in Turkish hotels, except for RO. There are few hotels with only breakfasts here, and the all inclusive service is very widespread. Nevertheless, according to the reviews of tourists, the food is not varied enough. The hotels serve crayfish - apricot vodka and local wine, but their quality is slightly worse than that of real spirits from Europe. Travel Tips for Turkey →
Food in UAE hotels
In the hotels of the Arab Emirates, food Al and UAl is widespread, however, due to Muslim traditions, alcohol is not available or it is very limited. Some hotels make an exception, but staying there is expensive.
If the hotel is far from the main building, it is better to choose an all-inclusive meal. For a large excursion program and long walks, stop at half board or BB, because food in the city costs 1.5-2 times cheaper than in a hotel restaurant. Travel tips for the UAE →
Eating in hotels in Egypt
The all inclusive system works well in Egyptian hotels. Tourists are offered a menu close to the European one. The restaurant menus have fish, chicken, lamb and beef, but no pork. There is little national food in the hotels, so be sure to try Egyptian tea, grilled squid, lamb ribs and other exotics that are sold on the streets. Egypt Travel Tips →
Food in hotels in Thailand
All types of food are offered in hotels in Thailand, but tourists usually take BB, that is, only breakfast. Thai food is of high quality and cheap, so it is more profitable to eat in street eateries for locals, from mobile carts, and in restaurants designed for tourists. Thailand Travel Tips →
Food in Crimea hotels
For relaxation on the peninsula, you can order all-inclusive. There are such hotels in Koreiz, Feodosia, Peschaniy, Evpatoria, Alushta and Big Yalta. If you want to save some money, choose half board or BB and eat at the waterfront restaurants and resort cafe eateries. Best hotels in Crimea →
