How to Be a Polite Guest at a Bed and Breakfast or Friend's Home

Staying at a friend's house for a few days can be a great way to vacation without having to pay outrageous hotel fees. This is especially true if your friends run a bed and breakfast. Not only will you be staying in a somewhat private living space, you can (hopefully) keep your belongings in the house while you're away without worrying that the cleaning maid will steal them.

That being said, however, you might be wondering how to behave at someone else's home so you don't get labeled as an impolite, overbearing guest. Here's five ways you can be a great bed and breakfast guest while at the same time getting all the perks that come with staying at a home.

One: Keep your belongings contained

When we stayed at our friend's bed and breakfast, we were pretty much given the lower level of their home to stay in. It was a great living space, and there were enough pullout beds for each person to have their own in a room. However, not everything can be kept downstairs. Things like shoes and purses needed to be handy for leaving on a road trip or grocery store run.

When you stay at someone's house, you need to keep your belongings contained. That means you must decide the minimum amount of personal items you need to have handy in the host's part of the house instead of spreading it out all over. As a general rule, if you can keep it in your suitcase, do so. If you're staying for a month or more, it's permissible to put some things in empty drawers if you're allowed to, but otherwise, try to keep your stuff off of the kitchen counters and living room sofas.

Two: Help clean up

Unlike a hotel, your host does not have the duty of cleaning up all your trash after you. With some exceptions, you should not expect anyone else to pick up your dirty laundry, wipe up the sink after you leave, or clean up your muddy footprints all over the house. Treat the bed and breakfast as if it were your own home - or better, if you don't keep a clean station.

Don't leave all the dishes for the host or hostess unless they insist. Help clear the table, rinse, wash, or dry the dishes, and offer to help put food away. If you're not paying for your stay, pitch in some cash for groceries.

Three: Entertain yourself

Your friends have a life, too. Don't assume that because you have 45 minutes of down time between activities that they can drop what they're doing and visit with you. Bring a book, magazine, handheld game, pack of cards, or a little work from home to keep you occupied during times you're not busy.

Four: Be courteous at breakfast

Not everyone gets up at 5:30 in the morning. If you're an early riser, don't expect your host or hostess to get up at 6:00 and make breakfast for you. If breakfast is part of the deal and you need to be up early, make sure the host knows this the afternoon or evening before so they can prepare something for you to have or plan on being up early to make breakfast for you.

At our friends' bed and breakfast, we were pretty much allowed access to anything in the cabinet. If this is the case for you, plan on eating cereal or oatmeal for breakfast instead of expecting a huge spread of eggs, bacon, ham, and waffles.

Five: Be appreciative

When we stayed at our friends' bed and breakfast, we brought a small thank-you gift from home before the trip so we could package it up and give them something they couldn't find anywhere else. If you're coming from a long distance and can't fit something like this in your suitcase, think about finding a small something, even if it's just a jar of special jam at the local farmer's market, to show you appreciate them putting you up for a while.

Also, remember to hand-write a thank-you card once you get back home telling your host and hostess how much you enjoyed your stay. Even if it was a total bomb, try to find something to thank them for, as they did make adjustments in their lives to have you stay with them.

Being a courteous guest at a friend's house or a bed and breakfast will ensure you get invited back. If nothing else, it's simple politeness.