Visit Britain

This official site from the British Tourist Authority is no homespun bed 'n' brekkie specialist, but it still beat the opposition in our B&B-finding survey. Visit Britain offers the widest choice of places to stay. You'd think this might mean each property gets a less detailed overview, but all the info is detailed enough to give a real taste of what to expect when you arrive on the doorstep. The database may be vast, but we found it to be fast and very easy to use. Choose the B&B section after clicking on Accommodation (there are also sections for hotels, caravan sites and even castles), and use the excellent search facility to find your ideal place to stay. You can specify location and budget (from under £24.99 a night up to more than £100) or limit your search in various ways by, for example, looking only for B&Bs that welcome children or are near an airport. Most property listings also include ratings from local tourist boards or the AA or RAC, and some are displayed with the tempting word 'Offers' next to their name; click to check out the discounts. Online booking is only available for a few of the listed B&Bs, and a more widely available service (or even an email reservation system) would make this site even better. We'd also like to see more photos of the properties.