Bed & Breakfast is celebrating its 28th anniversary in Denmark in 2020. Dansk Bed & Breakfast created its first catalog in 1992. It was Dansk Bed & Breakfast® that introduced the name Bed & Breakfast to Denmark, a term originally from England.
Before 1992, it was known as "Zimmer Frei" in German or "rooms for rent," which were primarily signs seen around Denmark. In Copenhagen, it was referred to as room rentals located at the Central Station.
Until 1996, the catalog was published once a year and was a great success from the start.
In 1996, Dansk Bed & Breakfast® launched its first website. This B&B website was also one of the first 300 websites in Denmark. At that time, not many people were familiar with email or websites. From the very beginning, it was possible to book Bed & Breakfast hosts in Denmark, and already that first summer, bookings came in via email totaling nearly 200,000 DKK.
This marked a turning point, as in 1997, the first employee was hired, and by 1998, there were two people in the office every day. Word spread that Dansk Bed & Breakfast® could book a variety of good, exciting, and affordable accommodation options, leading to many phone calls for reservations. At that time, very few people had email or websites.
In the new millennium, everything skyrocketed.
In 2001, we launched the first database on the internet, making it easier for guests.
By 2003, our private space became too small, so we moved to central Copenhagen, where we established an office. Here, we could also assist guests arriving in Copenhagen without a place to sleep.
In 2004, the trademark was registered, bringing with it various advantages.
The internet became increasingly widespread. During the 2000s, many tradespeople utilized B&Bs, as many had to travel long distances for work, and there were numerous foreigners working in Denmark—until the crisis hit in 2008.
In 2013, we released the fourth version of our online database. Once again, we essentially started from scratch, as requirements had changed, and both landlords and guests desired new features. This is our fourth version of the website, and each time, we began anew.
In 2018, we launched our mobile version, which we called tripsleep.com. On this site, guests can directly contact hosts and arrange their stay.
In 2020, we revamped the website layout, making it even easier to book accommodations.
Dansk Bed & Breakfast® now has a database that can handle nearly all requests from both guests and hosts.
The database can now also accommodate agents.
The B&B market continues to grow, and competition has not diminished over the past few years, with some beginning to refer to it as the sharing economy, which may not necessarily be the correct term.
Dansk Bed & Breakfast® is not just a website where you can view B&B options. Guests can call us with questions, businesses can make reservations, and we strive to be available. Of course, they can also book directly at accommodations through our website.
This full-service approach has been in place since we started in 1992, and it has continued for 25 years. We are already looking forward to many more years with our vision of allowing guests to book directly on our site or use our service office.
Best regards,
Dansk Bed & Breakfast®