[mistakoala]

Many of these small hotel and B&B owners run their businesses as a hobby or retirement plan, which often doesn't quite pan out as the passive income scheme they were anticipating. They don't cope with the responsibilities that entail and can't compete with professional hoteliers who understand visitors slightly better, so they end up chasing the bottom end of the market (it's not unusual to see rooms offered for £10/pppn. The lowest I've seen is £7/pppn).

[pjc50]

Basil Fawlty was based on a real hotelier.

[TheOtherHobbes]

Not only was Basil Fawlty based on a real hotelier, but the hotel is now advertising itself as 'The inspiration for Fawlty Towers.'

I discovered this last week when I drove past it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleneagles_Hotel,_Torquay

[raverbashing]

Unfortunately this is the truth

Most people underestimate the difficulties of a business/customer care, etc