Because the style of a bed and breakfast is that it is locally owned and operated by an individual rather than a corporate entity, it is typical in Maryland that to operate a bed and breakfast, the owner must live on the premises and the facility must be a single-family detached dwelling.
To give a bed and breakfast the ambiance of a personal home---which it is---rather than a motel, these facilities are required to have interior rather than exterior staircases connecting all inhabitable sections of the building.
Although visitors usually don't realize it, their stay is limited. A bed and breakfast owner in Maryland operates under limitations regarding how long each guest can remain. Two weeks is the typical maximum length for one uninterrupted visit. Additionally, Maryland places restrictions on how many guest rooms a facility can have and still operate as a bed and breakfast: Five to eight rooms is standard.
In addition to the special requirements that distinguish bed and breakfasts from other guest accommodations, bed and breakfast owners must comply with numerous regulations required of property owners who oversee apartments, vacation homes, single-family houses or inns. These requirements include fire code regulations, pest control regulations, parking rules, noise restrictions and kitchen inspections.
