Working at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad: what is it, why would you do it, and where is the best place to go?

What is working at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad like?

• People who work at a bed & breakfast, lodge, or eco-accommodation usually don't work in a place with a hundred rooms and a twenty-page schedule, but in a small-scale location where personal contact is key.
• Work is often done in nature reserves, rural areas, or unique locations where tranquility, sustainability, or experience are more important than speed.

Responsibilities

• Receiving and informing guests.
• Preparing breakfast and sometimes dinner.
• Cleaning rooms and common areas.
• Administration, reservations, and scheduling.
• Maintenance work (garden, grounds, minor repairs).
• Contributing ideas about sustainability, activities, or guest experience.
• Occasionally guiding excursions or nature activities.

Working conditions

• Regular work exchange: work in exchange for accommodation and meals.
• Paid positions are common, especially with longer contracts. Working weeks are often full-time and less rigidly defined.
• Contract durations vary from a few weeks to several months.
• People often live and work at the same location, sometimes remotely.
• The workplace is often also someone's home, with fewer colleagues than at a hotel, and greater independence. The focus is on responsibility and trust, and contact with guests is often more intensive.

What are the reasons for working at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad?

• To feel involved: You directly contribute to the daily operations of a small place that guests consciously choose. This offers a different kind of satisfaction than anonymous work.
• To become environmentally aware: Working in quiet or natural locations makes you more sensitive to local customs, nature, community, and sustainability.
• To learn to work independently: With few colleagues and a lot of responsibility, you quickly develop confidence in your own approach.
• To strengthen integrity: In small-scale settings, reliability is key. A deal is a deal, even when no one is watching.
• To develop a broader vision: You see how tourism, nature, economy, and local culture intersect in practice.

What skills and motivations do you need to work at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad?

• Be Independent: There is often no manager watching over you every hour.
• Service-oriented: Guests expect attention, peace and quiet, and quality.
• Flexibility: Workdays and tasks often overlap.
• Environmental awareness: Respect for nature, culture, and the local community is essential.
• Resilience under pressure: Busy environments, unexpected situations, and long days can occur, even in idyllic locations.

What are the best countries and locations to work at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad?

• Countries with many eco-accommodations and nature tourism: Costa Rica, New Zealand, South Africa, Peru, Nepal.
• Countries with many lodges and small-scale accommodations: Canada, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Scotland.
• Countries where work exchange is common: France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Mexico.
• Typical locations: National parks and nature reserves, mountainous regions, rural areas and remote villages, coastal areas away from mass tourism.

What are the risks of working at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad, and are you insured against those risks? 

• What are the risks of working at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad?
  • Unsafe working environments are common: infrastructure, health risks, political instability, and social norms.
  • Remote locations are common: Medical care can be far away, and transportation is not always readily available.
  • Physically demanding work is common: Cleaning, maintenance, and long hours can lead to injuries or fatigue. Hygienic conditions often deviate: Especially in remote locations, clean water or medical assistance are not always readily available.
  • You often bear a great deal of responsibility: Emergency situations often require independent action.
• Are you insured while working at bed & breakfasts, lodges, and eco-accommodations abroad?
  • There may be several reasons why you need separate insurance when working abroad.
  • Local employers generally offer limited or no supplementary insurance.
  • There's a risk of accidents, for example, because you're doing work with which you have little experience.
  • During work, internships, or volunteering abroad where you receive compensation or a salary, your own health insurance coverage in your home country may be cancelled.
  • See the pages on: insuring international Insurances for working abroad, for internships abroad, for volunteering abroad, or for expats and emigrants.