InEurope,itistheprovisionofaccommodation,ifanything,thatnowseparatesinnsfromtaverns,
,alehousesandpubs.Thelattertendtosupplyalcohol(and,intheUK,usuallysoftdrinksandsometimesfood),butlesscommonlyaccommodation.Innstendtobegranderandmorelong-livedestablishments;historicallytheyprovidednotonlyfoodandlodging,butalsostablingandfodderforthetraveler'shorseandfreshhorsesforthemailcoach.FamousLondonexamplesofinnsincludetheGeorgeandtheTabard.Thereishowevernolongeraformaldistinctionbetweenaninnandotherkindsofestablishment.Manypubsusethename"inn",eitherbecausetheyarelongestablishedandmayhavebeenformerlycoachinginns,ortosummonupaparticularkindofimage.
Theoriginalfunctionsofaninnarenowusuallysplitamongseparateestablishments,suchashotels,lodges,andmotels,allofwhichmightprovidethetraditionalfunctionsofaninnbutwhichfocusmoreonlodgingcustomersthanonotherservices;publichouses,whichareprimarilyalcohol-servingestablishments;andrestaurantsandtaverns,whichservefoodanddrink.(Hotelsoftencontainrestaurantsandalsooftenservecomplimentarybreakfastandmeals,thusprovidingallofthefunctionsoftraditionalinns.)