ISSUE #49
JUNE 2021
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FOR OWNERS AND MANAGERS OF BNB’S, INNS, BOUTIQUE HOTELS & HOLIDAY LETS IBE TO PR I CR
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LBNB EBOOK: CHAPTER 3
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PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Dominic Johnson dominic@miramedia.co.uk 01892 711 144 DESIGN Juliet Horner Editor editor@luxurybnbmag.com David Worthington david@worthington.co.uk MEDIA SALES Lisa Ebdy Sales Manager 07799886115 lisaebdymedia@outlook.com Kirsty Farrow KirstyF@spacemarketing.co.uk CONTRIBUTORS Tina Boden tina@tinaboden.com Karen Thorne karenjthorne@yahoo.co.uk Yvonne Halling yvonne@yvonnehalling.com Neil Fraser neil@neilfraserphotography.com David Worthington david@worthington.co.uk The Wolseley hannah.berry@corbinking.com Darren Murphy darren@blacksbrewery.com
No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system without the express prior written consent of the publisher. We regret we cannot be liable for the safe custody or return of any solicited or unsolicited material. Contributors are advised to keep copies of all materials submitted. The opinions and views expressed in Luxury BnB are not necessarily those of Miramedia. Being subject to the Advertising Standards Authority guidelines in place at the time of going to press, all data submitted by advertisers and contained in their advertising copy is accepted by Miramedia in good faith. Luxury BnB is available on subscription. UK & Ireland £25; Overseas £98. Luxury BnB is published bi-monthly. Printed by Mixam Printers www.mixam.co.uk Luxury BnB Magazine Miramedia 29-31 Monson Road Tunbridge Wells Kent TN1 1LS www.luxurybnbmag.co.uk All rights reserved © Miramedia 2020
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Juliet Horner Editor If you have any experiences you'd like to share, please email me at editor@luxurybnbmag.com or connect with us on Instagram: @luxury_bnb
What an interesting couple of months it's been for us all! The Luxury BnB Team hope that you are all wonderfully busy now that restrictions have been eased. Here's to a jam-packed summer! Thank you to everyone who filled out our survey; we were very pleased to hear how much you all enjoy this publication. We have taken on board all of your comments and suggestions which is why we have teamed up with a brand new contributor to produce another regular column: Interior View with David Worthington. David is a design expert and boat enthusiast with plenty of knowledge and passion to pass on (page 17). Also in this issue, find out how you can capitalise on Gin Tourism (page 40) and How to Prepare for a Photoshoot (page 29). We also spoke to Inch House, Ireland (page 18), St John's Guest House (page 33), and Dome House (page 8). These features will inform you about renovations, social media, direct bookings, interior design, team building weekends, and more! And don't forget to check out Chapter 3 of the LBNB Ebook (page 46) and all the wonderful content from our industry experts. Happy reading!
CONTENTS || JUNE 2021
WELCOME
EDITOR Juliet Horner editor@luxurybnbmag.com
IN THIS ISSUE 4 || NEWS
28 || KAREN'S COLUMN
6 || TINA BODEN
29 || PREPARING FOR A PHOTOSHOOT
8 || DOME HOUSE
32 || USING INSTAGRAM
16 || OMELETTE RECIPE
33 || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE
17 || INTERIOR VIEW
40 || GIN TOURISM
18 || INCH HOUSE
46 || LBNB EBOOK CHAPTER 3
26 || PRODUCT NEWS
50 || DIRECTORY
Industry news and analysis from around the UK
Tina's June 2021 Q&A discussion column
Interior design advice, romantic retreats and direct bookings
Recreate The Wolsley's Omelette Arnold Bennett from your own home
Interiors expert, David Worthington, suggests products for unique bars
Discover team building and corporate getaways
Discover the industry's newest products
Karen considers visits from the hotel inspector and country B&Bs
How to prepare your property to get the most out of a photoshoot
How using Instagram can help get eyeballs landing on your business
Discover renovations, interior design and social media
Find out how you can capitalise on the ever-growing gin industry
Chapter 3A and 3B of our Getting Started in Holiday Rentals Ebook
Discover useful industry products, suppliers and more
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IN BRIEF || NEWS
Hotels nearest nudist beaches cost more than UK average Research by hotel booking platform, Hoo, has revealed that hotel room rates surrounding Britain’s nudist beaches cost 57% more than the UK average.
freedom of leaving your swimsuit at home. However, a hotel close to the beach will set you back £175 per night, 140% more than the UK average.
Hoo looked at the average room rate of hotels surrounding 41 of the best beaches to bare all in the UK. The research shows that when booking a seven week stay the cost of a hotel room per night came in at £115 on average, 57% more than the room rate of the average UK hotel (£73).
Carolyn Bay in St Austell, Cornwall, also ranks within the top three, with the average hotel room rate sitting 128% above the national average at £167 per night.
Lymington’s Taddiford Gap in Hampshire is the most expensive of the lot. On average, a hotel room close to this nudist beach comes in at £181 per night, 148% higher than the national average. In neighbouring Dorset, Knoll Beach in Studland sits along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the UK and also provides the added
Cornwall is home to a further three popular nudist beaches where surrounding hotels are all home to an average room rate more than double that of the UK average. There is hope for the ultimate alfresco staycation at an affordable price though. Hotel room rates surrounding Cumbria’s popular nudist beach of West Shore Walney Island average just £71 per night, coming in - 2% below the UK average.
Nudist Beach Taddiford Gap, Hampshire
Increase 181(148%) +
Knoll Beach, Dorset
175(140%) +
Carlyon Bay, Cornwall
167(128%) +
Porthzennor Cove, Cornwall
159(118%) +
Porthzennor Cove, Cornwall
159(118%) +
Porth Kidney, Cornwall
158(116%) +
Discover the UK's most desirable beaches for 2021 New research conducted by holidaycottages.co.uk reveals the top ten most appealing beaches across Britain based on water quality, visible pollution, and the number of Instagram snaps. Having collated the data, holidaycottages.co.uk then analysed the findings and ranked the results accordingly to unveil the top coastal areas and Whitesands in Wales crowned as the most appealing beach It’s no surprise that the stunning Whitesands in Wales takes the top spot as the most appealing beach, having received the score of ‘excellent’ on water quality as well as only having 10% visible pollution and a total of 1,0413 Instagram snaps. Barmouth in Wales and Montrose in Scotland take second and third spot. 4 || Luxury BnB | June 2021
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The top ten most appealing beaches are as followed: 1. Wales: Whitesands 2. Wales: Barmouth 3. Scotland: Montrose 4. Wales: Newgale 5. England: Seagrove 6. Wales: Harlech 7. Wales: Rhosneigr 8. England: Formby 9. Wales: Castle Beach, Tenby 10. Scotland: Seacliff
9. Tenby, Wales | Credit: Unsplash www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Talk It Over With The Tiny Troubleshooter
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED BY TINA BODEN FROM THEBANDBKEEPER.COM
Tina Boden is certainly no stranger to The hospitality industry. As The Tiny Troubleshooter, Tina works one-onone with business owners, providing virtual assistance and marketing support. As one of the Bs in the B and B Keeper, Tina will step in to run your BnB, Guest House, small Hotel or Inn while the owner is on holiday. And then as Co-founder of #MicroBizMatters Day Tina is one of the leading voices for micro business in the UK. Tina is also founded the 'Your Business and You' website which provides features to help the wellbeing of a business owner and their business, Please email your questions to tina@tinaboden.com FB: The B and B Keeper TW: @MicroBizGirl IN: @_tinaboden_ IN: @your_business_and_you www.yourbusinessandyou.net
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Q
About 80% of our bookings come from Online Travel Agents. Unfortunately, many of the T&Cs they advertise for our B&B are not the T&Cs we set. Even before re-opening, we experienced a high percentage of bookings being cancelled shortly after they were made. Add to that the huge part of our monthly business expenditure that's paid out in commission, and all-in-all we find taking bookings through OTA’s a constant headache. How can we change this?
A
Raising awareness of booking direct is key to solving this, but it's not always an easy task. When OTA’s with vast marketing budgets come top of any search page, getting guests to scroll down to find your own website can be hard. It's important that the industry comes together to help change people’s thinking and encourage them to check out the reviews on an OTA but then book directly with the B&B. Talk to your guests about this when they are staying with you; have a casual chat that will hopefully help them to understand the amount of commission you pay and some of the issues you face as a business when using OTAs. Now is a good time to do this; people know it's been hard for business owners and many want to help support the recovery. Ask people if you can add them to your Newsletter so you can share future offers with them. Encourage them to follow your social media accounts so they can see the great things you're sharing, not only about the business, but about the local area too. You should post regularly on social media. If you don't feel you have the confidence to go it alone, join a group online – Checkout Yvonne Halling's FB group: facebook.com/ CoachingforBedandBreakfastOwners/ Let's encourage #BookDirect at every opportunity.
Q
We have only just re-opened and our on-going battle with staff no-shows seems to have resumed very quickly. Unfortunately, furlough does not seem to have helped us at all! We appreciate things have become harder with not only housekeeping but also front of house service, so we have increased hourly rates for staff but this does not seem to have worked and they're still texting us last minute saying they can't come in. What would you suggest?
A
If I had £1 for every conversation I have about no-show staff, I'd be able to take a day off! This is an industry issue, and not just in hospitality, but other industries I support too. If you were to ask other business owners, they will be experiencing the same problem. Larger hotels do too, though I appreciate you may feel it more than them as they have a larger pool of staff to call on when let down at the last minute. If you only have 1 Housekeeper or 1 Breakfast Waitress it has a big impact. When you first recruit someone, put them on a month’s trail, working different days of the week and weekends; they need to see the business at the quietest and busiest times. Fluctuating hours are something they need to adapt to and understand if they have not done this type of work before. Zero-hour contracts might seem like an ideal solution but it's not a great way to make people feel valued. Look at a minimum number of hours a week you can offer staff members, even if the work is varied. It's important you explain right from the start that they may have to carry out a variety of tasks. Incentives can also make staff feel valued. Monthly bonuses like gift cards or a bottle of their favourite tipple may be appreciated more than financial gain. Small gestures can make a big impact. You may be tempted to lock the good ones in so they cannot leave but there are laws against that and I wouldn’t recommend it ;-) www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IN PROFILE || DOME HOUSE
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IN PROFILE || DOME HOUSE
DOME HOUSE
Lakes S
Best known for appearing on Grand Designs, this luxury venue has a lot to offer its guests. Discover interior design top tips, how you can provide the ultimate romantic retreat and steps you can take to increase direct bookings. By
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Juliet Horner
itting majestically atop the hills of Bowness and overlooking the largest lake in Cumbria, Dome House is a building like no other. You may recognise this building from an episode of Grand Designs, where viewers watched the build take a turn for the worse. The current managers, Joyce McGuire and her husband Phil, were asked to run Dome House by Phil’s mother, who invested a lot of money to get the building finished. “The house was going to be repossessed by the bank and my mother-in-law would have lost all that money she loaned, so she ended up buying the house,” said Joyce. “She basically said, ‘If I buy it, will you guys run it?’ So we jumped at the chance to move to the Lake District.” Nowadays, the story of Dome House is much more positive and the business is thriving under Joyce and Phil’s management. This picturesque building promises exclusivity, with only three guest suites and one selfcontained, two-bedroom apartment on offer. Each of the three guest suites have a stunning lake view, and are individually designed in their own unique styles. “They all have little kitchens, but there’s no cooking facilities available,” said Joyce. “They’ve got cupboards and a fridge and access to plates, cups and cutlery so that people can make a sandwich, or if they want to order food in, they can eat in their rooms, on the balcony, or upstairs.” The two bedroom self-catering apartment has its own entrance, a fully equipped kitchen and a private patio with outdoor seating. “And then we have the big lounge upstairs, the swimming pool, and lots of seats in the garden so everyone can enjoy the view,” said Joyce. June 2021 || Luxury BnB || 9
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IN PROFILE || DOME HOUSE
6 TOP TIPS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN Don’t be afraid of using colour 2. Buy accessories that can add some joy 3. Choose items YOU like 4. Don’t put sentimental items out on display 5. Don’t spend a lot of money on things that might get broken 6. Don’t let materials put you off an item - materials can be easily changed 1.
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Interior Design The eye-catching exterior and location of Dome House is not the only wow factor of the property. Each of the three guest suites and the self-contained apartment are all beautifully designed, so we asked Joyce how she went about creating these uniquely luxurious spaces. “To be honest, I’ve always said if I love it, I’ll buy it. It’s as simple as that,” said Joyce. “I used to worry about things going together and I would be in Dunelm looking at pictures of all the rooms, trying to match the cushions and it was giving me brain ache! “So I decided, no. I told myself to just go and pick things I love and it’ll work. And it does!” She added: “I pick stuff up off Facebook marketplace, online, and local shops. We try to get stuff made locally wherever possible.” Joyce explained that she had lots of fun designing the rooms and after all the love and effort she put into creating these luxury spaces, she has plenty of advice to pass on. “I’m not afraid of colour,” said Joyce, “too many people go down the beige route. “We’ve got these really bright and colourful rugs that are a real wow factor and it just gives people joy. Colour is really uplifting and for me, that’s so important. “I just love colour and absolutely going for it. It doesn’t have to appeal to everyone. You shouldn’t worry too much about pleasing everyone. Just find your niche and go for it.” Dome House is full of colour and unique items, but if you don’t want to go all out, there are other ways to avoid ‘the beige route’. “If you’re afraid to use so much colour, just turn it down a bit,” said Joyce. “Use cushions and throws. They can
Guest Lounge
Bedroom
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IN PROFILE || DOME HOUSE
completely change a room with only little pops of colour and if it’s still too much or you think it doesn’t work, you can just change it.” However, interior design is not just about colours and pillows. Joyce suggests paying a lot of attention to different accessories that can easily brighten up any space. “After the year we’ve all just had, people need a little joy in their life,” she said. “Just doing simple things such as buying a parasol that looks like it should be on a Hawaiin beach for the garden. “I try to give our guests some joy and you know, things like putting flowers in the entrance to make it nice and colourful.” Although accessories are great for adding atmosphere and joy, Joyce said to pay attention to how much you spend on them. “You don’t want to spend lots of money on something that may get broken,” she said. “It would break your heart if you loved that accessory and it got broken.” Joyce and Phil try to source items as local as possible, adding to the overall individuality of their property. “I’m always on Facebook marketplace," said Joyce, "you can find some real gems on there, like beautiful art deco cupboards and so on." She added: “We’ve also had a lot of stuff upcycled or re-upholstered locally. I’ve actually just been given an amazing egg chair, and that’s going to get upcycled." If you need new chairs, Joyce suggests you ignore the materials. “Don’t gravitate towards materials because they are easy to change. “Look at the structure and shape; if you love that, you can easily change the covers.” Deciding how to decorate your property can be hard, especially if it’s a unique building. “Dome House is a weird house to try and decorate,” said Joyce. “It’s the Lake District. There’s lots of chintz and old style furniture, which I love, but you have to rein it in a bit and try not to go too traditional. Dome House is modern, so it’s about finding a balance between the things you love and not making it look like an Edwardwian townhouse.” She said: “I always just say to people, if you love it, it’ll work and just be brave.”
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IN PROFILE || DOME HOUSE
Most Romantic Getaway Dome House recently won the 2021 Luxury BnB ‘Most Romantic Getaway’ award, so we asked Joyce and Phil what makes them the perfect property for a romantic getaway and what advice they would pass on. Phil said: “We give people space. We’re quite hands off and only in the background if we are needed. “We don’t take many guests, so there’s lots of room for couples. Even if everybody is in the lounge at the same time, there’s plenty of space.” He added: “We’re also an adult-only property, so there’s no kids screaming and running around spoiling the mood.” Phil explained they didn’t set out to be a romantic getaway location.
quality time together and even though it’s a big room, it’s quite snug in there because we’ve got little separate seating areas.” With so many people booking Dome House for romantic retreats, Joyce and Phil have plenty of advice to help get you started. “Give your guests a feeling of luxury and pampering,” said Joyce, “robes and slippers help, so they don’t have to get dressed.” She also suggested delivering breakfasts in hampers right to their rooms. “Also, if you can, put in a bath and a shower," she said. "Langdale View gets booked out really quickly because they want the really big bath which is right next to the bed, so they can watch TV and enjoy the view at the same time.”
"We dont have a tv in the lounge because we want people to spend quality time together." “It just evolved that way,” he said, “the feedback we got said people really enjoyed the tranquility and relaxation, particularly if they had come away from the city for a weekend.” Joyce added: “We’ve had so many nervous fellas ring up and wanting to propose here, and I love that.” Phil and Joyce are always happy to assist with proposals. “We’re always thinking, ‘how can we help them?’ and we can help them put together an engagement plan,” said Joyce. The first engagement at Dome House happened just after they first opened, and Joyce and Phil went above and beyond to ensure it went without a hitch. “We were on this show, and they filmed us running up the hill with champagne and glasses,” said Joyce. “We’d hidden a flamingo teddy in a hedge so they knew where to turn up to where the seat was, and we hid behind a wall to make sure nobody went up there and drank the champagne!” She added: “We hid there for about half an hour, crouched with the cameraman beside us in the rain!” Joyce explained the little extras they do to make a getaway that bit more romantic. “We can set up champagne and chocolates and flowers,” she said, “I guess everybody can do that, but it’s what we do. We can arrange restaurants and anything else they want. “Some people come and we do almost a whole itinerary for them. Other times, they will go down the hill for drinks and be back within the hour because it’s too busy, so they’ll just sit on the balcony with a bottle of wine enjoying the view.” She added: “We also don’t have a TV in the lounge upstairs. We want people to spend 12 || Luxury BnB || June 2021
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5 TOP TIPS FOR ROMANTIC RETREATS 1. 2.
3. 4. 5.
Be prepared to go above and beyond Create a feeling of luxury and pampering by providing robes and slippers Deliver breakfasts to bedroom doors Rose petals, flowers, chocolates and champagne Offer to organise itineraries for stress free getaways
Bedroom with free-standing bathtub next to the bed for romantic atmosphere www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IN PROFILE || DOME HOUSE
Bathroom
URLs domehouselakes.co.uk Social Media Insta: @ domehouselakes Fb: @domehouselakes Tw: @domehouselakes
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6 TOP TIPS FOR DIRECT BOOKINGS
Pool
1.
Invest in your website 2. Invest in highquality images of your property 3. Be prepared to be more proactive 4. Utilise social media channels 5. Don’t worry about bad reviews 6. Use OTAs wisely - they work for you, not the other way around Booking Direct Booking direct is becoming increasingly important for smaller businesses. Dome House doesn't list on any OTA and only take direct bookings from their own website. Joyce said: “We used to be on Booking.com and Expedia, but we stopped because they took the business out of our hands and we didn’t want to be dictated to.” Phil explained they had wanted to take direct bookings from the start, but it wasn’t until last year that they made the move. “The OTAs take such a huge cut of the income and after COVID, we decided to invest more in our own website, get some high quality photographs and publicize ourselves using our own social media channels,” said Phil. “We don’t have many rooms to sell either, so it works in our favour really.” Joyce and Phil are lucky enough that they don’t have to spend much on publicity. “The house is quite well known already,” explained Phil, “so that’s a lot of the publicity done already and we were able to make that move to direct bookings.” He added: “It was a great relief to be back in control of our own business, because we weren’t too happy with the OTAs, and we didn’t really lose much by leaving them.” If you’ve considered removing your property from OTAs, Phil definitely recommends it, however they are some things you need to keep in mind.
"It's worth Investing in your website and high quality images." “If you can, do it. But I wouldn't just dump all of these travel agencies straight away, because they do bring in bookings,” said Phil. Before you dropp all the OTAs, there are some things you should focus on first. 14 || Luxury BnB || June 2021
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“Try increasing the percentage of bookings coming directly from your website,” said Phil. “You need a good website that’s clear about what you offer to people and if you’re able, really push the use of social media. Images do a lot of the work for you.” He added: “Luckily, we’ve got a very instagrammable house and not every house has the benefit of a Grand Designs episode being repeated on TV every few months. “So we do realise we’re in a slightly different situation to a lot of people, but it’s absolutely worth investing in trying to bring in more direct bookings, because the percentage that goes to the travel agents is just so high.” Joyce explained social media is an extremely important tool for increasing direct bookings: “Facebook groups are brilliant if you can utilise them. “I have a friend who sells her place almost exclusively from putting it in Facebook groups! It just means you have to be more proactive, and that’s not for everyone.” She added: “It’s about using OTAs wisely. I mean, if we have a room that we need to fill last minute, we can switch it on and fill that room. But if you’ve got six months full booked, why would you open it up for OTAs? “You’re better off filling that last minute room yourself. And if you are stuck, most channel managers will let you choose where your bookings come from, so it’s just about being a bit cleverer and not using OTAs to 100% do your business for you. “You should be more proactive and make them work for you, rather than you working for them.” www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Advice Interior design, romantic getaways and direct bookings aside, Joyce wanted to pass on some final pieces of advice. “Don’t be afraid of bad reviews,” she said. “Don’t sweat it and don’t overcompensate for people who are trying to pull a fast one. Stand your ground. “I’m not saying be rude, but don’t be so worried about getting bad reviews that you allow people to take the mick.” She added: “Always remember that you get the last say with a bad review. Just make sure your response is great, because that’s what people are reading. “You’re not replying to the person who left the bad review; you’re replying to the next potential guest.” She laughed, saying: “Don’t worry about bad www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IN PROFILE || DOME HOUSE
Dome House Exterior
reviews. It happens to us all! “If you are getting consistently bad reviews, then take a look at what’s going on, but if it’s just the odd one, don’t sweat it. It won’t affect your business that much. It’s probably one review out of hundreds of brilliant ones. “We always remember the awful ones and you can’t help it because you put your heart and soul into the business. It’s like someone’s stabbing your baby, but don’t be held hostage by those negative comments. “You will always have the final say.” Phil acknowledged it’s been a hard year for everyone in the hospitality industry and wanted to wish everyone luck. He said: “I just want to wish everybody luck for the summer. I think it’s going to be a really year and I hope everybody claws back some of the money that they’ve lost.” June 2021 || Luxury BnB || 15
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RECIPE || THE WOLSELEY'S OMELETTE ARNOLD BENNETT
OMELETTE ARNOLD BENNETT
with The Wolseley Poached Smoked Haddock •
Try out this Omelette Arnold Bennett recipe at home! Serves 2 Equipment • • • • • •
Omelette pan Small sauce pan Bowls Whisk Colander 2 x Shallow flat base dish: Approx 15cm wide 3cm deep
To do List
1. Hollandaise reduction 2. Hollandaise 3. Hollandaise glaze 4. Poach Smoked haddock 5. Omelettes
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Purchase a small fillet of smoked haddock, ask the fish monger to ensure there are no bones left in. • 250ml milk • A quarter of a white onion • 2 cloves • Half of a bay leaf Press the cloves into the onion, place the onion, bay leaf and milk into a small pan and bring to just under the simmer on the stove on a low heat (do not boil) and leave to infuse for 10 minutes. Break the haddock fillet into a few pieces and poach in the milk for 6-8 minutes (do not boil.) Remove the haddock from the milk with a slotted spoon and drain in a colander. Break the haddock into large flakes and leave ready for use. (Strain the milk. Any leftover Haddock and milk can be used to produce a Smoked Haddock and Potato Soup.)
Hollandaise Reduction
• 200ml Cooking white wine • 200ml White wine vinegar • 1 Bay leaf • 1 Peeled and sliced shallot • 5 Black pepper corns • 1 Stalk & leaf fresh tarragon Place all the ingredients in a pan on the stove over a medium heat and reduce the liquid by half. Pass through a fine sieve and leave ready to make your Hollandaise. (Any leftover reduction can be stored in the fridge and used at a later date or can be used in other cooking as a flavour enhancer.)
Hollandaise • • • • • •
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2 Egg yolks (medium eggs) 180g Clarified butter (can be bought at the super market) Half of a fresh lemon Cayenne pepper Salt 25ml Hollandaise reduction.
Melt the clarified butter, it must be warm to touch but not hot. Have a pan about 1/3 full simmering with water on the stove. Make sure your bowl is bigger than the pan so it does not touch the water, you only want to cook with the steam. Place your egg yolks and reduction in your bowl, place over the pan of simmering water. Using your hand whisk mix over the heat until it becomes thick, be very careful as the eggs will cook quickly. Remove from the heat and whilst you are whisking, very slowly add the clarified butter. It is important you whisk vigorously and add the butter very slowly. It should naturally start to thicken. Once all the butter is incorporated season your Hollandaise with a little salt and cayenne pepper & lemon juice if required.
Hollandaise glaze
• 30ml Whipping cream • 30grams Grated parmesan Take the above Hollandaise and add fold through the cream and cheese. Leave to one side.
Omelette
• 6 large eggs, whisk to break up • 140g flaked poached smoked haddock • Vegetable oil • Pinch salt You will need to work quickly. Heat the oil in a non-stick omelette pan to a high heat. Add a little salt to your eggs, be careful as the smoked haddock is already salty. Pour the eggs into the pan and mix continuously until half cooked, add the flaked smoked haddock and gently stir until 3/4 cooked. Quickly place half the mix into each serving bowl leaving enough room to add your Hollandaise glaze. Cover with Hollandaise glaze, ensure it is all the way to the edges and even. Colour under a hot grill, sprinkle chopped chives on top and serve. www.luxurybnbmag.com
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CONTRIBUTOR || DAVID WORTHINGTON
INTERIOR VIEW with David Worthington
We asked designer David Worthington to search out a few products that would make an outstanding room - starting with the traditional mini-bar! David is a life-long designer, chairman of an international brand consultancy and trustee of various cultural organisations. Outside of design his main interest is boats – an theme you may see creeping into future columns! IN: @themotorboatgallery Email: david@worthington.co.uk URL: themotorboatgallery.co.uk
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Everybody loves an impressive bar and David believes you can turn a normally hidden away mini-bar into a mini-event! “A bar can make a great focal point in a room,” says David. “and having a stand-out display of drinks makes for a room that will be remembered.” And a bar with ‘Instagrammable’ features is great way to draw attention to your business, but how can you do this simply? From smaller, feature bars to statement bars spanning a whole wall, there are many ways of making this relaxing part of enjoying a stay away memorable.
“Rattan, brass, timber or glass, the choice is almost limitless,” said David, “but lighting is crucial. If you can’t light the inside of the bar, then light its surroundings. “Colour and contrast are important too. For example, deep blue walls will contrast dramatically with a gold or copper drinks trolley and a couple of simple spotlights will make the bottles and glasses sparkle.” He added: “Consider siting this on a section of hard flooring creating a focal point that is easy to clean too.” David has highlighted a number of products to help turn your bar into an event.
Play It Again: Piano Bar (pictured right) • Rustique Revivals, Dorset, Piano Bar • Painted Wood, Contemporary • £1,750.00 • https://bit.ly/3o8DsO8 David said: “Imagine the reaction when your guests walk in and see this, especially if the room lights are turned down low!” Trunk Again: Standing Trunk Drinks Cabinet (pictured below left) • Standing Black faux leather Trunk • Drinks Cabinet, Vintage design • £419.99 • https://bit.ly/3y3qcip David said: “Not a new idea, but an cost effective one - £400 for a talking point never forgotten. Match with a couple of low chairs to create an in-room venue.”
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Wheel Away the Hours: Stirling Drinks Trolley (pictured below right) • Art Deco, mobile drinks trolley • Brass finished iron frame • £299.00 • https://bit.ly/3oazzIx David said: “We have an original 1960s drinks trolley, found in a skip when they were most definitely unfashionable! We pushed it around the pubs of Southwold that same evening, the perfect portable drinks table. But be sure to buy one with high enough rails to contain everything safely.”
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IN PROFILE || INCH HOUSE, IRELAND
INCH HOUSE
Ireland
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IN PROFILE || INCH HOUSE, IRELAND
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We spoke to Michael Fitzpatrick, Managing Director of Inch House, Ireland, to learn all about hosting team-building weekends. Discover how to expand your hospitality business and offer corporate getaways. By www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Juliet Horner June 2021 || Luxury BnB || 19
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IN PROFILE || INCH HOUSE, IRELAND
URLs inchhouseireland.ie SOCIAL MEDIA FB: @inchhouseireland Tw: @inchhouseire In: @inchhouseireland
F
or the last few months, the nation has been slowly crawling out of COVID’s shadow. The different stages of exiting a national lockdown have, so far, all gone to plan. Since our last issue released in April, pubs, restaurants and accommodation providers have reopened, welcoming back their guests with open arms. But as the hospitality sector gets back into the swing of things, it also means the general public are leaving their makeshift studies and returning to offices up and down the country. With the return to offices, many companies will be jumping at the chance to get everyone up to speed with the latest codes of conduct, health and safety measures, office ethics and more. After spending so long on furlough or working remotely, returning to work would also mean getting reacquainted with colleagues and introducing the ‘newbies’. This is where you come in. Why should employees have to sit through powerpoint after powerpoint? BnBs, hotels, AirBnBs, glamping sites, and so many other types of accommodation providers are perfect venues for engaging a company’s workforce. Indoor and outdoor activities are a great way for corporate groups to learn the company’s core values, and by providing activities designed to highlight communication skills, leadership and problem solving, you may find you’re the perfect place for a corporate team-building weekend. But where do you even start? What do you need to do to provide a brilliant teambuilding getaway? We spoke to the Managing Director of Inch House Ireland, Michael Fitzpatrick, who is no stranger to hosting corporate team-building weekends. “A lot of country properties offer team building events, but we stand out because we’re boutique and we’re the only B&B/guest house that does this,” said Michael.
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About Inch House Ireland The original cottage of Inch House was originally built in 1702 and expanded in 1820, followed by another extension in the late 90’s. With eight bedrooms, the house has a maximum occupancy of 20 guests, but an additional 10 can be hosted in tents. Managing Director, Michael Fitzpatrick, said: “We started renovations in 2016 and we launched in 2018. “We originally started off as an AirBnB with three rooms, then we developed it over time, extending and renovating each room as we went along.” Inch House then decided to diversify, move to booking.com and rent room by room.
IN PROFILE || INCH HOUSE, IRELAND
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“We then discovered that we were getting a lot of corporate clients. So we decided that we were going to do team-building events over a weekend to help expand our horizons,” said Michael. Due to COVID safety measures, Michael explained Inch House has returned to exclusive house rentals. “The team building events are with a whole house rental now,” he said. “It’s something that a lot of people were asking about. Companies were reaching out and asking if we did any team-building events and can they have an event in the courtyard and stuff like that.”
"We stand out because we are the only B&B/ Guesthouse that offers team building weekends." www.luxurybnbmag.com
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10 ACTIVITY IDEAS FOR TEAM BUILDING WEEKENDS
Kitchen
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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Archery Falconry Kayaking Hiking Adventure courses Farm day Yoga Treasure hunt Escape rooms Comedy night
Activities So, where do you start? One element of a corporate team-building weekend that will make you stand out to potential clients, are what activities you have on offer. There are different ways you could run activities and you need to decide how you want to do it. Do you want all the activities onsite? Do you want to offer excursions? Do you want an external company to run an activity for you? Or do you want to run it yourself? However you decide to run the activities, it’s always a good idea to research what’s available in your local area and forge relationships with those businesses. Michael said: “You’ll have to network and build up some contacts with team-building activity providers. “Just contact people. Go and email them. Call them.” He added: “I would recommend going to see people and chat with them face to face, but with COVID that may not be possible. But if it is something you can do face to face, it’s a great way to bounce ideas off each other. “They might say something you haven’t thought of before and it’s actually a great idea that you can use.” After networking with different people and researching what’s available, how do you
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IN PROFILE || INCH HOUSE, IRELAND
decide which activities to go for in the end? What works well at corporate team-building events? “We always look for something different, something vibrant,” said Michael. “It should be fun too. I think ‘fun’ is probably the main word in all of this because a teambuilding weekend is all about camaraderie and having fun. “Maybe someone is scared of something on that activity, but everyone else, like their colleagues who are taking part, will be like ‘It’s okay, come on, you can do it!’ or ‘Look, I’m doing it with you, let's get through it together!’ “It’s all about that element of camaraderie which makes the activity useful and beneficial.” If you’re struggling for ideas on which activities may work for you, both archery and falconry are very popular at Inch House. Despite being more relaxed than the muddy, outward bound activities that may initially come to mind when you think of teambuilding, Michael said they are great at getting people out of their shells. “It’s quite a relaxed environment,” he said. “Some people might be a little bit nervous doing falconry and holding a bird for example. But it just gets people out of their comfort zone and after that, they feel like they can tackle a lot of other things because they pushed themselves to do that.” He added: “Archery is a good one too. They will probably miss a good few times, but it’s fun and that’s what’s important. They can all have a laugh and enjoy it.” When deciding on what activities to offer on team-building weekends, Michael stressed that it’s not always about the activity itself. “It’s about getting the team together and having fun together, doing something outside of their normal work environment,” he said. “They’re not there to talk about monthly reports and it can often just be about getting out of the office. It’s not the same as going for a drink after work. It’s a very different www.luxurybnbmag.com
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structure in a very different environment and they can learn a lot more about each other.” Inch House uses external companies for both the archery and falconry activities, but the companies come and run the activities onsite. “There’s different ways we can do it,” said Michael. “We can find external people to run teambuilding activities for them, or they can bring their own ideas and we just host the event at our property.” Clients also have the opportunity to stay at Inch House, but go out on excursions for their team-building activities. There are plenty of local companies offering activities such as yoga, laser tag, kayaking, Japanese garden tours and more. Michael said: “It all depends on what they want to do. If they have an idea that they throw at us, I’m just like, ‘Okay, let’s try and make this work,’ because we can be quite flexible and try to make everything possible for them.”
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IN PROFILE || INCH HOUSE, IRELAND
Timings Quite often you’ll find that corporate teambuilding getaways take place over weekends, but there’s nothing stopping you from providing midweek team-building activities. “I’d suggest that two or three days are generally long enough,” said Michael. “It all depends on how intense they want it to be. They will have group dinners, afternoon teas, and other meal times together, as well as the activities themselves. Being around that many people for such a long time over such a short period can be quite challenging for some people, especially if you don’t know them very well. “That’s why we recommend that they take a few hours out each day to just go for a walk, check in with family and friends, or whatever it is they want to do, so they can have a bit of a break.” It’s important that you find out from the clients how intense or relaxed they want their getaway to be. You may find that three days isn’t enough! Although all Inch House guests have access to a fully equipped kitchen, dining room, and outdoor fire pit, they may not want to cook for themselves whilst on a corporate getaway. “For team-building events and bigger parties, we can bring in our own chef who is able to do breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner… Whatever you want really!” said Michael. Whether you cater the whole event or only provide select meals such as breakfast, it’s important that you take care with meal times. You don’t want them to overrun and eat into their activity time!
Advice One of the main things Michael stresses the importance of, is talking to your clients to find out what they want out of their stay with you. “Talk to them. They might say something totally different that you never even thought of, but it’s actually a great idea,” said Michael. It’s also important that you are using the right platforms for your audience. “For corporate team-building events you’re looking at the likes of LinkedIn and possibly people who are aged 40 plus. But on the flip side, there’s the younger audience who are more likely to use Facebook and Instagram,” he said. “So you have two very different demographics, on entirely different platforms, looking for entirely different things concerning team-building getaways.” There’s also plenty of free, online tools that you can use to market your team-building getaways. Michael said: “There’s plenty of free editing apps and a lot of YouTube resources out there showing you how to figure out your target audience and how to market to them correctly. “Spend some time watching free videos and trying free apps. You have to knuckle down and really put the time and effort into it. I would definitely recommend watching some YouTube videos.” He added: “But you can also listen to your friends and family. Ring them up and ask them what they think about this activity or that activity, or ‘do you think our audience would like this?’ and so on.
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10 TOP TIPS FOR RUNNING TEAM BUILDING WEEKENDS 1.
“Asking friends and family can be very helpful. You’re sitting in, looking out. They have a different perspective and might think of other ideas. “Don’t be scared of being creative and don’t do what Betty next door is doing. Be different. People love different.” When organising a team-building getaway at your venue, be confident, professional and welcoming.
"You really have to knuckle down and put the time and effort into it. Believe in yourself." Michael said: “You have to believe in yourself. Be proud of your product. If you aren’t, you won’t believe in yourself and it won’t succeed. “Be dynamic in your thinking and in your actions. You’ve got to put your best foot forward and be confident.” Whether you’re new to running team-building events or you’re a dab hand at it, there are always opportunities to learn. “Learn as much as you can. Knowledge is power,” said Michael. “Your time is precious and when you start a business, people will keep coming up to you and asking for your help or your advice and you can often start to drift away. So make sure you value your time and use it wisely.” He added: “It’s also important to remember not to take yourself too seriously, because life’s not that serious at the end of the day. We’ve all learnt that the hard way with COVID, so make sure you have fun.” Michael’s final piece of advice for running team-building getaways, is to “get involved”. “Be involved with your business! Don’t sit on your backside. Get in, get your hands dirty, get working and enjoy it. Because that’s how you succeed. By working hard,” he said. “Work with your team. They are the pillars of your business, so build good relationships with them and be as involved as you can be.” www.luxurybnbmag.com
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Talk to your client for a clear idea of what they want 2. Choose fun & vibrant activities to get people out of their comfort zone 3. Liaise with local businesses who can provide activities on-site 4. Research offsite activities too so guests can also explore the local area 5. Know your target audience 6. Find out how intense the group wants the weekend to be 7. Learn as much as you can to improve your business 8. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice from family and friends for a different perspective 9. Be confident and proud of your product 10. Have fun
IN PROFILE || INCH HOUSE, IRELAND
Guest Lounge
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PRODUCT News SMARTair ® from Mul-T-Lock
Security expert Mul-T-Lock is offering a tailored access control solution to all hotel, holiday park and short-break property owners. SMARTair® is an access control system offering an intelligent, yet simple, step up from keys. For hotels and home rental properties in particular, SMARTair® will replace keys with a wireless locking system operated by smartcards and smartphones when used in conjunction with Mul-T-Lock’s Openow™ app. With SMARTair®, lost cards can be cancelled, and replacement cards reprogrammed for increased security. By utilising the Openow™ app, you can instantly send, revoke or update virtual keys from the designated SMARTair® software or web browser, allowing guests to access properties and rooms via their smartphone. Openow™ also makes it easy to organise virtual keys inside the app, check how long they are valid, and protect them further with an individual PIN. To learn more about Mul-T-Lock’s SMARTair® access control system and Openow™ app, please call 01902 364200, email internalsales@mul-t-lock.co.uk or visit www.mul-t-lock.co.uk
Love Maps On
Create the Wow Factor with a stunning wallmap of your area. Present-day and Vintage Ordnance Survey Maps of any area on made-to-measure wallpapers, canvases, ceramic tiles, glass splash-backs and much more. Allow your guests to truly discover the local landscape. An amazing addition to any Guest House or Hotel. Our products are designed to bring colour and flair to bedrooms, bathrooms, hallways, foyers and function rooms. Whatever the colour scheme or style, you'll find a contemporary, historical or art map to complement it. Our maps range from World Maps, Designer Maps, Antique Maps, Art Maps, Globes and Text Art Maps to Personalised Maps from Ordnance Survey and Personalised Vintage maps. Our online map store gives you fast and easy access to a whole world of wonderful maps at affordable prices. Visit lovemapson.com
Why your guests might thank you for upgrading your property management
With summer travellers eager to make up for lost time and enjoy some recreation, it’s important to provide a premier guest experience. It’s difficult to get this right when too much time is spent on administration, juggling different elements, and manual data entry. If you could automate the majority of your daily operations, you’d have more time and resources to spend on ensuring a guest’s stay at your property is perfect. With B&B management software it’s not only possible, but simple, to take all the stress out of managing your reservations, checkins, guest communications, housekeeping, and more. Simply use the software to take care of your everyday tasks in one place, with your desired changes updating automatically. When your guests realise how much they’re being pampered, they’ll be sure to thank you by leaving faultless reviews! Interested in B&B software? Go to this link to find out more: https://bit.ly/349qaYv 26 || Luxury BnB || Junel 2021
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Branding Spa
The Branding Spa is a digital content agency for hotels, destinations and beyond. We complement your in-house marketing activities by supporting you to build a solid digital presence and reach 1000’s of potential guests and clientele online. Let us help build you an effective social media strategy, create engaging content that connects and put a strategic ad plan into place to help you stand out from the competition. Together we can upgrade your digital presence. Get in touch for a free consultation and let’s discuss how we can work alongside your team to guide you through our process and watch your online bookings grow - www.thebrandingspa.com www.luxurybnbmag.com
01/06/2021 11:47
To elevate hygiene practices for the reopening, we are pleased to announce the launch of Microban 24 Professional, a new disinfectant brand, which offers unrivalled protection against bacteria. The new product range initially kills 99.9% of bacteria and enveloped viruses, including SARS-CoV-2, and keeps killing 99.9% of bacteria for up to 24 hours, even after multiple touches*. The science behind Microban 24 Professional is a powerful technology that combines active antibacterial ingredients to create multi-layered protection on surfaces. As a result, the antibacterial actives stay on the surface for up to 24 hours, they keep killing bacteria, even with multiple contacts throughout the day. As restaurants and hotels reopen their doors to welcome guests back, stopping the spread of bacteria through touch is a priority for businesses. Microban 24 Professional’s disinfectant range is designed to maintain powerful bacteria protection that lives on, helping to keep you, your staff, and consumers safe. *When used as directed, Microban 24 kills 99.9% of bacteria, tested in accordance to European norms EN13697 and EN1276 in 5 minutes contact time, and kills 99.9% of enveloped viruses, tested in accordance to European norm EN16777 in 5 minutes contact time. SARS-CoV-2 tested in accordance to European norm EN14476 in 5 minutes contact time. When used as directed Microban 24 kills 99.9% of bacteria for up to 24 hours, tested in accordance to BSI PAS2424. Microban 24 does not provide 24-hour residual virus protection. Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
Adrian Flux
If you run a B&B you’ll know how important it is to cater to your guest’s individual needs. At Adrian Flux we take a similar view to customer service and offer truly bespoke insurance packages to B&B business owners. In fact, Adrian Flux is one of the UK’s leading specialist home insurance brokers offering a full range of B&B business insurance options. Whether your B&B is a palatial penthouse, magnificent mansion, or quaint country cottage, Adrian Flux will tailor your insurance cover to match your B&B business and its very unique needs. We can offer versatile, comprehensive and economical B&B insurance cover which can include: • Domestic assistance helpline • Discounts for alarms and security locks • Discount when you take combined buildings and contents cover • “Old for new” replacement cover as standard • Options for accidental damage cover Call 0800 085 5000 to find out more or get a quote.
INDUSTRY || PRODUCT NEWS
Alliance Online
Siabann
From the heart of Scotland comes a beautiful range of products in distinctive, refillable packaging. Siabann – Gaelic for soap – is created & made by soapmaker Fiona Ritchie. The Juniper & Lime range is the perfect choice for ethical & natural products that don’t cost a fortune, look beautiful and work like a dream. Each product evokes the beautiful Scottish landscape and is hand-blended in small batches to ensure the highest quality. The vegan friendly products are fragranced with a blend of essential oils and tested on family and friends, never animals. The Juniper & Lime range is fresh, gentle and loved by both men and women. The range includes Organic Handwash, Hand lotion, Shampoo, Conditioner & Body wash. All available in 250ml bottles and 2.5/5 litre refills. The products are also available in 100ml sizes! Contact Fiona if you would like to sample the range: fiona@siabann.com
ISEKI Mowers
The SXG Range from ISEKI is the unmistakable, high quality, ride on cut and collection mowers, with the ability to perform even in wet conditions. This is all thanks to the perfectly designed 40” to 54” centre discharge mower decks with straight through chutes to avoid blockages, allowing you to work without the weather restricting you. Ranging from 13.5hp up to 21hp these powerful diesel engine mowers are perfect for mowing anything from a large lawn right up to estates and gardens, leaving a superior finish every time. With a choice of high or low tip collectors the grass clippings can be disposed of easily and tidily, whilst the large collectors hold up to 600 litres to avoid countless trips to empty. Designed, engineered and built in Japan to offer the most comfortable, reliable, high quality diesel mower on the market for the most demanding of users. Visit www.iseki.co.uk to watch a demonstration. www.luxurybnbmag.com
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WWW.BANDBACADEMY.CO.UK
@BEDANDBREAKFASTACADEMY @BEDANDBREAKFASTACADEMY @BANDBACADEMY Karen Thorne has ran Hopton House B&B in Shropshire for over 16 years and the Bed and Breakfast Academy for over 14 years. Through the B&B Academy, Karen trains aspiring B&B owners in how to set up, buy, run and market their own B&Bs. Karen runs monthly online courses and has recently launched a B&B Marketing membership for existing B&B owners, so she can help them to organically and authentically market their own B&Bs.
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Karen's Column
A COUNTRY B&B
THE HOTEL INSPECTOR
Living in the beautiful english countryside was my main reason for setting up a B&B. But running a rural business does come with some problems.There’s the sat nav issue. No matter how many emails you send with directions, explaining that guests shouldn’t rely on sat nav, there’s that phone call at 6.45 - “We can’t find you” I express regret that they are lost and give directions, whilst trying really hard not to say “Didn’t you receive the email with directions that I sent you?” Then there’s the animals. Waiting for guests to arrive, I heard a car horn being sounded from outside. Our guest was parked, surrounded by our chickens, refusing to get out of the car. She didn’t like birds. She also didn’t like cows. When she pulled open the curtains the next morning, she found herself face to face with the local cows checking their reflections in the window of her room. We agreed that it wasn’t the best B&B for her, refunded her stay and waved goodbye. And the cows come with some side effects... Guests left a review saying they’d had a lovely time, but there were more flies in the bedroom than they’d expect for a 5 star B&B. I did wonder, if we’d been 4 star instead, if the number of flies - flying through an open window on a summer’s day - would have been more acceptable. Luckily it’s a small price to pay for living here - apart from the spiders of course...and that’s another story.
When I get a call from a single person, wanting to stay one night “on business”. I’ve always known it’s the Hotel Inspector. I get no business guests - someone turning up wearing a suit, carrying a briefcase has always been a giveaway. But I played along anyway… His last visit didn’t get off to a great start. I don’t take one night stays and there was a bit of a tussle over that before I gave in. With a full B&B, the morning was a bit frantic. He ordered breakfast for 8.30, the next guests at 8.45 and the others hadn’t done their breakfast menu - something that’s going to raise my cortisol levels on a normal day, even when my every move isn’t being scrutinised and documented. Having finished breakfast, he produced his business card with a flourish and announced he wanted to talk through my report, just as the last guests arrived. With no other choice, I left him leaning against the only clean spot on my kitchen island, to take the guests’ order - eggs benedict and blueberry pancakes. My day wasn’t getting any better. As I rushed round making hollandaise, praying for perfect poached eggs, we got into a ridiculous argument about the room needing a full length mirror. There is one - it’s behind the robes on the bathroom door. And me needing to put glass tops on the furniture - not going to happen. That year, I “scraped” through with a low 5 star gold.
Read Karen's blog to discover more about country B&Bs, inspections and more about life as a B&B owner: bandbacademy.co.uk/blog
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01/06/2021 11:49
CONTRIBUTOR || NEIL FRASER - PHOTOGRAPHY
Neil Fraser is a professional photographer of interiors, architecture and design. His passion for high quality imagery has taken him all over the world. His work has featured in a number of magazines, reports, brochures and various marketing materials. Can't afford a professional photographer? Neil has a wealth of knowledge concerning holiday home photography. Neil will be contributing to the next few magazines to provide insight and experience to help you with your own holiday home photography skills. FB: Neil Fraser Interiors Photography IN: @neilfraserinteriorsphotos www.nfp.photo
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PHOTOSHOOT
Preparation
Neil has put together a handy guide on preparing your property to get the most out of a photoshoot. Discover what should tidy away and remove in Part 1 of his 'Photoshoot Preparation' article. The main reason for hospitality businesses to have a photoshoot is, obviously, promotional marketing. As well as showing the property to potential customers, you are also trying to sell a lifestyle. I often see websites with photos that fulfil the former perfectly. They show the rooms as best they can but the images are, ultimately, a bit bland. Properties will not have been fully prepped beforehand; add to that bad lighting and wonky angles and the photos are not exactly going to make the property look inviting. There are a few important things to consider before you pick up a camera or book a professional photographer:
Make sure the property is clean and tidy During my time as an interiors photographer, I have been constantly surprised by the state of some properties when I arrive. More often than you’d think, the owner won’t have tidied up at all, meaning that I have to clean and clear things away before I can start. This, of course, affects how many photos I can take.
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CONTRIBUTOR|| NEIL FRASER - PHOTOGRAPHY
BEFORE
General things to look out for throughout the property are: • Light bulbs. Replace any bulbs that are not working. An easy way to add a bit of sparkle to your photographs is to turn the lights on. If some bulbs are not working, it can make the place look scrappy and uncared for. • Open all the blinds and curtains. You want as much light flooding in as possible. Be aware, however, that crooked blinds never look good and curtains need to hang nicely. • Electric cables. Big knots of electrical cables and leads under any tables or by the TV may not be noticeable to you because you’re used to them, but they really stand out in photographs and make the place look scruffy. • Pets. Loveable as they are, not everyone wants to – or can – spend time with Tiddles or Spot. Tidy away pet toys and food bowls.
Kitchens You might have cleaned, but you also need to tidy away the cleaning products. No one wants to be reminded of washing up and house work when they are looking to book a relaxing holiday. • Move the sponges, cloths and washing up liquid out of sight. • Put tea towels and oven gloves away in a drawer. • Clear unneeded clutter from the counters: this includes baskets with sachets of tea and coffee. • Remove general clutter such as fridge magnets. • Sweep and clean the floor.
AFTER
BEFORE
AFTER
Bedrooms As well as the basics of making sure the bedroom is clean and tidy, there are a few things that I recommend excluding. • Kettles and drinks stations should generally be removed. • Again, clear up electrical cables, especially under bedside tables. • Check that the bedside lamps are working. • Remove bathrobes from the back of doors. • Remove Cuddly toys!
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01/06/2021 11:50
AFTER
BEFORE
CONTRIBUTOR || NEIL FRASER - PHOTOGRAPHY
BEFORE
Bathrooms There are a few important rules when preparing a bathroom. They can be a big selling point but a dirty or messy bathroom is a big turn off. • Hide away shower products: they never look good, especially if they are half empty. • Cleaning products should be put away in a cupboard. A bottle of toilet cleaner or a toilet brush on the floor next to the loo is not attractive. • Towels, as a general rule, shouldn’t be put out. • Toilet roll should either be new and unused or not there at all. • Give the mirror a good clean. Smears really show up in photos. • Most importantly, toilet seats should always be down for obvious reasons.
Exterior The outside of your property may not always be the easiest to clean up, but just a bit of tidying and creative hiding is what is needed here. • Move any vehicles you can away from the building and off the drive. Prospective guests want to see a photo of the property, not your car. • General garden mess. Put away kids toys, bags of garden waste, garden tools. • Tidy up and wipe down any garden furniture. • Hide the bins. Nothing brings down an exterior photo like a bin. It’s not something people need to be reminded of. • Sweep the patio.
AFTER
Now what needs to be removed when preparing for a photoshoot. I’ve described some common oversights and highlighted the items that you don’t want to include in your marketing photos. Next issue, I will look at what you can add to make your setting look more professional and how you can create atmosphere for an upcoming photoshoot.
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01/06/2021 11:51
Industry expert, Yvonne Halling, considers how Instagram can get eyeballs to land on your property
Yvonne Halling is the award-winning founder of Bed and Breakfast Coach.com and creator of the B&B Money Maker Business Transformation program. In 2001, Yvonne opened her B&B in the Champagne region of France, running her B&B for 17 years. She now offers owners and managers in the B&B industry helpful training and masterclasses. Join Yvonne's Facebook group at: http://bit.ly/ BandBgroup You can email Yvonne at yvonne@ yvonnehalling.com FB: Yvonne Halling TW: @yvonne3030 IN: @bedandbreakfastcoach bedandbreakfastcoach.com
When using Instagram, always keep your ideal guests in mind. Instagram is very popular, so to make yours stand out, you must “speak” directly to the hearts and minds of your potential guests. Here are some ways you can do this: #1 Post with purpose and intention, rather than just because you think you have to. #2 Make sure your profile is on brand with your other online profiles, including your website, so that people know it’s you. Consistent branding will help build trust with your followers. #3 Add a nice, smiling photo of you on all your platforms so you'll be seen as trustworthy. Don’t hide behind your property; we want to see YOUR FACE! #4 Research keywords. I recommend using a free tool called all-hashtag.com When you enter in a keyword such as ‘lakedistrictuk’ it will provide a list of related hashtags. Devise a hierarchy of keywords, starting with a general one such as ‘lakedistrictuk’ and go deeper, one step at a time, like a staircase. So if #lakedistrictuk is your starting point, your next step down could be #bedandbreakfastcumbria or #bedandbreakfastgrasmere. The next step would then be naming some places near Grasmere, such as #helmscrag or #dunmailrise. Include the full range of hashtags, from the more general ones down to the much more specific ones. Then go on Instagram and check that those hashtags are being used.
When you hit upon the ones being used by multiple people, and if possible a local influencer, well-known company or Lake District expert, then follow them and comment on their posts. If they’re nice, they’ll follow you back and comment on your posts, helping you to gain some visibility. Here’s a couple of Instagram accounts of properties doing this well: @dorsethouselyme @lucyyoungart @peteystaniforthphotography @itscarolinefromlancombe @farmerpalmersfarmpark @staycation.u.k #5 As with all social media platforms, building a relationship is key, so don’t just promote yourself. Instead, look to promote others in your area too. This “giving” behaviour will return to you, but it does take time, as with all meaningful relationships, so the best time to start is now. #6 Keep in mind that your content must be engaging, entertaining and educational. Switch it up with images, videos and stories to develop a long-lasting love affair with your followers. Make the most of all the different options within Instagram itself. Remember that it’s about engaging with potential guests and building both trust and goodwill. There’s no short cut or “hack” to this and neither should there be.
CONTRIBUTOR || YVONNE HALLING
USING Instagram
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BEER
Recommendations
Bier Sommelier, Darren Murphy, names his top ten beers to serve to guests www.luxurybnbmag.com
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1. Lager: Pilsner Urquell (Czech Republic) 2. Lager: Augustiner Helles (Germany) 3. Traditional Pale Ale: Timothy Taylor's Landlord (England) 4. American Pale Ale: Vocation, Pride and Joy (England) 5. American IPA : Pressure Drop Bosko (England)
6. Belgian Blonde:Affligem Blonde (Belgium) 7. Belgian Dubbel: Westmalle Dubbel (Belgium) 8. Belgian Trappist Ale: Orval (Belgium) 9. Stout: Guinness Draught (Ireland) 10. Wild Card: The Kernel Export India Porter (England)
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01/06/2021 11:52
IN PROFILE || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE
ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE Weymouth Discover how this award winning, seaside B&B made the most of the last lockdown to renovate their Victorian property. Owner Lynne Fisher provides handy top tips for renovations, interior design and social media. By
Juliet Horner
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IN PROFILE || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE
Family Suite (Before)
7 TOP TIPS FOR RENOVATIONS 1.
S
et in perfect seaside splendour, this award winning B&B has been very busy the last few months. Heavily reminiscent of Victorian elegance, this beautiful building has recently had a bit of a makeover. Owners Lynne and Andy Fisher worked hard all the way through the last lockdown to make sure they were ready to reopen in May, complete with COVID safety measures still in place to help keep everyone safe. “We’ve closed down the guest lounge, because that’s a common area where people might be mixing, and we’ve also staggered meals in the dining room,” said Lynne. “Last year I also developed an online booking system for our breakfasts, which the guests really loved. “It’s just a simple Google form that anyone can do and when we check the guests in, we let them know how to order their breakfast using the form and then agree on a time with them. That way, we can limit how many people we have in the dining room at one time and it keeps everyone spaced out.” Lynne and Andy strongly advocate for social distancing between the guests and ask them all to be kind and courteous when navigating the narrow stairs. However, the additional COVID safety measures that have been put in place, are not the only thing that has changed at St John’s this past year. Renovations Andy and Lynne first bought the property in November 2017 when it was already an established business. “It was beautiful,” said Lynne, “but with it being such an old house, there was always going to be work that needed doing to it.” Their first refurb in 2018 focused on the dining room and putting in a downstairs toilet. Lynne said: “As soon as guests turn up, the
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first thing they ask, especially if their room isn’t ready yet, is do we have a toilet. Putting that in has been an absolute Godsend!" She added: “We used a bit of space from the dining room, so it’s great at breakfast time, especially when people come down with their kids and they say they need the toilet. This way they don’t have to go running back up to their rooms.” By “knocking the walls around a bit”, not only did they make room for a downstairs toilet, but they were also able to make the dining room more spacious. Lynne explained they usually do their refurbs in January so they're ready to reopen for Valentines Day, but this year they were still working well into April. “We had trouble trying to get hold of the materials, which delayed us,” said Lynne. Despite lockdown being the perfect time to complete refurbishments due to the lack of guests, Lynne and Andy still hit some bumps. “It’s been really difficult actually, even with all this spare time in lockdown. Just getting the materials and our plasterer for example; his
Get a good builder with contacts for other tradesmen 2. Find a balance between the old and the new 3. Utilise and protect original features (e.g. tiles and cornices) 4. Be prepared for setbacks 5. Plan what you want to do in advance 6. Consider the height of the building 7. Make the most of helpful planning software (e.g. Floorplanner)
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01/06/2021 11:52
IN PROFILE || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE
daughter tested positive so he had to isolate which delayed his work here. “Getting hold of carpets was really difficult. We bought them online and of course everyone else was doing the same because the showrooms weren’t open,” said Lynne, “it’s been really challenging but luckily lockdown gave us extra time to get it all done.” When renovating an old building, it’s often all too easy to erase original features. Lynne and Andy pride themselves on maintaining some of the building's Victorian elegance. “She’s an old Victorian lady, this house. She’s quite elegant and it’s all about maintaining that original elegance,” said Lynne. “In some of the rooms we’ve got the original patterned cornices and in one of our suites, we’ve built in an en-suite. But we’ve made sure that the cornice is protected. “So we’ve built a stud wall around it to make sure that, if in the future someone decides they want this as a private home again, they can push that whole wall back and the cornice will still be there.” She added: “I think it’s important to have a balance between the old and the new. We try to keep our rooms classy but with that element of what we call ‘Victorian Chic’.” If you are considering a renovation, or you're already in the middle of one, Lynne strongly advises utilising the original elegance and era of the property.
Family Suite (After)
"It's important balance the old and the new. Really think about how you can enhance the original features." “Think about the era and how you can enhance the original features of the house. “You can bring in modern elements where it’s appropriate, for example, you don’t want an old fashioned bathroom, so that’s where the modern part comes in," she said. Another example of maintaining some original features is the floor in their lobby. “We still have the old, original tiles on the floor,” said Lynne. “Some of them get a bit cracked, but I love them. They look so beautiful and people often comment on them as they walk in!” Throughout their most recent refurb, Lynne explained how they made their family suite (Rooms 8 & 9) more family friendly. “We’ve invested some money in this room,” she said, “it’s all about that mutual privacy.” The family suite consists of two rooms (one for the children and one for the adults), an ensuite bathroom and a small ‘hospitality area’. Previously, the bathroom was only accessible through the parents’ room, but a second door has been installed to create a ‘Jack & Jill’ bathroom. “Now we’ve put that door in there from the twin room, it’s accessible from either side,” said Lynne. www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IN PROFILE || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE Family Suite Hospitality Area (Before)
When refurbishing your own property, Lynne says it important to ask yourself how you can add that extra element of luxury. “Before, the kids would have to walk through their parents’ room to get to the bathroom, but why can’t they have their own independence and luxury? Now they both have that privacy and access to the bathroom,” she said. “It also means that the parents can settle the kids down and watch TV with a glass of wine in their own room, so it’s just focusing on spoiling them a little bit as well.” The hospitality area of the same family suite was also refurbished. The outer door from the hallway opens onto a small room nicknamed ‘the hospitality area’, with doors leading to both the children’s room (twin room) and the parents’ room (king room). “There used to be a linen closet in there,” explained Lynne, “just behind the outer door which leads to the hallway and now it’s a little hospitality station with a kettle and mini fridge, and it’s made a huge difference.” After spending a lot of time and effort on refurbishments, Andy and Lynne have some helpful advice for anyone going through the same process. “It’s so important that you get a good builder,” said Lynne. “It can be so hard to get hold of different tradesmen, but if you get a good builder, he will have access to other tradesmen and bring in his own plasterer and carpenter. “He might even have access to carpet fitters, plumbers and electricians and so on. It makes a huge difference.” Andy said: “Before you start any alterations, plan ahead exactly what you want to do.” “It’s an expensive mistake if you forget something and the floorboards and carpet have to come back up again.” 36 || Luxury BnB || June 2021
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Family Suite Hospitality Area (After)
"It's important you get a good builder with access to tradesmen." He added: “Make sure you take the height of your building into consideration. “A five story victorian townhouse like ours is expensive if you need cranes and scaffolding, even for the smallest jobs on the roof.” To help plan their refurbs, Lynne creates digital floor plans for each of the rooms. “I’d really recommend floorplanner.com to help you visualise the layouts,” said Lynne. “It became one of my lockdown activities. It’s really easy and free too, which we all love. I just do it on my iPad. “You draw the outline and then you can add dividers for the walls and draw in different floor coverings. It’s very clever.” Lynne said the floorplanner software was extremely helpful when they were working on the family suite. But their refurb doesn’t stop there. Andy and Lynne have plans to start renovating more rooms next January. “We’ll also be renovating our larger suite on the first floor,” said Lynne. “It’s got really high ceilings, and back in the day it would have been a drawing room. So that has a king room, a lounge with a bedsetee, and a fully fitted kitchen with a cooker, large SMEG fridge, dishwasher, washing machine and tumble drier. www.luxurybnbmag.com
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6 TOP TIPS FOR INTERIOR DESIGN 1.
Have a colour scheme in mind before you start 2. Don’t be scared to use patterns 3. Choose neutral coloured carpets 4. Don’t be scared of taking a risk 5. Make the most of local companies (e.g. re-upholstering old chairs) 6. Utilise the era of the property
“It’s lovely for guests who want a little more space with self-catering facilities, and we’ll be renovating that in January.” Interior Design After all the hard work of renovating certain areas of the house, the work continues for Lynne and Andy. Lynne’s favourite part of the refurbishment process is finishing the interiors and “picking all the little extras”. She said: “I enjoy doing the soft furnishings and decor. Andy is very much about the technical part. “He makes sure we’ve got USB points next to the bed, that the smart TVs are on the wall and out of the way, and making sure the bathrooms are sleek and good to go. So he focuses more on the hard furnishings and I’m more focused on the soft. “I think between the two of us, we actually partner each other quite well for interiors.” With their recent refurb still fresh in her mind, Lynne has some handy advice to pass on should you want to try your hand at some interior design ideas. She suggested choosing an item, deciding on a colour for it and then building the rest around it. “As I said earlier, we like to maintain some of the Victorian touch as much as we can,” said Lynne.
Before www.luxurybnbmag.com
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IN PROFILE || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE
URLs stjohnsguesthouse.co.uk floorplanner.com SOCIAL MEDIA FB: @stjohnsguesthouseweymouth Insta: @stjohnsguesthouse_weymouth Tw: @Fishersdream
“In the family suite, there are two chairs which I took to a local upholsterer. I bought the material and the local lady re-upholstered them for me. “I then built the colour scheme around those chairs. I always try to pick one colour that I then build around.” She added: “I think having a colour scheme in mind beforehand always makes it a lot easier. “That family suite is very much built around those chairs and using colours that complimented them.” Lynne also chose a patterned wallpaper for the family suite that fitted the colour scheme she wanted, as well as curtains and blinds of a different pattern. “I then built it up and chose a complimentary paint colour before adding the curtains and the blinds,” she said. “At one point I wasn’t sure if all of the different patterns would all compliment each other, but when it was all pulled together and the room was finished, with the throw on the bed, I was really pleased with it!” She said: “I think sometimes, you just have to take that risk with the patterns and colours.” In another of their King suites, Lynne chose a flamboyant wallpaper as her focus point, building the rest of the room around it. “We’ve picked out gold furnishings like the pillows and the throw, which highlight the gold in the wallpaper.” In addition to her advice about colour schemes, Lynne mentioned her carpets. “We try to keep a neutral coloured carpet in all of our rooms,” she said. “That way, planning forward, if we want to change the colour scheme of a room, we can do that without too many problems. “It makes it easier and less expensive so we don’t have to keep changing the carpet.” Social Media St John’s Guest House recently received ‘Highly Commended’ in the ‘Most Effective Marketing & Use of Social Media’ category of our 2021 Luxury BnB Awards. They also won Silver in the Dorset Tourism
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IN PROFILE || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE
Awards, as well as Silver for the Best B&B in the Southwest. With these awards under their belt, we thought we’d ask Lynne about her marketing efforts on social media. “Social media is one of my main responsibilities in running the guest house,” said Lynne, "when we took over the business, we had maybe a couple of hundred followers on Facebook and probably less on Instagram, but I’ve really built it up over the years. “I make sure that I post everyday, which is something I’ve started in earnest during
"Post regularly and tag businesses that you're working with. Share the beautiful places to go on a stormy day and things to do and see nearby."
King Suite (Before)
lockdown last year, and it’s really kept the interest up. We’ve also had a lot of direct bookings from it, which is great and much better than going through the OTAs.” Having built up a large following and constantly finding ways to improve their social media, Lynne has some helpful advice on running a social media account for a hospitality business. “One of my top tips is to make sure that you post regularly,” she said. “Don’t publish one post and then leave it for ages, because that’s when people lose interest and I’ve noticed that I seem to gain and lose followers much quicker on Instagram than on Facebook. “It’s also always a great idea to work in partnership with other businesses. So tag businesses that you’re working with, or businesses that you like and feel deserve a mention. She added: “It doesn’t always have to be about your business and your house. It’s not always about your rooms and your breakfasts. “Share the beautiful places to go to on a stormy day, or the great businesses people can visit that are just down the road. Share photos and videos of things to do and places to visit nearby. “It just helps to keep people interested and wanting to come and visit.” Different people like different platforms, so
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IN PROFILE || ST JOHN'S GUEST HOUSE Family Suite (After)
7 TOP TIPS FOR SOCIAL MEDIA 1.
Post regularly - at least once a day 2. Use different platforms 3. Try to build a following organically (avoid paid partnerships) 4. Promote local businesses 5. Promote the local area 6. Take part in social media challenges 7. Make the most of different features (e.g. Instagram stories)
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it’s always a good idea to use more than one social media platform. But whichever platform you use, Lynne suggests you try to build a following organically. “Avoid paid partnerships. It’s more about encouraging organic growth and only using paid ads if and when it’s appropriate,” she said, “maybe to encourage a wider geographical audience.” She added: “Take pictures of everything so that the material you use is your own, but also remember to share other businesses when appropriate. “You can also use Instagram stories for quick, snappy posts that can be animated for a fun touch. People love that and you could also use TikTok to produce short videos that you can share on social media. “Personally, I tend to use Twitter less often for our business, but the focus is very much more on the hospitality element. “It’s more about retweeting news and promoting Weymouth.” If you’re still not sure where to start, we suggest getting involved with the #bnbphotochallenge on Instagram. Lynne took part in the worldwide Insta challenge in April. The idea is that everyday, you post something different. “For example, Day 26 was about day trips,” explained Lynne, “and I used it to promote other local businesses because I think partnerships on Instagram work really well. “So, one of the day trips I posted a picture from a couple of years ago when we went to the spa at a big country hotel nearby. “I tagged them in it and it’s a great suggestion if people come and stay with us, because they can go and do that for a day.” She added: “I would definitely recommend getting involved with that next time it’s on.” The #bnbphotochallenge has now finished, but keep an eye out for it next year in 2022. June 2021 || Luxury BnB || 39
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AREA || GIN TOURISM
GIN Tourism With the gin industry rising in popularity each year, we take a look at what gin tourism is and how you can capitalise on gin festivals as an accommodation provider w READ ONLINE & SHARE >>
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By
Juliet Horner www.luxurybnbmag.com
01/06/2021 11:54
AREA || GIN TOURISM
W
ith (what would traditionally be) festival season right around the corner, have you considered tapping into the festival market? Although thinking of festivals may immediately bring to mind dirty teenagers jumping up and down in muddy fields, there are plenty of other festival markets you can tap into. One particular type of festival we think you may be interested in, are those put on by the increasingly popular gin industry. We spoke with David Hill, gin lover and Director of E3 Events to find out all you need to know about the gin industry and how your business could benefit from gin festivals. Gin Tourism Back in 2019, data collected by Kantar’s Worldpanel division showed that gin had overtaken whisky to become the nation’s favourite spirit. The WSTA, who represent hundreds of companies in the UK wine and spirit trade, found that around 27 million bottles of flavoured gin were sold between October 2019 and October 2020, an increase of 31% on the previous year's sales. Gin sales are still on the rise and the industry is beginning to branch out.
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No longer is the nation limited to buying bottles from retailers or drinks in a bar. The industry is expanding with niche, artisan gin distillers popping up across the country and now we can enjoy the delights of mixology classes, tastings, tours, and last but not least: festivals. One popular gin festival is the Sussex Gin Fest, organised by David Hill and his team at E3 events. David said: “Four years ago at our very first festival, we had something like 15 vendors, so that was ten gin vendors and five food vendors, with about 1500 visitors. Now we’re looking at 60 plus vendors and around 5000 people on site." He added: “Our festivals have incredible growth trajectories and they’re very popular, despite COVID.” For those unfamiliar with gin festivals, David explains that Sussex Gin Fest is targeted at the smaller, more artisan distillers rather than the mainstream brands that you would find in the supermarkets. David said: "Visitors will actually get to meet the gin distillers themselves. They run their own bars on site and sell their own bottles. They can even have a mixologist behind the June 2021 || Luxury BnB || 41
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AREA || GIN TOURISM
bar or even offer gin-based cocktails. “It’s a very high end festival and attracts a certain demographic; People with a good disposable income who don’t mind spending upwards of seven pounds on a gin and tonic and really enjoy a premium drink.” Typically these events are ticketed and David explains that at Sussex Gin Fest, visitors buy tickets for a certain time in the day. “If you bought a ticket, for example, that would give you three hours at the festival. And then at the end of that time slot we kick everyone out and turn the site over and clean up before the next session,” said David. Other major gin festivals include, but are not limited to, The Gin and Rum Festival, The Gin To My Tonic Festival and the Gin & Fizz Festival. Many gin festival companies tour around the UK, so make sure you do your research to find out which festivals are the most local to you. Capitalising on gin festivals with your accommodation business Now you have a rough idea of what to expect of gin festivals, we’d recommend you research the events closest to you, mark the dates in your diary and consider how your business could benefit from them.
could even look into hiring a vehicle which you could drive yourself. Looking beyond partnerships with local transport companies, we recommend finding out which local distillers will be at the festivals in order for you to make the most out of the industry. “Artisan and small batch, boutique gin distillers are popping up everywhere,” said David. “For a lot of these distillers, their route to market is through these events. They aren’t on the supermarket shelves.” He added: “We have three zones at the Sussex Gin Fest and the main zone, the Sussex Zone, is linked to the country we’re in. That’s where we put all the distillers and food vendors who are from Sussex.” David and the team at E3 Events who run Sussex Gin Fest work hard to build relationships with the different distillers, and you can do this too to capitalise on the festivals. Partnering with local distillers, especially those that have stalls at the festival, will allow you to extend the gin experience for your guests once they return, and one way you can do this is by running your own gin bar.
"It's a very high end festival and visitors can meet the gin distillers themselves who run their own bars on site." Once you have noted these details in your diary, we would recommend posting these dates on your website or social media platforms. This would allow potential guests to see that you are close to the festival they are visiting. David said: “With gin tourism on the rise, people actually want to stay close by and go to the festival. Customers will look for luxury B&Bs, AirBnBs and hotel options that are in and around the same area of the festival.” Sharing details such as how far your accommodation business is from the festival may increase your chances of being booked by festival goers. To make your business even more appealing, it may be worth looking into transport options to and from the festival for your guests. David said: “For example, our Sussex Gin Fest is in the middle of the countryside. When you’re in the festival footprint, all you can really see is the rolling hills and fields and the guests have to get there somehow.” If you have a number of guests who would be in need of transfers from their accommodation to the festival, look online to see if there are any local public transport options available and make your guests aware of these options. However, if you don’t have public transport options or you want to capitalise on transfers to and from the festival, you could look into partnering with a local taxi or bus firm, or you 42 || Luxury BnB || June 2021
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Photo Credit: Lukas Wojcik
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AREA || GIN TOURISM
RECOMMENDED: CHICHESTER HARBOUR GIN Chichester Harbour is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and we think you’ll agree that the local gin they have created which bears its name is also outstanding! They use local produce, such as bayleaf, seaweed and juniper, to develop this unique small batch hand crafted gin which contains 15 botanicals. Partner with: Tonic, A Slice of lemon & a touch of mint. chichesterharbourgin.co.uk
If you don’t want to run a full gin bar, you can always set up your very own honesty bar in a communal area for your guests, or run gin tasting workshops. David said: “It would be great if you can continue the experience for a customer outside of the festival gates, so they can go back to their accommodation and enjoy a really nice gin. “There's so many opportunities, I think, for accommodation providers to form relationships with a lot of these gin distillers directly. A lot of bars, hotels, and other accommodation providers will have an account with a wholesaler, you know, but there are opportunities to actually dive in and understand the story and understand the product in a lot more detail. “I would strongly advise having a really interesting range of gins available for your guests to choose from.” Reaching out to your local gin distillers is a great way to get your business involved with the gin industry. David pointed out that it’s very easy to find contacts online and “all you have to do is Google them” and get in touch. “These smaller distillers have a passion for what they’re doing and a passion for the product,” said David. “You’ll never have a problem engaging with these smaller brands because they want to engage with you. “If you ring Tomcat Gin or Brighton Gin for www.luxurybnbmag.com
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AREA || GIN TOURISM
example, it’s more likely to be the owner who picks up the phone. And the great thing is, unlike the larger companies, they're more than happy to sell smaller cases or even just one or two bottles.” Purchasing a couple of bottles from a handful of local artisan, small-batch distilleries is a great place to start. This allows you to extend the gin festival experience and your customers can enjoy some of the different brands they saw at the festival. “If you ring up asking for two bottles to start with, they won’t say ‘No, you need to buy a minimum of 10 cases’ or something like that. Their door is open,” said David. “They recognise that you’ve got to start small and they just want their product to be seen and experienced. “What they’re doing is a labour of love. They’re very passionate about it and they’re very nice people to deal with.” If you want to take it further, look into companies such as Fest Ticket, who specialise in selling tickets and accommodation as a package deal. Or you can look into companies who run gin tastings, ask them to come to your venue and run an event for your guests. The gin industry is still growing and you can tap into it in many ways. Don’t be afraid of trying new routes to increase business and profits. David said: "Gin is here to stay. And it's here to stay for a long, long time." Gin Recommendations With so many different types of gin and different brands, how do you decide which ones to stock for your guests? David’s love for gin and experience within the industry has provided him with enough knowledge to provide recommendations for accommodation providers. He said: “One thing you do have to note is the rise of flavoured gins. They are massively on the rise and people absolutely love them. They are always the first to sell out at our festivals.” If you want strongly flavoured gin, David recommends Whitley Neill, a brand which sells 11 different flavours and one london dry gin. David said: “Their flavours hit you between the eyes. So if you have a Whitley Neill Blood Orange for example, you are really going to taste that blood orange. “Some people would say it almost overpowers the gin, but a lot of people like that. They like to taste the flavour and for it to be strong.” He added: “I’m a big fan of flavoured gins, but for me, the Whitley Neill ones are a little bit too strong.” A flavoured gin that David really enjoys is a Sussex brand called Tom Cat Gin. “They do an absolutely sensational Cloudy Mango gin,” said David. “It’s an unusual gin because it’s cloudy. It’s 44 || Luxury BnB || June 2021
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Photo Credit: Lukas Wojcik
"Gin is here to stay, and it's here to stay for a long, long time."
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8 GIN BASED COCKTAILS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Bramble Gin Fizz Negroni Martini Gimlet Southside (Mojito, gin-style) Floradora Monkey Gland
AREA || GIN TOURISM
different, but it’s just amazing.” He added: “They also do a Blueberry Gin which is just, oh my gosh, it’s so more-ish. I went to a dinner party before COVID hit and I drank it all night.” Another of David’s favourite local gins is a relatively new brand called Ditchling Gin, based in Sussex. David said: “It was famous for maybe, five seconds last year, because it’s in a tiny village where Dame Vera Lynn lived. “It’s a really premium, smooth, quite strong gin and I really recommend it. I like that it’s a premium London dry.” If you want recommendations for some of the more well-known brands, David suggests SipSmith Gin. “SipSmith’s Orange and CaCao Gin is incredible,” he said, “it’s like orange and chocolate, which sounds hideous, but it’s so subtle and it’s amazing.” He added: “If you mix that with Folkington’s Earl Grey Tonic, it’s absolutely divine.” Even though it’s a good idea to stock London Dry Gins for the guests who don’t like flavours, David stresses that flavoured gins are extremely important. “There’s always queues for the flavoured gins at our festivals,” said David. “They’re really on the rise and people really want to try them.” He added: “In fact, flavoured gins are so important that I’d even go as far as saying our festival would probably fail without them. “If we just sold a London Dry or Dry gin, we’d get complaints. “You’ve got to have a selection of different flavours available.” Cocktail Recommendations When your guests kick back and relax back at their accommodation with a drink, you are not limited to the standard Gin & Tonic. We asked David to recommend a gin based cocktail that you could serve to your guests. “My absolute all time favourite gin based cocktail is a Bramble, which is a classic,” said David, “It's made from gin, a blackberry liqueur such as creme de mure, lemon juice and sugar syrup. They’re amazing.”
Festival URLs sussexginfest.com thegintomytonic.com festicket.com ginandrumfestival.com myginfestivals.com/gin-fizz-festivals e3eventsonline.com Gin Brands URLs tomcatgin.co.uk/home ditchling-gin.com whitleyneill.com/en_GB Sipsmith.com
RECOMMENDED: SILENT POOL GIN Luxury English gin handcrafted in the Surrey Hills using entirely unprocessed, ethically sourced botanicals. Silent Pool Rare Citrus Gin signature serve: • • •
50ml Silent Pool Rare Citrus Gin 150ml Premium Indian Tonic Water Garnish with a twist of grapefruit
silentpooldistillers.com
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LBNB E-BOOK || CHAPTER 3
GETTING STARTED IN HOLIDAY RENTALS
Chapter 3
3A:
If your accommodation can be adapted to accommodate dogs, evidence suggests the rewards are likely to outstrip the costs. For example if your house is in a popular walking area, you will be at a huge disadvantage if you do not accept dogs. Here are some tips for running a dog friendly establishment: •
For each issue in 2021, we will be serialising a section of our Luxury BnB E-Book for those looking to set up their own hospitality business. By Juliet Horner and Dominic Johnson
Welcome to Chapter 3. Chapter 3A will outline some key points for disabled access, storage and toiletries. 3A will also look at key considerations for both child and dog friendly properties. Chapter 3B will introduce you to the basic elements of interiors and technology for hospitality businesses, which will be very unique to your business, so there are no strict guidelines.
Contents:
DOG FRIENDLY
• • •
•
Doggy Welcome Pack: Providing this for guests with dogs can be very useful. Here’s some ideas on what you could include: - Welcome letter detailing dog friendly amenities and rules for pets (e.g. allowing pets on furniture) - Doggy waste bags - Portable dog bowl - Boredom busters (toys, ropes, chews) - Doggy Drinks such as Pawsecco - Dog menu: If your guests are booked in for meals at your establishment, remember their pets need to eat too! Offer everything from dog food to chicken & rice to steak Dog friendly flooring: Harder floors are easier to clean and ensure no residual allergens are present Grass protection: If you have a lawn, remember dog urine stains grass. Either accept this and move on, treat the lawn, or designate a doggy toilet area Designated Doggy Dining: Even if you make it clear to all guests that you are a dog-friendly business, you’ll always get someone who doesn’t want to eat in a dining room with dogs. Consider having a section for your dog owners to dine with their dogs in attendance that is separate from other guests. Dog-Friendly Rooms on the ground floor: This will enable easy access to an outdoor area so the dogs can go to the toilet.
1A: Intro to holiday rentals 1B: Intro to financial considerations
For more doggy related top tips, visit our website: luxurybnbmag.com/dog-friendly-bandb-guide
2A: Business Plans & Legal Entity 2B: Further Financial Considerations >> 3A: OPERATIONS - Provisions, Access and Storage >> 3B: INTERIORS - Furnishings and Tech 4A: Booking operations 4B: Management - staff & planning 5: Checklists
w READ ONLINE & SHARE >>
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3A:
TOILETRIES
Ensure you pick the right product/brand to use in your holiday rental. You can do a great deal to set the brand of your place from using the right toiletries. If you supply small bottles they will be taken by guests, (we’ve all done it!). If you supply larger bottles, guests tend to use only what they need to. Buy in bulk if you can. Consider trade accounts and don’t be shy to contact your favourite place and ask for them to supply items in bulk/pre-bottled states. They will keep and it could be much cheaper. Consider leaving a leaflet with a discount code - this can be a revenue generating opportunity. www.luxurybnbmag.com
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3A:
DISABLED ACCESS
If you can make your house accessible to wheelchair users please do it!
3A:
FAMILY FRIENDLY
It can be hard deciding if you should run a family friendly or adults only hospitality business. If you decide to go down the family friendly route, that means there’s a lot more to consider, including any age limits (e.g. 12+ or all ages?), how many beds you need in one room, and much more. To help get you started in this sector, here are some tips for running a family friendly business: •
•
•
•
•
•
Washable walls and flooring: Hard flooring is easier to clean, but if you go for carpets, make sure they are bleachable. It’s also a good idea to invest in wall-paint that can be easily washed without damaging it. Entertainment: Make sure you have plenty of books, games, crafts and so on available for the kids to use whilst the parents have some alone time, Make sure you keep checking these to stock up on colouring pens and art supplies etc. Furnishings: Kids are messy. Make sure your furnishings are durable and can be easily washed or fixed. Mattress protectors are a must for cots and single beds set up for the children you have staying over. Parking: Having a designated parking area away from areas where any children may be running around and playing outside. This will ensure they all stay safe if they are out of view of the parents Market the family friendly attractions you have nearby: Knowing there are places to visit nearby with the kids will increase the chances of a family booking to stay with you Bed options: Consider investing in a travel cot for families staying with younger children. This can then be removed when other guests without children come to stay. Think about where you will be able to store it when it isn’t in use. Consider whether you want a permanent single bed in one or more of your rooms alongside the double bed, or whether you want to invest in sofa beds that can be used as either depending on who is staying.
For more information and advice on running a family friendly hospitality business, visit our website: luxurybnbmag.com/adultsvsfamily www.luxurybnbmag.com
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It might seem impossible at first, but there are many ways to make things accessible. Doing so will widen your pool of potential guests which will lead to more bookings, not to mention the positive impact on the disabled community and society as a whole. ‘Disabled Access’ doesn’t just mean being wheelchair friendly. Think about the surroundings and the way you conduct business for guests with autism. Be open and ready to communicate. Remember to be patient and help them as best you can. Considerations for guests with disabilities: • • • • • • • • • •
Avoid flickering lights Install dimmable lights so the guest can control the brightness of their room Think about noise pollution - how can you minimise unwanted sounds? Provide handy information leaflets and guides for guests who need that extra bit of explaining so they know what they can expect during their stay Ensure staff are aware of guests with disabilities so they are prepared to help them Share disabled access information online Make sure your property is easy to navigate Designated parking spots for handicaped guests Wider doorways Grab bars in showers/baths
3A:
STORAGE
Think about how much storage each room will need at maximum occupancy. What type of storage will they need? Offering a number of storage options allows you to cover all bases, but you don’t need to pack the room with wardrobe after wardrobe. Consider who your guests are and how much storage space your guests actually need. For example, if you are marketing to sport enthusiasts who may bring specialist equipment and clothing, where can they store it during their stay? When can it be left to dry? You might be surprised about how little storage guests need, but you’d much rather provide 4 drawers and have the guest use 1, than provide 1 and they need 4. NOTE: Once unpacked, where do the cases go? June 2021 || Luxury BnB || 47
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LBNB E-BOOK || CHAPTER 3
INTERIORS & SOFT FURNISHINGS
3B:
We’ve spoken about interior design in a number of our past features, so make sure you check them out for some handy top tips and inspiration directly from other hospitality business owners. If you want to showcase individual pieces, try not to use items of sentimental value that can’t be easily replaced. For other day-to-day items, make sure you have plenty of spares. Buy quality if you can: One of the easiest ways to give your property the luxurious feel is to provide good quality, soft furnishings such as upholstery, bedding and towels. You'll need plenty of spares. The other advantage of buying quality is that it'll last longer. Patterns: Plain items tend to be cheaper to replace, as well as easier to match up with other items. However, this doesn’t mean you CAN’T use patterns! Extras: Make sure there are extra pillows and towels in your guest rooms and maybe even a spare blanket. But don’t leave too many lying around or it might look cluttered. Make sure there are spares in storage in case guests have already used up their in-room spares. It’s a balance between providing a quality product and thinking of every eventuality with commercial needs. Seasonal Soft Furnishings: Think about how suitable your soft furnishings are for the different seasons. Should you swap to summer and winter products instead of year-round products? For example: Light, thin cotton blankets in Summer, and furry, heavier blankets and cushions in Winter. (This is a good opportunity to wash and check all bedding and give you time to find replacements)
3B:
The modern holiday home, guest house, B&B or hotel needs good technology. From reliable WiFi to smart heating controls, make sure it works! • • • • •
•
•
• •
Wear and tear on soft furnishings: Think about which soft furnishings need to be washed most regularly because they will need replacing more often (e.g. towels will be washed after every use. Sofas won’t need cleaning as often). Make sure your turn-over team checks everything carefully each time. It might not be possible or necessary to check the back of a sofa every month but it’ll be needed every quarter and you need to keep a track of that. Beware the fake tan - it looks so-much worse on a white towel than it is. Make sure your change over staff have stain remover.
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TECHNOLOGY
• •
Use brands your guests are most likely to know and be familiar with Consider anti-tech guests and how you can support them (e.g. bluetooth speakers AND an old fashioned FM radio) Keep the tech simple and leave a user guide If you want to use smart locks, consider what can happen if it goes wrong Privacy - Security cameras: Some guests may not feel comfortable with cameras right outside their door. Think about where you can place them in hallways without them being overly intrusive Privacy - Smart speakers: Some guests may be wary of smart speakers like Alexa and Google Nest. Leave a user guide about how to silence these gadgets or turn them off altogether. Under-promise and over-deliver. Be careful about what you market to your guests regarding technology. It’s great to have super fast and reliable WiFi, but it doesn’t sell a holiday. Be careful about what you promise - you don’t want to be called out to fix technical problems at inconvenient times. Leave spare batteries and bulbs (think about the quantity in the room - they'll likely disappear!) Smart TVs are great and guests will appreciate access to Netflix or Amazon Prime, but consider legal and financial obligations. For example, your credit card will be linked to your Prime Video account and some guests may choose movies not included in Prime and before you know it, you’re paying for a different movie every night. You also need to consider guests using their own accounts may forget to log out, allowing future guests to rent movies on the previous guest’s card. Smart heating controlled from your phone may be useful in Winter months Smart plugs & systems like Nest are useful for turning appliances off automatically if guests leave them on
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If you are considering a renovation/ refurbishment, remember to consider your level of accommodation and the type of guests you provide for.
Consider: •
Will you close your entire property for the duration of renovation, redecorating or refurbishment? • Will you only close half the rooms and run at half occupancy whilst you get work done on the property? • How often do you want to update your property, either interior or exterior? • Do you need more regular touch ups? During renovations take plenty of photographs of hidden areas to help with future maintenance. Remember: Everything in a holiday let gets used more, so it will deteriorate quicker than your own home. For regular, on-going maintenance, keep a list of items you like so you know where you can find replacements that are exactly the same. Keep all user guides either for the guests or to order replacement parts. If you need to repaint well used areas, keep a list of the RAL Codes (the unique paint identifier). This will ensure you can always get your specific colour in future even if they stop selling the trade name.
FINANCE •
Will you pay a professional company to do it all for you? • Can you save some money by doing odd jobs yourself, or by asking a family member or friend to help you? • Are there any local tradesmen or suppliers you can support? When updating, you could add features guests might find useful, for example: • Drying room • Dog washing area (E.g. outdoor hose with a hook to tie the dog to and sufficient drainage) • Bike storage
3B:
LBNB E-BOOK || CHAPTER 3
3B: RENOVATIONS
CONFIGURATION
It can be hard to decide how big you want your business to be. Maybe the number of bedrooms you have available is dictated by the building you have. Or maybe you’re lucky enough to be building from scratch and able to decide, specifically, how many rooms you want. You would have already researched the type of place you want to create from your target customer. Be it separate rooms / suites or individual family units, you now need to kit these rooms out. Main Considerations: • How many bedrooms do you want? • How many people (maximum) per bedroom? Personal feelings: • How do you feel about having multiple groups of people in your B&B at once? • Would you prefer to cater for just 2 guests at a time? Bed options: Think about your family or group bookings and what types of beds they will need. • Do you want to offer single rooms with a single bed? • If you want double beds, what size would you want? (Small Double / Double / King / Super King) Family Rooms: If you want to offer a family suite, how would you want this set up? Consider whether you need to reserve larger rooms for your family groups. You will then need to consider the set up of the beds: • Permanent Double bed • Permanent Single bed • Single sofa bed • Twin Singles that make a Double • Movable cot (think about where you will store a travel cot) Remember that the youngsters have shorter legs than us! Consider looking into the height of the beds that younger guests will be using.
SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 3 This brings Chapter 3 to a close. Hopefully this has provided you with some helpful food for thought when deciding on how to run your business. We hope you gleaned some helpful tips and advice that you can use to your advantage should you cater for families, dog owners and guests with disabilities. We also hope you found the information regarding technology, furnishings and renovations helpful. The next Chapter (4) will introduce you to booking and management operations, outlining what you may want to consider when looking at rental periods, T&Cs and the payment process and more.
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CLASSIFIED DIRECTORY Bathroom Amenities & Products
A BUYERS GUIDE Bed & Breakfast Insurance
Furniture Supplies
Established in 2004, Let Us Furnish provides a wide range of furniture solutions for your property. We are a professional supplier and installer of furniture packages that include bedroom furniture, beds and mattresses, sofas and chairs, dining sets, living room furniture, electrical goods and homewares.
www.letusfurnish.co.uk Home Decoration & Personalised Maps
Hotel Management Software
Luxury Towels Bathrobes & Footwear
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