Luxury Bed & Breakfast +InnKeeper Magazine: Christmas 2019

WWW.LUXURYBBMAG.CO.UK • ISSUE 40 • CHRISTMAS 2019

INSIDE THIS ISSUE OUR FRIENDS IN THE ALPS Using technology to scale new heights

HISTORIC DEAL The Royal Hotel delivers luxury in a historic seaside town

AWARDS SHORTLIST The 25 contenders for our Excellence in Luxury Service Awards

CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS We survey the nation's favourite festive appertisers

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HW2: Qi wireless charging alarm clock with dual USB quick charging ports and Single Day Alarm.

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For more information, contact Jacob Betesh at jbetesh@hoteltech.com 888-74HOTEL, ext. 235, www.hoteltechnologies.com Š Hotel Technologies, LLC. iHome is a registered trademark of SDI Technologies, Inc. iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Bluetooth is a registered trademark of Bluetooth SIG, Inc. All other marks are trademarks of their respective owners.

A merry Christmas to all our readers!

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IN THIS ISSUE 4 || NEWS

16 || ESCAPE TO THE SUN

Industry news and analysis from around the UK

A B&B on the Costa Brava is looking for caretakers next Summer

8 || COMMENT What the election result may have in store for the hospitality sector

Avoiding mistakes and disruption while renovating your luxury en suites bathrooms

Taking on the OTAs with Google Advertising

32 || THE ROYAL HOTEL

10 || AWARDS

A luxury beachside inn in the historic Kent town of Deal is making the most of the festive season

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38 || SCALING THE HEIGHTS OF SUCCESSFUL MARKETING We pay a visit to a multi-property in the Alps to find out how to profit from online booking

26 || BATHROOM RENOVATION

9 || COMMENT

The shortlist of contenders for the inaugural Excellence in Luxury Service Awards

48

44 || ENERGY BROKER Your huge energy bills may be unnecessarily high. A no-risk visit from an energy broker may save you a fortune

48 || CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL From mulled wine to rum and almond cider- some of the choice cocktails being served up this Christmas

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 3

CONTENTS || CHRISTMAS 2019

Bill Lumley Editor

WELCOME to the Christmas edition of Luxury Bed & Breakfast. In this issue we reveal the shortlist of the 25 finalists in our inaugural Excellence in Luxury Service Awards. Delayed by a few months owing to the merger of Luxury Bed & Breakfast with sister title Innkeeper and the magazine’s subsequent acquisition by Miramedia, the entrants are now being assessed by our esteemed panel of industry experts and the winners will be announced in February 2020. The finalists’ properties are outlined on pages 10 to 14.

By way of a Christmas treat we venture beyond these shores for a bit of fantasy B&B in the sun. The owners of a luxury B&B on the Costa Brava are inviting B&B owners to run their property for a few weeks during high season in 2020 while they take a break in Greece (page 16). Anyone considering the prospect of transferring their high-end hospitality expertise to warmer climes may find the chance to give it a go irresistible.

The daunting task of guest bathroom renovation is examined in this issue. We look at two luxury B&Bs that have taken up the challenge and won, and they share a few of the critical lessons they learned along the way (page 24).

For a taste of bathroom luxury, how to choose it and how to approach en suite renovations, turn to page 24.

We take a trip to the unspoiled Kent town of Deal where luxury at the historically important Royal Hotel is being channelled with a strong focus on detail into delivering a full capacity Christmas experience (page 32).

And in this issue, we explore the commercial opportunities that online booking presents with a visit to Chamonix, where we find technology is being used to scale the heights of successful marketing (page 38).

IN BRIEF || NEWS

EDITOR Bill Lumley bill@miramedia.co.uk 07710 271 099 NORTHERN IRELAND EDITOR Francis Higney 07710 271 099 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Caroline Sargent 07076 362 082 CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Matthew Attwood 07710 271 099 DESIGN & PRODUCTION Stuart West stuart.west@jld-media.co.uk 01892 739 526 PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Dominic Johnson dominic@miramedia.co.uk 01892 711 144 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 Bed & Breakfast 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 Bed & Breakfast is available on subscription.

UK & Ireland £65; Overseas £98.

Luxury Bed & Breakfast is published bi-monthly.

Printed by Stephens & George Ltd

Luxury Bed & Breakfast Miramedia, 29-31 Monson Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent TN1 1LS

www.luxurybbmag.co.uk All rights reserved © Miramedia 2019

ST PETER'S BREWS UP NEW GLUTEN-FREE BEERS St Peter's Brewery has announced it will be launching two new gluten-free versions of its Cream Stout and Suffolk Gold beers, appealing to a growing number of coeliacs and intolerance sufferers in the UK. Brewed by the expert team at St Peter's Brewery in Suffolk and with full Coeliac UK certification, the new beers aim to appeal to a wide range of beer drinkers looking for a high-quality gluten-free beer.

St Peter's Gluten-Free Cream Stout and Gluten Free Suffolk Gold are brewed to the same standards as the original versions, but without the gluten. With clearly defined flavours and distinctive aromas, they promise those following gluten-free diets a delicious alternative.

Gluten-free Cream Stout is a dark and aromatic cream stout, using a blend of local malts and hops.

With an ABV of 6.5%, expect rich coffee and vanilla notes for a satisfying bittersweet aftertaste.

Gluten-free Suffolk Gold is a full-bodied golden ale that is brewed with Suffolk malt with a citrus twist.

With an easy-drinking ABV of 4.9%, First Gold hops give a pleasing aroma and bitterness to this sweet, but dry beer.

“This is an exciting launch for St Peter's and a great opportunity to meet the growing customer demand

for full-flavoured gluten-free stouts and strong, full-bodied ales,” said John Hadingham, managing director at St Peter's Brewery. “We've had a lot of requests for gluten free versions of our most popular beers, so we are happy to be able to meet the needs of our customers.”

Seed funding set to deliver for UK hospitality sector Marketing technology start-up Stampede launched this month with a £ 1m seed funding from investors including the Scottish government, ent, Techstart Ventures, Galvanise Capital and d angel investor Judy Wilson.

The Leith-based operation is targeting rgeting pubs, restaurants, guest houses and nd hotels with online tools to help them connect nect with customers and grow faster.

It provides a Wi-Fi based customer mer engagement and marketing analytics ytics tool currently used by over 800 venues. s. The new funding will allow the company to expand in the UK and internationally.

“Stampede is the best friend off every pub, restaurant and hotel owner,” said d Stampede St d founder and CEO Patrick Clover. “Our mission is to give small businesses the same tools as their online counterparts. This will provide a level of customer insight and marketing automation previously only available to large brands with large marketing budg-

4 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

ets and complex digital tools. We are called Stampede because we want to grow customer numbers for our users fast, but bu this growth isn’t limited to our customers. Sta Stampede is growing rapidly which is only going to be accelerated by this recent injection of funding.” f Stampede enables food and drink venues to improve their t average review score and attract more new customers by prompting their most loyal customers cus to leave reviews within two hours of a visit. It also enables venues to track the results of their marketing campaigns, see when customers return, retu how long they stay and which offers they use, use according to the developers.

“It's getting increasingly difficult for hospitality it lit and d retail t il businesses to compete for attention with online marketing,” said angel investor, Judy Wilson. “Stampede is a clever piece of software that uses the existing Wi-Fi system to engage with potential customers. In our view it is a game changer for offline businesses.”

www.luxurybbmag.co.uk

Holiday rental marketplace Snapatrip has calculated the per-night cost to let homes featured in some of the most iconic Christmas films.

The company has worked out the per-night cost to rent each property, taking into account location, square footage and facilities such as the number of bedrooms and bathrooms.

Properties featured on the list include Iris Simpkin’s iconic Surrey cottage in The Holiday, the McAllister family home from Home Alone and Susan Walker’s dream house in Miracle on 34th Street (1994).

The top five most expensive holiday lets from Christmas films are: 1. The Holiday - Amanda Wood’s home in

San Marino, California ................... £1,570 2. Elf - The Hobbs family apartment in New

York ..................................................£1,100 3. Home Alone - McAllister family home in Illinois .............................................. £1,065 4. Miracle on 34th Street (1994) - Susan Walker’s dream house in Illinois ........ £985 5. The Holiday - Graham Simpkin’s home ‘The Mill House’ in Surrey .................. £870 Unsurprisingly, the property that is the most expensive to let on a per night basis is Amanda Hobb’s L.A Mansion, located in San Marino, California. San Marino is one of the most affluent residential cities in Los Angeles and ranked 78th in a list of America’s richest places.

The property used in The Holiday has nine bedrooms, five bathrooms and over 10,300 square feet of living space, as well as a large swimming pool and premium location. Snap-

Matt Fox, CEO and co-founder of Snaptrip. com, said: “It’s common for films to feature amazing properties, that often either leave adults stumped as to how on earth these

trip estimates that it would cost £1,570 a night to let this sprawling mansion.

The Hobb’s New York family apartment from hit Christmas film, Elf, came in at a close second with a price of £1,100 a night. Located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the luxurious property has an elevator and private doorman, as well as a study and spacious kitchen and dining room.

Snaptrip estimates that the apartment likely has three bedrooms, high ceilings, casement windows and hardwood flooring, which is typical for apartments located in the Art Deco buildings of the Upper West Side.

characters afford such a home or curious as to how much it would cost to stay there. So, we thought with our expertise and knowledge, and Christmas around the corner, it would be fun to find out how much a night’s stay would be in some of the most iconic Christmas film homes.

“Unsurprisingly the L.A mansion from The Holiday tops the list, with its premium location and luxurious amenities, you really would be paying big bucks to let this property. Some might be surprised that a four-bedroom villa in France costs just £10 more than a two-bedroom cottage in Surrey, but as ever, location is often what makes a property expensive.”

BERKSHIRE PUB WINS DOG-FRIENDLY PUB AWARD UK HOSPITALITY SECTOR The Fox & Hounds in Theale, Berkshire has been crowned this month as the most dog-friendly pub in Britain in the nationwide Dog-friendly Pub Awards.

Known for its “warm welcome and special touches for canine companions”, the pub takes top spot in the fourth annual nationwide Dog-friendly Pub Awards, presented by pet sitter and dog walker network Rover.com.

Eilir and Charles Rogers, winners of last year’s Dog-friendly Pub Award ‘The Dog’ at Grundisburgh in Suffolk, said: “We know that being dog-friendly is not just the right thing to do, it's good business too. Many of our regular younger customers come in with their dogs and we’ve even seen a rise in numbers of canine companions in the past year or so.

“Being able to bring your dog to the pub

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with you is really important. We’ve had customers in the past who say they’d have to get a dog-sitter or choose somewhere else. In the current climate, businesses need to do all they can to attract loyal customers and for pubs, one solution can be to become dog-friendly.”

According to the organisers, some 27% of

millennials surveyed said that if they knew of more dog-friendly pubs in their area they would take their dogs with them, and 32% said they preferred their dog to some family and friends, indicating a clear opportunity for pubs to open their doors to four-legged friends to encourage more returning custom.

Rover marketing director Simon Le Grice said: “It is a great shame that pubs still ban dogs, and a missed opportunity for publicans.

In an ideal world, we’d love for every pub in the UK to be dog-friendly! The Rover Dog-friendly Pub Awards celebrate pubs across the UK that welcome man’s best friends and give them a happy and safe environment to hang out in.

We know that 40% of people say they wish they could spend more time with their dogs but struggle, so we’d love to see that change.”

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 5

IN BRIEF || NEWS

CHRISTMAS FILM HOMES LETTING COST UNVEILED

IN BRIEF || NEWS

FINANCE APPLICATIONS RISE OVER CHRISTMAS Guest houses and hotels are among the top ten business categories applying for merchant cash advances in preparation for the festive season ahead.

Financier of small to medium sized hospitality businesses Business Finance has reported that hoteliers feature fifth in the list of most frequent clients for this type of fast and flexible funding. The company has reported a 36% yearon-year increase in hotelier customers in the last 12 months.

Many independent hotels are turned down

by high street banks or are required to secure loans against their business or property to finance renovation or expansion.

365 Business Finance managing director Andrew Raphaely said, “Hotels require funds to prepare for the Christmas bookings boost, and the flexible approach with a cash advance alleviates the impact of a decline in bookings in January.

“November was a particularly busy month for us, and we’ve seen a significant increase in funding enquiries, as hotels prepare for the in-

creased costs associated with Christmas, from buying in extra stock, hiring seasonal staff, completing refurbishments and keeping on top of cash flow. It’s also a key time for these businesses to prepare for a dip in reservations during the first month of the new year, which is why our funding has proven so popular.

“The repayments are made as a percentage of card sales, so in slower months the repayments are lower, meaning cash flow is not impacted as it would be with a traditional bank loan.”

FESTIVE PERIOD OVERSEAS VISITOR NUMBERS UP IN 2019 The UK is expecting a rise in overseas visitors during Christmas and into the New Year according to analysis from VisitBritain, with forward flight bookings to the UK overall showing a rise of 9% between Sunday 23 December 2018 and Saturday 5 January 2019 compared with the same period last year.

Bookings to the UK from China, the Middle East and the US are particularly strong, showing double-digit increases, up 44%, 59% and 27% respectively.

The increase in bookings from some of the UK’s most valuable long-haul visitor markets echoes a longer-term trend.

Forward bookings from the US to the UK for December 2018 to May 2019 are up 27% compared with the same period previously.

The US is the UK’s most valuable inbound visitor market for tourism spend. Visitors from the US spent a record 3.6 billion across the UK in 2017, up 9% on the previous year. Visits from the US grew 13% to 3.9 million in 2017, the highest since 2000.

Bookings from China, the world’s most valuable outbound visitor market, are up 25% for December 2018 to May 2019. China moved into the UK’s top 10 most valuable inbound visitor markets last year with visits reaching a record 337,000, up 29% on 2016, and spend up 35% to an all-time high of 694 million. For every 22 visits from China, one job is created in the UK’s tourism industry.

Longer-term bookings are also tracking ahead from the Middle East to the UK, up

6 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

10% for December this year to May 2019.

Visitors from the Middle East are some of the UK’s highest spenders. Visitors from the Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries spent 2733 on average in the UK in 2017, more than four times the all market average of 625.

VisitBritain Director Patricia Yates said: “Tourism is one of the UK’s most valuable export industries and needs no trade deals to attract overseas investment. It is also a fiercely competitive global industry and people have a lot of choice. We want the UK to be the number one destination for

global travellers, so it is great to see forward bookings looking strong in the coming weeks and months from some of our most valuable long-haul visitor markets.”

Tourism Minister Michael Ellis said: “The UK is one of the world’s must-visit destinations and the increase in forward bookings reflects the strength of our tourism sector.

“We are committed to supporting this important industry and are progressing negotiations for a Tourism Sector Deal to drive long-term economic growth and investment in accommodation and attractions across the country.”

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# #@( % @ @ % !#@ %! @ @ ! @ # @ @% ' # @ !! ! @

@ :12,14/8@ @ 549-498@ @ :814-88@ 49-77:69154@ 5;-7@ @ :*21+@ @ 3625>-78@ 1)*1219>@ @ :814-88@ -/)2@ =6-48-8@ 5;-7@ ? 5<@ =+-88@ 57@ 2)138 ? & @$0-.9@ @ ++1,-49)2 )3)/-@ >@ :-898 ? @"-+:719>@ 54,191548 Running a B&B or guest house is hard work and ringing around for days on end getting insurance quotes can be hassle and stress you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really need.

Hodgson Insurance Services are an independent family run insurance broker based in Bude, Cornwall. We have been insuring guest houses all over the UK for over 40 years and understand the needs and insurance requirements of the modern-day B&B owner. You wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ever be dealing with a call centre, you will always be speaking ZLWK WKH VDPH RU WUDLQHG VWDÎ? PHPEHUV (YHU\ EXVLQHVV LV GLÎ?HUHQW VRPH RÎ?HU D IXOO EUHDNIDVW RWKHUV allow guests access to cooking facilities. Some provide an element RI KROLGD\ OHWWLQJ PD\EH XVH RI D KRW WXE VRPH HPSOR\ VWDÎ? :H take time to understand how you run your business, as independent brokers we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just use one insurer, we have access to a number of specialist guest house insurance schemes and will search the market

WR Č´QG WKH EHVW PDWFK for your business, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to.

We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just sell on price, we make sure the covers are adequate for your needs. All guest house schemes have GLÎ?HUHQW WHUPV VRPH require security on doors & windows, some donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, some include full Theft By Guests and some RQO\ RÎ?HU WKHIW FRYHU by forcible or violent entry. What excess do you have to pay in the event of a claim? All policies vary!! A burst pipe causes water damages to rooms which you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t now rent for 6 months, will the policy compensate you for lost business??

An insurance broker should always fully explain the main conditions of a policy to ensure it meets your requirements.

As general insurance brokers we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just do guest house insurance, although hospitality is a large part of our operation and we can look at quotes for holiday homes, restaurants, public houses etc, we also insure many landlords, shopkeepers and private motor vehicles.

For more information or advice on your insurance needs please contact our brokerage.

H PT ( S I

:

COMMENT || BILL LUMLEY

MAKING THE MOST

of a new Parliament

The results of the General Election are imminent just as this Christmas edition of Luxury Bed & Breakfast magazine is due to land in your post box. Both main parties have promised measures that may help the industry. Bill Lumley looks at what could be in store

AHEAD of the election UK hospitality trade bodies offered a mixed reaction to proposed measures are required to assist the sector.

Pledges made by the Conservative Party have the potential to help the nation’s hospitality sector, according to UKHospitality.

CEO Kate Nicholls said: “Employment costs, property taxes and skills are key challenges for hospitality if it is to add yet more economic value and employment to the UK.” She echoed the views of the entire sector saying a fundamental review of business rates is long overdue.

“A commitment to cut the rates bills is certainly welcome and it is heartening to see pubs and music venues referenced in the context of reliefs – we wait with interest to hear further detail,” she said.

Last month the trade body published its wishlist for the incoming Government.

It calls on the new Parliament to unlock economic growth by rebalancing the business tax burden to reflect the modern digital economy by reforming the business rates system; boost skills and opportunities for our workforce; boost take-home pay for hospitality’s hardworking team members by removing the lowest paid from tax, doubling employer NIC thresholds and investing in training; and deliver on the tourism sector deal and supporting Tourism Enterprise Zones to unlock the potential of the sector as an employer and incentivise infrastructure investment.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “Hospitality businesses are integral to almost every community in the UK. Pubs, restaurants, cafes, hotels, nightclubs and more are features of villages, towns and city centres in every region. These businesses provide jobs and they provide investment. They are also at the centre of our social lives: these are the places we spend our leisure time with our family and friends.”

The British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) gave a cautious welcome to the Labour party’s proposals to list pubs as Assets of Community Value enabling community groups to buy local pubs under threat of closing; to replace business rates with a land value tax; to introduce four new bank holidays celebrating the four patron saints’ days; to review the evidence on the effect of minimum unit pricing of alcohol; and to label alcoholic drinks with “clear health warnings”.

Chief executive Emma McClarkin said: “When

8 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

it comes to community pubs, what is needed is investment and support. It is important that measures to bolster the rights of individual communities to purchase pubs do not act as a disincentive to invest in or operate a pub business.

“Given that seven in ten alcoholic drinks sold in a pub are beer, the most direct way of keeping pubs viable remains a cut in beer duty.”

The current business rates system is hugely unfair on pubs, she said, given they pay 2.8% of the business rates bill, despite accounting for just 0.5% of turnover. A complete overhaul of the existing system is required, but at this stage it is not clear if Labour’s land value tax will directly help pubs.

“Additional bank holidays will hopefully be a boost for the pub trade, and could be done in tandem with extended hours to give a further uplift.

“As an industry, we already clearly label our products with health information including alcohol units and ABV, as well as signposting to Drinkaware where the full guidance on low risk drinking can be found.”

Meanwhile the assocation welcomed a pledge from the Conservative Party to introduce measures to help businesses.

The measures include cuts to business rates and National Insurance contributions and follow the publication of the BBPA’s manifesto for beer and pubs, which has called on the next Government to reform the current unfair business rates system, as well as implement other policies to help Britain’s brewers and publicans.

Emma McClarkin said: “We have been calling for the reform of the broken business rates system for many years. Pubs pay 2.8% of the business rates bill, despite accounting for just 0.5% of turnover.

Reducing their rates is a very welcome move, helping pubs to keep their doors open until the fundamentally unfair system is overhauled.

“As an industry we employ over 900,000 people, but face sharply rising costs when it comes to employment. The pledge to cut National Insurance contributions is therefore most welcome, especially as the vast majority of pubs are run as small businesses.”

She added: “Given that seven in ten alcoholic drinks sold in a pub are beer, the most direct way of keeping them viable is to cut beer duty, which we continue to call on the next Government to do.”

www.luxurybbmag.co.uk

search

On a Google search for “Chine Hotel Bournemouth”, the top result is a sponsored or paid for ad for booking.com.

THE illustration below is common enough if depressing sight: the first few results of a search for a particular property – in this case the Hotel Chine Bournemouth – take a potential guest to paid-for ads from online travel agents such as booking.com and expedia before they get to your own website.

Much of the reason behind the first few ads is not that they have specifically sponsored that hotel but have sponsored the words Hotel Bournemouth. This is called a broad match search: anything with those words will be elevated to the top of the findings list e.g. Great place to stay Bournemouth, hotel or Chine Hotel Bournemouth.

Of course, you can’t compete with that: it’d be way too pricey for you to pay to ensure you are at the top of a search for Hotel Bournemouth.

But you can afford to pay for a search made on an exact match of your hotel name. Anyone typing in the name of your property into Google will then appear at the top among these OTA-sponsored results.

One advantage of paying for an exact match is that it is relatively cheap, and you are also only picked up by people wo are directly trying to find you. Even though you are paying someone who would potentially find you anyway, you are getting a direct booking rather than one made via an OTA costing you commission.

The second big advantage is you have complete control over the wording. With natural search, Google decides what to display, but with a pay-per-click search you yourself write the text that will appear in your advert – perhaps with Great Christmas Offers or Two-for-One deals. You can thus control your presence on Google ads: you are essentially sponsoring your own name.

It makes sense for you to join OTAs who use this method in order to drive relevant traffic quickly and cheaply to their website by bidding on key words directly linked to the name of your B&B or inn.

You can hire an agency to help you, or you can do it yourself with online help from Google. In addition, if you look around the web you’ll often find free £75 offers to get you started.

Just follow this link to get you started: www.luxurybbmag.co.uk/c19-google

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Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 9

COMMENT || DOMINIC JOHNSON

SHORTCUT TO THE TOP of a

AWARDS || EXCELLENCE IN LUXURY SERVICE 2019

luxury bed & breakfast and innkeeper

FIVE inns and 20 B&Bs and guesthouses make up the shortlist of entries for the inaugural Excellence in Luxury Service Awards.

The awards shortlist has finally been announced following the merger of Luxury Bed & Breakfast and Innkeeper magazines and their acquisition by MiraMedia in September.

The winners of the awards will be revealed in February.

Entries are being judged by a panel of industry figures including B&B Association chairman David Weston, The Chapel B&B owner Mark Hinchliffe, British Institute of Innkeepers CEO Mike Clist, B&B coach Yvonne Halling and independent hospitality consultant Tina Boden.

THERE ARE SIX CATEGORIES OF AWARDS:

Luxury Romantic Getaway, Overall Luxury Experience, Excellence in Customer Service, Luxury Renovation, Wow Factor, Locally Sourced Produce.

MORE INFORMATION AND TO ENTER FOR 2020, PLEASE VISIT: WWW.LUXURYBBMAG.CO.UK/AWARDS/

Tina Boden Founder The Tiny Troubleshooter

Mark Hinchliffe Owner The Chapel, Harrogate

Mike Clist CEO British Institute of Innkeeping

Diane Lloyd Event Director Be My Guest

10 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

Yvonne Halling Consultant B&B Business Coach

Bill Lumley Editor Luxury Bed & Breakfast

David Hancock Managing Director Inn Places

Mark Robson Chair British Institute of Innkeeping

David Weston Chairman Bed & Breakfast Association

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THE MALABAR

THE OLD COACH HOUSE

Sustainably refurbished and been open for three years, Pas-Tan-Yr-Allt has three luxuriously appointed bedrooms, complete with antiquities and period features and named after some of its famous previous residents.

“A stay at Plas-Tan-Yr-Allt is a real journey into yesteryear, a totally unique experience.

This was William Madock's Regency Villa (the first in North Wales) who founded Tremadog, Porthmadog. Romantic poet Shelley lived here between 1812-1813 completing Queen Mab and survived an assassination attempt, adding to the guest experience.

PLASTANYRALLT.CO.UK

A lovingly restored 18th-century barn in the heart of the Cumbrian countryside between the Lake District and the Yorkshire Dales. Six en-suite bedrooms have been designed with comfort in mind. Guest are all greeted personally in the car park when they arrive. Afternoon tea is served in the dining room with the fire lit in the winter, or outside in the garden in the spring/summer, and champagne is offered with tea. A tray of aperitifs at 6pm is delivered to the guests, who have full use of the spacious lounge, garden terrace and large, secure boot room.

THEMALABAR.CO.UK

A five-star gold eight-bedroom B&B in North Stainley, near Ripon, North Yorkshire. ”We pride ourselves in going above and beyond to deliver the very best in service excellence.” The property was awarded the Rose Award in 2019 for Recognition Of Service Excellence from Visit England. “Each and every guest is so very important to us and they leave only wanting to return. We stand in the opulent grounds of North Stainley Hall overlooking a beautiful lake and bronze sculpture depicting swans taking flight."

OLDCOACHHOUSE.INFO

THE LAINDONS GUEST HOUSE

GRANGE FARM PARK

EDNOVEAN FARM

Located in the heart of Hastings Old Town, The Laindons is a gorgeous and impressive Georgian listed building that began life as a coach house in the nineteenth century. It has continued the tradition of providing comfort, and nowadays, unexpected luxury to all who visit. Breakfasts is served every morning in our conservatory overlooking East Hill’s nature park, the perfect place for a relaxing start to the day. “No expense has been spared including the bed linen“.

THELAINDONS.COM

Situated on the East Coast, Grange Farm Park was established over 35 years ago initially with one B&B room in the Farmhouse. Today, at Grange Farm Park has 18 self-catering units comprising of luxury lodges, cottages and caravans and six luxury B&B rooms alongside The Stables Bar & Restaurant, a 60-seat restaurant offering a relaxed and informal brasserie setting. The five-star holiday park is set in 15 acres, a short drive from the blue flag beaches.

GRANGEFARMPARK.CO.UK

Ednovean Farm is AA five star (gold), luxury bed and breakfast established in 1991, with vintage style, sea views and lovely gardens just above Perranuthnoe village and beach. The South West coastal footpath leading to Prussia cove or Marazion is a walk away across our fields to the village and St Michael Mount and Penzance are within sight of across Mounts Bay. The mellow ivy-clad Farmhouse looks every inch a home in its sub-tropical courtyard setting.

EDNOVEANFARM.CO.UK

www.luxurybbmag.co.uk

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 11

AWARDS || EXCELLENCE IN LUXURY SERVICE 2019

PLAS-TAN-YR-ALLT

AWARDS || EXCELLENCE IN LUXURY SERVICE 2019

SMITH & WESTERN

THE 25

BEACHES B&B

This nine-bedroom B&B can be found on the outskirts of the world-famous Pantiles in Royal Tunbridge Wells. “At the Ranch you'll always be greeted with a warm cowboy welcome.

Our uniquely styled wild west themed bedrooms don't disappoint and with a full hearty breakfast included in every room rate, will keep even the hungriest cowboys and gals going all day. We are one of the only places to stay in Tunbridge Wells offering complimentary car parking and a late check out at midday with no additional charge.”

SMITH-WESTERN.CO.UK

Centrally located in a busy tourism district on the English Riviera in Torquay, The 25 is a few minutes stroll from the seafront, attractions and restaurants. Six individual boutique bedrooms with contemporary yet comfortable styling offer guests choice, luxury, the latest technology and many little touches and surprises. “No element has been over-looked.

It targets couples looking for a quality, adults-only environment.

“We’re not afraid to be different at The 25 we have a unique funky, cutting-edge design.”

THE25.UK

The four-star silver AA rated guest house based in Paignton South Devon offers a high-quality product and service at competitive prices.

Situated in secluded wooded grounds in the highland town of Pitlochry, Craigatin House is a beautiful Victorian, former Doctors house, transformed into a 14 bedroom, award winning, boutique bed and breakfast, providing a unique blend of the traditional with the luxury of contemporary design. Standing in two acres of manicured gardens with off-road parking, just a five-minute walk, from the town centre.

BEACHESBANDB.CO.UK

CRAIGATIN HOUSE

DERRYBEG BED & BREAKFAST

KEYNEDON MILL

“At Craigatin we love what we do, and our customer service goes beyond simple attention to detail. We listen to our customers’ feedback and take action where we can, based upon what they say. We attribute our success to a can-do attitude and being resident owners, available to our guests every day.” The B&B offers homemade room biscuits, breakfast menus in guests’ own language, powerful showers, fluffy bathrobes and personalised welcome touches like cards, chocolates and gifts for special occasion guests and catering for specific allergy/mobility needs.

CRAIGATINHOUSE.CO.UK

Derrybeg is an eight-bedroom contemporary bed and breakfast located in Pitlochry with eight en-suite bedrooms in total, a guest lounge and a large bright dining room. “We offer a quality, freshly prepared breakfast, served with pride and passion with locally sourced ingredients and modern twists like Waffles with caramelised bananas. Purchased as a rundown property and neglected business in 2015, Derrybeg has now been given a new lease of life having been fully transformed inside and out in 2016.”

DERRYBEG.CO.UK

Keynedon Mill is a converted Water Mill with guest accommodation in the 14th Century Miller's House, which has undergone careful refurbishment with attention to detail creating a chic retreat - a tranquil place to unwind and enjoy the house and stunning grounds set in the beautiful Devon countryside. It has six acres of grounds with a stream running all along the valley, and a separate garden area for guests to relax, enjoy a glass of wine and listen to the birdsong.

KEYNEDONMILL.CO.UK

12 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

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CARR HOUSE FARM B&B

BRAMBLE B&B

The privately-owned Jacobean home was first family residence to HRH Princess Mary, the Queen’s aunt, following her marriage to Viscount Lascelles, heir to the Earl of Harewood.

Goldsborough is incomparable as a five-star stately stay. Its made-to-order afternoon tea can be tailored for any allergies as we cater for all special dietary requirements. “Visitors can relax by the library fire in Winter or outside on our sun terrace in Summer. We encourage all our guests to feel at home.

GOLDSBOROUGHHALL.COM

A 400-year-old property on the Southern edge of the North York Moors National Park in the Howardian Hills AONB, in the 1960s this was where Christine Keeler worked when the house was turned into a night club playing host to politicians and highflyers of the era. “In the last 40 years we have created a special place dear in our hearts where we open our doors and welcome to guests from all over the world. We pride ourselves on offering a full Yorkshire breakfast feast with produce homemade or locally sourced.”

CARRHOUSEFARM.CO.UK

Bramble B&B has evolved as planned from a simple B&B to good quality B&B through continual improvement and analysis of its key selling points, say its owners. Adding a third room has increased their revenue, allowing them to re-invest in facilities. “Our restaurant background given us the ability to provide quality evening meals giving us a fusion private dining / luxury stay selling point not previously available in the area.”

BRAMBLESBREAKFAST.CO.UK

TOWN HOUSE AT BRECON

RED HOUSE FARM GLAISDALE

SWALLOWDALE SPA B&B

A grade II listed, Georgian style, five-storey building in the old town has been developed into a 5-star Gold, three-bedroom B&B. “Each room is individual and in keeping with the buildings heritage and location/views, but we’ve tried our hardest to make it homely and enveloping. Our pride and joy is the breakfast room and guest lounge which we believe is the best we could do with the resources and planning guidelines and we’ve yet to see better in a B&B." BRECONTOWNHOUSE.CO.UK

Red House Farm is located in Glaisdale Dale just 400m from the village of Glaisdale in the North York Moors National Park near Whitby and consists of a group of buildings dating from the mid 1600s, with the main section of the house being built in 1748. "Our conversion was the first to receive this award in the North York Moors National Park. We operate as a smallholding and have Longhorn cows and hens but no tractors or modern farm buildings."

REDHOUSEFARM.COM

A new business based near Wroxham & The Norfolk Broads and beautiful beaches, Swallowdale Spa B&B has four en suite guest bedrooms. A licensed bar operates on an honesty bar system and the B&B boasts a heated indoor swimming pool, hot tub, tennis court and a beauty salon.

It offers in group pamper breaks which include treatments, afternoon tea, fruit served by the pool whilst enjoying the facilities.

"Supporting our locals is the essence of what being a local business is about for us."

SWALLOWDALE.CO.UK

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Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 13

AWARDS || EXCELLENCE IN LUXURY SERVICE 2019

GOLDSBOROUGH HALL

AWARDS || EXCELLENCE IN LUXURY SERVICE 2019

DRIFTWOOD BEACH HOUSE

FIELDS LODGE BED & BREAKFAST

THE THREE PIGEONS INN

Driftwood Beach House is located on the beachfront at Seasalter just a short journey to Whitstable town centre. It offers three rooms, plus a self-catering boathouse on a separate part of the property. “Part of what makes Driftwood Beach House so great is that each room is uniquely designed.” Each is en-suite with a shower and a private outdoor area. The Blue Jacuzzi Room boasts a stylish outdoor jacuzzi, while the Maroc Spa and Garden Spa rooms have their own wood-fire hot tubs.

WHITSTABLEBEDANDBREAKFAST.CO.UK

Four double rooms are decorated individually with local throws and cushions from the local 100-year-old water woollen mill and finished with local, handmade, organic, aromatherapy toiletries including a sleep mist and crisp, fresh, Egyptian cotton bed linen. Nestled in the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, it is ideal for exploring both North & South Pembrokeshire.

“We offer relaxing, bespoke getaways for those looking to recharge, chill and enjoy the best of food and environment. We are the ideal place for a luxury getaway whilst walking the Coast Path.”

FIELDSLODGE.CO.UK

A 17th century coaching inn situated in Banbury Town Centre, proud to offer a luxurious yet homely environment. The Inn has three stunning, double guest bedrooms, each with its own unique style. Whether you stay in The Peacocks, Sleepy Owl or Dovecote, you are guaranteed to feel pampered and enjoy a fantastic night’s sleep. The inn offers a “breath-taking experience with idyllic interior with complementary furniture and using the best local sourced foods with a very good selection of gins, wines, spirits and beers”.

THETHREEPIGEONS.COM

THE CHESHIRE CHEESE INN

ALLANTON INN

THE MERRY HARRIERS

THE BELL INN TICEHURST

The impressive two-storey detached, 15/16th century building, constructed from Derbyshire sandstone, is situated on the edge of Hope Village, on the only road to the small village of Edale, the start of the Pennine Way, in the heart of the Peak District National Park. It has two seating areas and a small bar area, with a capacity for about 60 covers and a beer garden at the back and offers four ensuite rooms that prove very popular with walkers, cyclists and climbers.

THECHESHIRECHEESEINN.CO.UK

A seven-bedroom country inn in the rural Scottish Borders open every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner all year round. “We provide unparalleled hospitality and service in the Scottish Borders. A traditional dining pub, relaxed, friendly and professionally run, the inn welcomes locals, trade & corporate bookings, families, tourists and weekenders alike. We are a family run business passionate about our history and place in the community, particularly our connections in the farming community.

ALLANTONINN.CO.UK

In the picturesque village of Hambledon in the Surrey Hills area of outstanding natural beauty, The Merry Harriers dates back to the 16th century. “Our traditional style welcoming village inn is steeped in history with the landlord’s names dating back to the early 1700s written on the pub walls.” Full of character and life, the children and dog friendly inn offers highly rated food, award-winning local ales and wines, a lovely garden and an element of the unexpected with its llama treks.

MERRYHARRIERS.COM

The Bell in Ticehurst is a traditional inn at the centre of Ticehurst, a village on the borders of East Sussex and Kent. There are seven bedrooms in the main building and three lodges and the unique Love Next built around a fire pit in the garden. The restaurant serves an eclectic mix of dishes, some pub classics, others inspired by the heritage of Colombian-born Head Chef Oscar Volkmar. The Bell is also a popular venue for weddings.

THEBELLINNTICEHURST.COM

14 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

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Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 15

IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÃ&#x201C; JAVEA

ESCAPE TO

the sun

16 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

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IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÓ JAVEA

Setting up business in sunnier climbs is a dream for many. A BnB owner in Costa Brava is giving you a chance to see it it's for you.

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MANY B&B owners have considered deploying their expertise somewhere with a warmer climate, yet have found themselves in the generally colder, wetter climate of the UK not least by uncertainty about the hidden risks. Jacki and Gary Mudge had no hospitality experience when they bought and renovated Finca Montgó in Javea eight years ago, and they have not since looked back. Now, after making the stylish B&B tick over the way they like, they plan to take a sailing break next year in Greece. And to do this they need a caretaker for the time they will be away.

Both Jacki and Gary had corporate careers as directors at global IT firms. As the global recession was taking hold in 2008, Gary found himself suddenly able to take a career break, having just been involved in the sale of a small software company. The kids had grown up, and the couple sold their UK property before deciding what to do next.

Both were familiar with the beauty of Javea in Eastern Spain, as Jacki’s parents had lived there since the mid-1980s. “We couldn’t figure out what we wanted to do next, so we thought we would take six months to a year to come out here, just over a decade ago,” says Gary. “We rented to begin with and have not returned.”

In fact, running a B&B was Jacki’s vision, he says.

“I was still dabbling with business ideas after we first moved to Javea, and I wasn’t ready to retire.”

PROPERTY HUNTING While renting, the couple quickly decided they wanted to stay, and they soon set about finding a property to buy. It was not a question of falling in love with somewhere on their first visit: in fact, they ended up looking at some 70 properties before settling on this sizable estate in Javea.

In the process, several the properties they looked at, were in need of major renovation. Finca Montgó in Javea, 70 minutes from Alicante and 90 minutes from Valencia, was one such property. They eventually decided that since they had undertaken a property renovation project in the UK, it might be fun to take on such a project in Spain, with the idea of potentially selling it at a profit. This solution would justify Gary not working full-time for a couple of years.

He recalls: “In the event we didn’t need to sell it, recognising that maximising the additional income we could create through running a B&B would be a great lifestyle. This has since proved to be the case, for we have met many fantastic people through it.

And it justifies us living in and enjoying a much larger property than we probably would do otherwise.”

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 17

IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÓ JAVEA

TIMELINE FOR MOVING AND SETTING UP A B&B ABROAD Mid 2008

Career break: move to Spain initially on a six-month break

Late 2008

Rent a property in Javea

Early 2009

Start to choose a local property to buy - look at 70 properties

2011

Choose a larger property with a view to making money on rooms

2011

Go through the process of choosing builders to renovate the property

2011

Appoint the builders

Mid-2012

Building renovation complete

2nd half 2012

Furnish property

Early 2013

Open B&B for business

Today

Let out property all year round

July 2020

Hand over to caretaker for 10 weeks, enabling the owners to take a break

SUMMER HOLIDAY DURATION BY EUROPEAN COUNTRY Country Length (weeks) UK ........................................................................................................................................ 6 Denmark.................................................................................................................... 6 Germany .................................................................................................................... 6 Norway ......................................................................................................................... 8 Netherlands .......................................................................................................... 8 Poland............................................................................................................................ 9 Belgium ....................................................................................................................... 9 France............................................................................................................................. 9 Sweden ...................................................................................................................... 10 Spain ...............................................................................................................................11 Hungary.....................................................................................................................11 Finland.........................................................................................................................11 Portugal .................................................................................................................... 12 Greece .......................................................................................................................... 12 Italy .................................................................................................................................. 13

18 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

He adds: “I had been told that if you are going to renovate a property, by the time you do up your third one you will get it right. This is only our second renovation, but I don’t think we got anything badly wrong, although there are some very minor things we may have done differently.”

LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION Finca Montgó enjoys a wide variety of countryside views and is surrounded by extensive mature Mediterranean gardens set against a backdrop of the magnificent Montgó Mountain an Montgó Natural Park. Finca Montgó itself looks out over vineyards towards the ancient Tres Molins windmills and the distant Bernia Mountains.

Jacki says: "Located 100 kms from Valencia and 90 kms from Alicante, Jávea is famous for its crystal-clear waters and white sand beaches. It has been voted as one of the healthiest places in the World to live by the World Health Organization, and boasts 320 days of sunshine a year with an average temperature of 21 degrees!”

There are three distinct areas in Javea: the beautiful historic old town, which is typically Spanish with narrow cobbled street and white washed houses a lively and bustling port area with a pretty beach and marina, and the Arenal, a superb golden sandy beach which has consistently been awarded the Blue Flag and has something for everyone.

“And if that's not enough, within 45 minutes you can be up in the mountains!" she adds.

COUPLES CAN HAVE THE VILLA EXPERIENCE HERE WITHOUT THE HUGE COST

SOURCING BUILDERS One of the biggest concerns for anyone planning to take on a property renovation abroad is finding the right builders to undertake the work you need. For the couple finding the right property and in the circumstance finding the right builders to assist with the renovation was relatively straightforward.

Jacki explains: “Having been living here for a year

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GUEST PROFILE Finca Montgó is strictly not for families with children.

“Finca Montgo caters for adults only, offering B&B or self catering for those who are looking for tranquil surroundings where they can relax with their partner or have fun with their friends," says Jacki.

“It isn’t that we dislike children, we just initially decided that as there are numerous local villa rentals and a couple of B&B's catering for families, there was a gap in the market for adults-only and therefore that would become our USP. “We make absolutely no exceptions,” she stresses.

They follow this rule so strictly that if their own family members come to stay bringing children, they close the business for the duration. “Our guests simply do not want three-year-olds running around,” says Jacki.

ONLINE BOOKINGS Their guests come predominantly from the UK, Holland, Spain and France. For the first couple of years, their business was generated purely from the website she had put together. Jacki says: “We would appear on the first page of a Google search, and people were referring us on a pretty regular basis to their friends and family, and we offer a 5% discount for any referrals, which has always worked very well.”

They welcomed numerous returning guests in their first two years of business, and at the end of the second year they signed up to HolidayLettings.co.uk primarily for the 10-14-day peak July-August period.

This was additional helpful as the site had an automatic link-in to 'speciality lodgings' on TripAdvisor.

GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION in rented accommodation, and because we are chatty friendly people and enjoy meeting new people, we had the advantage of local recommendations from a good network of people on the ground before we began the renovation. Out of that, we met several people who had used a couple of builders, and I was able to tap into their experience.”

They were thus able to see the standard of work that builders had completed and to learn their strengths and weaknesses. “We had some good recommendations and did a lot of work prior to reaching agreement with the builder of our choice,” she says.

After the builders finally left in mid-2012 the couple carried out a trial run on their B&B from October that year. “This helped us find out any potential problems, issues, enhancing customer experience and satisfaction before going full-blown with the B&B in 2013,” says Jacki.

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That all went well until the Valencian government suddenly decided in May 2018 year that all holiday rental properties were required to have a licence.

Jacki says: “Without any warning, overnight HolidayLettings went from 3,000 properties in Javea to just two that held a licence at that point.”

The impact was shocking, and the B&B lost all 180 of its 5 out 5 reviews on TripAdvisor. Finally, in August 2018, they managed to get their licence and then found themselves having to start building their profile all over again. “We now only advertise on TripAdvisor and make no use of any online booking platform,” says Jacki. “The reason for that is that we like to verify our guests. For instance, we need to double-check that they really are not bringing any children along. With the exception of returning guests, we don’t offer one-night stays, so booking.com doesn’t really work for us, besides which they charge a very high commission rate.”

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 19

IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÓ JAVEA

As a B&B team, the couple work well together, says Gary. “Jacki manages the enquires, bookings and housekeeping, and she is also great on the catering side. In addition to ensuring the gardens and pool are spick and span, I've become incredibly practical when things do go wrong, which they do, you need to be able to fix the problem," he says.

IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÓ JAVEA They have now fully recovered from the sudden regulation change. Gary says: “We have reached a situation where many of our guests are returning visitors, and we get a lot of referrals. In order to ensure that we are the right property in the right location for our guests, we prefer to have some upfront dialogue with them, which is not always possible through the online booking platforms." But he admits: “If we did want to ramp up the revenue in the future, and we did use any of those platforms, we could be busy most nights of the week from Spring through Autumn.”

BREAKFAST Breakfast at Finca Montgó starts with freshly squeezed orange juice and tea/coffee. Jacki says: “I bake nuts, seeds and dried fruit with cinnamon and serve it with Greek yogurt topped with local honey, which always tends to go down very well.”

This is followed by a standard breakfast of a seasonal fresh fruit platter, charcuterie board of meats, cheeses and tomatoes, freshly baked bread, pastries and homemade preserves. “Most of our guests stay an average five days, so I try to vary it,” she says.

“Many of them - especially our French and Dutch guests - want the same breakfast every day. For others, I make a traditional Spanish tortilla, scrambled eggs and smoked salmon. Whatever they want I can generally make to order. We had one Dutch guest

20 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

YOU NEED TO BE A JACK OF ALL TRADES

who simply wanted two fried eggs every morning!"

The couple cater for small numbers of people, so if they have any special dietary requirements or preferences then they can usually cater for that. “I do make it very clear that English breakfast is not on the menu,” she says. Gary interjects: “We did make an exception once. The only person to ask us for a full English was French, and I jumped at the opportunity because I do like a full English breakfast. Jacki cooked that one,” he says, adding, “Unfortunately, he didn’t like black pudding!”

The property includes two apartments, which guests can book either as a B&B or self-catering, the latter of which is particularly popular in the peak months June to August.

One of the many attractions of Javea is a complete lack of large hotels, an admirable policy of the local council. “It is mainly villa and apartment rental,” says Jacki. Yet the villa experience that Finca Montgó Javea provides for guests comes at much less of a bank-breaking price than renting an actual villa. “If you rent a villa in the summer for a week it would cost you at least 5,000 euros for something similar to this,” explains Jacki. “What guests here can do as a couple is have the villa experience, but without the huge cost.” Indeed, that’s the way her website works: it is found by people searching for “accommodation B & B Javea.”

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IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÓ JAVEA

FOOD AND DRINK FACILITIES The B&B does not offer evening meals, but it does offer an honesty bar system. “This works very well because it saves people having to go shopping if they fancy a drink,” says Jacki, adding: “Guests have use of our barbecue and bar area, which is very popular in the summer.”

The lack of evening dining is no problem for visitors, however. “There is a lovely French restaurant less than five minutes’ walk from the B&B, and in Javea itself there are 365 restaurants including several 2-star Michelin restaurants as well as low price but high-quality restaurants,” says Gary.

He stresses the importance of striking the right balance when operating a B&B in sunnier climes. He says: “I have no experience running a B&B in the UK, but here it is very important to have nice external areas: you don’t come to Spain only to spend your time inside.” However, this brings with it challenges, he says.

One is the need to keep guests comfortable both with shade in the summer months and with internal comfort out of the sunshine. “You need terraced areas with shade, but out of season it can get quite chilly in the evenings, so you need to put as much emphasis on the room, for example the quality of the bed as you do to having quality outdoor facilities. That is a challenge.

For instance, we have a bar area designed like an English barn, from where we serve breakfast. However,

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in the winter it is often not quite warm enough in the mornings, so we also need to have the ability to serve the breakfast indoors,” he explains.

The property is less in demand in winter obviously but still gets busy over Christmas when, as in peak season, a minimum four-night stay is required. A significant proportion of those staying out of season are people looking to retire in the area using the B&B as a base while looking for a property to buy, says Gary.

“There is a big exp-pat community here of Dutch, English and Belgian,” he says.

CARETAKER OPPORTUNITY As the couple prepare for their eight-week trip to Greece next year, they are looking for a couple to take over the running of the B&B in their absence from mid May until the end of July. Gary says: “This is an opportunity for anyone such as a UK B&B owner wishing to relocate to the region and to get a feeling for its ups and downs. We hope that we might be able to find the ideal couple who may be interested in ‘test-driving’ the highly rewarding lifestyle of living in and operating a B&B in beautiful climes.”

He adds: “My view of the type of person who would be interested in trialling it is, an early retiree or perhaps somebody with B&B experience but who wants to move to Spain.”

Anyone parachuting in to run the B&B next summer should not be too bothered about the need to attract, maintain and process new bookings while they are there. Gary says: “Our experience tells us that 70% of our bookings for the 'caretaking' period

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 21

IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÃ&#x201C; JAVEA 22 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

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THE ACCOMMODATION Los Establos Apartment - Located in the beautiful grounds of Finca Montgó, this south facing one-bedroom air- conditioned apartment has rustic charms of a Finca with the comforts of contemporary living.

It comprises of one bedroom with king size bed, a kitchen, wet room, cosy sitting and dining area. The covered terrace and open patio give a private outside area, with stunning views over the vineyards towards the ancient Tres Molins windmills and distant Bernia Mountains, a perfect spot to sunbathe or enjoy eating 'al fresco' in the sun, shade or moonlight.

The accommodation is flexible - for couples who require more privacy, they can book the Los Establos apartment and the adjacent guest room and have sole use of the Los Establos facilities.

Los Establos Guest room - Located adjacent to the Los Establos apartment, this spacious air-conditioned south facing en suite guest room has the option of super king or twin beds together with a private covered terrace and 'chill out' area The spacious Finca Apartment comprises of one large air-conditioned bedroom (super king or twin beds) with a shower room, kitchen, dining area and comfortable sitting room.

The patio gives a private outside area with stunning views of the Montgó, a perfect spot to sunbathe or enjoy eating 'al fresco' while watching the changing sunlight at dusk.

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 23

IN PROFILE || FINCA MONTGÓ JAVEA

WE THOUGHTS WE'D GIVE IT 6 MONTHS THAT WAS 10 YEARS AGO!

will have been taken by the end of April. We can still handle bookings ourselves while we are away next year because it is all carried out online, and we will have constant internet access. But whoever looks after Finca Montgo while we are gone can do it if they want to gain experience handling extra booking and to see how we go about it - or if they perhaps wanted to maximise the bookings while they are here,” he adds. The latter of course would thus enable Gary and Jacki in turn to maximise on their own trip to Greece.

“For us it is not totally financial, and I don’t see the two-month period as a financial opportunity for whoever comes to run Finca Montgo, but we are happy to share a bit of revenue or pay their flights out here. It’s all about finding the right people, and then we can then make it happen for them as well,” he stresses.

In order to verify that whoever looks after the B&B in their absence is right for the job, they would like them to fly out sooner rather than later. “We’ll put them up for nothing. Flights to Alicante or Valencia are quite cheap in December,” he says.

Jacki adds: “We’d like to meet them and make sure we are both compatible.. Before that we would perhaps like to speak to them over the phone to determine their expectations and to answer some of the inevitable questions that they will have. For them it will be an opportunity to see what our lifestyle is really like. They might be looking for something to do in their retirement that creates more income and learning how to create a rewarding lifestyle running a people focused B&B here in sunnier climes,” she says.

If you are interested in the opportunity get a taste for running a B&B in stunning countryside with a climate to match and are considering looking after Finca Montgó next year, contact jacki@fincamontgojavea.com.

IN DEPTH || BATHROOMS

SHOWER LOVE ON YOUR luxury bathroom One of the biggest and most costly renovations that high-end commercial hospitality businesses have to deal with is guest bathroom renovation. Bill Lumley considers the issues you may confront as you endeavour to keep your facilities up to scratch

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AGEING bathroom units, changing styles, trends and regulations all have a bearing on a need to update your en suite facilities to a greater or lesser extent.

Renovating your ensuite bathrooms is a massive undertaking, and it is not without its risks. But in order to avoid the mother of all risks, also known as poor reviews, you must ensure your bathrooms stay up to a certain look and standard.

Luxury B&B and boutique hotel guests expect bathrooms to have a fresh and modern look. The reaction of participants in TV hospitality shows illustrate this well with immediate mark-downs on the likes of Four in a Bed when the bathrooms feature old, dated or damaged bathtubs, wall-surrounds, vanities or toilets. These reflect badly on the B&B and are prime ammunition for poor online reviews: guests arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be incentivised to book into a B&B that has an outdated bathroom. It is therefore not unreasonable to expect luxury B&Bs, guest houses and boutique hotels regularly to replace bathroom components to

24 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

achieve a desired level of customer satisfaction and to earn positive reviews and loyalty in return.

Inevitably, remodelling you guest ensuite bathrooms is not as simple as hiring a contractor who then subcontracts the work to a local crew. There are many industry-specific considerations that are best served by those who already have extensive experience working with other hospitality properties like your own.

Among the chief concerns are issues such as minimising the noise of construction as it takes place and keeping to a minimum the odours and dust that can disrupt your guests.

If you plan and manage the renovation project carefully and far enough in advance, you may find yourself able to close the property for a period to allow the work to be undertaken at full pelt.

And, of course, the work must of course be completed within budget and as quickly as possible to return rooms to service.

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IN DEPTH || BATHROOMS

CASE STUDY ONE Southwood House near Bristol is a Victorian with three spacious en suite guest bedrooms. In the most recent guest bathroom renovation at the property, owners Carole and Andrew Stowey completely gutted their old shower room, which had originally been separate from the bedroom.

“We decided to go up market with this renovation, so the room has a P-shape bath in it with separate shower above, a wash basin, toilet and bidet,” he says.

The most outstanding feature of the bathroom renovation is that most of the walls are clad in Quartz-Lite, he says. “We normally use this material for kitchen worktop overlays, but it can equally be used for shower enclosures and bathrooms. It is only 8mm thick and it is very easy to keep clean as there are no grout lines as opposed to using tiles and our customers absolutely love it.”

The walls were done with Bianco Riso and the grey border and skirting with Nuvolo Riso and the bathroom’s sanitary ware is Vitra’s-Serenada Range, the taps and shower are Hudson-Reed and the flooring Karndean – “Loose Lay - Hudson LLP99,” Andrew adds.

“This flooring is easy to lay and maintain and, if damage should occur, easy to replace. It is also really nice to walk on, particularly with bare feet!”

Installing ventilation wasn’t a problem he says as there was a skylight in the bathroom, but he also installed a powerful Vent Axia fan, which is located in the loft above the shower.

“As the renovation of the Bedroom and Bathroom took four weeks to complete, we were closed during this period so there was no disruption to guests,” he adds.

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DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES There are certain considerations Jason says he would recommend to any B&B or guest house owner to make when planning a bathroom renovation.

“A lot of tips came from visits I made to other luxury B&Bs,” he says. “One useful piece of which was not to buy shower doors that slide – only buy ones that open like a door, because people will try to open the sliding doors as if they are a conventional door, and in the process pull them off the rails. We took that advice, and are glad we did so,” he says.

One piece of advice he wishes he could have received before embarking on installation concerns bath plugs. “Our baths have a rotating device to

CASE STUDY TWO In 2012 Jason and Annie Robinson bought a property next door to their Georgian townhouse in the harbour town of Watchet on the Bristol Channel and turned it into an award-winning B&B called Swain House.

The derelict property, which featured a shop beneath it, had been empty for four years, Jason says.

“After we bought it, we renovated it all in one go. As the property was empty there was no disruption to guests in the process.”

They fitted en suite bathrooms in all the guest rooms, all with the same high-end spec bathrooms all with double ended large slipper baths and all with a double walk-in shower.

“We chose high-spec Burlington sinks and toilets, while the baths at Swine House are from luxury bath makers BC Design,” he says.

“Burlington was our choice for the sinks and toilets as it is a very classic, high-end British brand, and midrange rather than low-range WCs, a higher standard than most hospitality toilets which are mostly low standard. The tanks are on the wall with a chrome pipe leading to them.” He adds: “We wanted the whole B&B to have a classical British old-fashioned Heritage Club look about it in keeping with the profile of the property itself.”

TECHNICAL DESIGN The bathrooms are now situated where there were none when they first acquired the property. Jason had lived in London for 20 years where one of his flatmates was a technical architect. “He did all the drawings for the property,” he says. “We had bathrooms on one side of the building that had never had bathrooms or access to waste. In most domestic

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IN DEPTH || BATHROOMS

properties the bathrooms are all on the same side as the kitchen, using the same waste pipes, so we built them into the stripped-down building.”

In complying with modern-day building regulation there were hurdles all the way across the entire project, he says. “When it came to the bathrooms, we had to install ventilation, and the building walls are three feet thick, so the builders drilled massive extractor tunnels through them,” he says.

IN DEPTH || BATHROOMS

simply have to press in and out to insert and release would be far preferable in his experience. And he has not been able to replace the rotating plug devices.

Replacing an old bathtub is an expensive, labour-intensive and time-consuming project that often involves demolition and damage to the surrounding walls and floor finishes. Water supply lines and pipes may also need re-plumbing.

Bathtub replacement is therefore rarely an option.

Most owners would not consider ripping out the guest ensuite tubs unless they were planning a full renovation of the room, because often walls have original tiles, and replacing the walls is often not cost effective because of the rebuilding cost.

In the case of Swain House there were issues that prevented them from replacing the bath plugs alone.

“You can’t replace them, as you would still have the turning dial on the side of the bath. It is just not straight forward enough a process to replace for it to be worthwhile, especially on our baths, which are really high-end and bespoke.”

In order to get access to the waste mechanism he would have to go up through the ceiling below.

“They baths are not off the ground like your standard B&Q baths. These ones are on solid stainless-steel pedestals,” he says.

He adds: “I wouldn’t have baths with the plug on a chain either, as these tend to break. In fact, avoid anything that has the slightest possibility of someone using the wrong way and breaking. People simply don’t care: it’s not their place. They just pull the chain and, if it doesn’t have the desired effect, they keep pulling it till it snaps,” he says.

WATER PRESSURE

open and close the plugs, and I would advise people to avoid that like the plague, because they break,” he says. “Guests don’t necessarily realise the mechanism is already there, and they push down the plug itself manually, causing it to come off the rails. It’s a relatively minor issue that can be fixed, but when you are getting the rooms ready and you only have a limited time before the next guest will be checking in, it’s not helpful to discover at that point that the last guests have broken the plug, and you have to spend an hour fixing it. It’s a pain to say the least.”

He suggests that the kind of bath plugs that guest

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After all the time and money they invested in the new bathrooms he says guest feedback has been excellent. “They love the bathrooms. The showers have massive nine-inch rains shower hoses and the water pressure is good,” he says.

But he stresses his view that strong water pressure is essential in a guest en suite. “We had the advantage of being able to reconnect to the main, as we renovated the bathrooms at the same time as the rest of the building, which means our water pressure is phenomenal.”

He warns: “If you are just renovating an existing bathroom you may not have the pipework to sustain some of the modern-day shower pressures needed to power those hoses. I’d simply advise people to be careful about what bathroom the pic and make sure sufficient water pressure is there to support it.”

LUXURY ADORNMENTS The en suites at Swain House feature large white, fluffy cotton towels, and the toiletries are Ren Skincare, a high-end supplier to hotels and guest houses.

“They won’t supply unless they can see what the rooms are like, so I had to send them photos rather than just asking to buy them,” says Andrew.

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STYLE TRENDS

KEY LESSONS LEARNED He adds: “We put large bottles dot the brand in or bathrooms rather than the little hotel bottles that you find in hotels and theta the guests take home with them – even if they don’t use the shampoo people take them. We stock 300ml bottles and we sell them for £16 per bottle which discourages people from helping themselves to them. In eight years, we have had just four bottles taken.”

If a luxury B&B or boutique hotel has renovated its bathroom and is looking for premium products to offer its guests, there are certain key criteria to consider when deciding the brand or type of complimentary beauty or other products with which to adorn the bathroom.

Laura Ashley senior commercial designer Kay Ashley tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast: “We would firstly look at product style, but also what look would suit the space. In Burnham for instance we wanted to showcase our brand with a touch of femininity.”

Accommodating the wides possible guest target is important, she says. “We usually follow a brief that could be a more corporate customer, and we try to suit both genders. If it is a bridal suite, we would usually have something more glamorous in mind and would consider the female aspect as more of

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• Ensure the bathroom surface material is easy to clean • Make sure the flooring is easy to lay, maintain and replace • If possible close while renovating to avoid disruption to guests • Avoid sliding shower doors • Rotating plug devices and bath plug chains tend to break • Make sure your water pressure is high enough for the shower equipment you intend to install • Put your bathroom beauty products in 300ml bottles: minatures tend to get taken • Offer the same luxury bathroom brands for sale to discourage guests from helping themselves.

There is now more choice than ever in bathroom brassware with many new product ranges and design innovations available for those looking to revamp the style of their bathrooms to achieve an on-trend and fresh new look. Colm Lalor, commercial director at bathroom supplier, Ultra Finishing, says: “This is good news for the B&B sector, as bathroom taps and showers are a relatively easy ‘fix’ and with quite literally no limit to the number of designs and finishes available allowing owners to create a look, feel and ambiance to suit their establishment’s own individual styling.”

Sleek minimalist designs for the bathroom continue to be a popular choice, and while their design keeps on evolving, more recently there has been growth in the industrial trend, he says. “Revolution from Hudson Reed, our own industrial-inspired range of bathroom taps and shower valves, for example, has enjoyed considerable growth since its recent launch, and it is encouraging to see the price points of these designs now more competitive than ever, a contributor to their increasing success.”

Meanwhile, as classically styled bathrooms continue to remain a hugely popular choice, the demand for traditional brassware design remains high. Colm says: “Today’s classic brassware designs perfectly combine old fashioned looks with modern hi-tech innovations too so traditional styling does not mean compromising on features with taps, for example, benefitting from high quality ceramic discs. Our own Old London traditional bathroom collection is another good example; a beautifully blend of nostalgic period design yet offering the complete controllability of push-button valves.”

Wall-mounted tap styles, across both modern and classic designs are also proving popular and are very much on-trend, he says. “The clean and clutter-free appearance is very much in demand when co-ordinated with some of the many bath and basin styles available. We’ve just added many new wall mounted styles to our latest Hudson Reed brassware collection.”

Chrome will always remain the popular finish for the bathroom, he insists, regardless of style, but with the popularity of monochromatic colour schemes, and of course the industrial trend, taps, mixers and showers finished in matt black have appeared. “Matched with accessories such black-framed shower enclosures, anthracite radiators and slate-grey shower trays, matt black brassware is a good choice. Colour options don’t stop with matt-black; other colours and finishes are steadily growing in popularity too,” he says.

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IN DEPTH || BATHROOMS

a priority. We believe both genders of customers appreciate good design and comfort and our designs usually follow a story of the history of the hotel if you work in that way the rooms will reflect the correct design with customers responding to this positively. In all aspects we will consider the original architecture while also giving new schemes a sense of modernity to keep it looking fresh.”

IN DEPTH || BATHROOMS

Installation is also becoming easier with new technologies such as a fully reversible Valquest cartridge, which means if the hot and cold-water supplies are the wrong way around it doesn’t need re-plumbing. “It’s just a simple removal of the cartridge, a 180˚-turn-and-replace,” he says. “Whilst complete bathroom makeovers may demand more expert help, depending on the existing fitment and its age, changing a tap should be a DIY job.”

With brassware, modern, innovative manufacturing has not only brought about an increasing number of styles and designs, it has dramatically improved the quality and finish too. However, Cols suggests owners would do well to avoid the very cheapest of products, as these will lack durability and longevity, and often bring only problems down the line.

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sinter ҼVѢQWΩ Verb gerund or present participle: sintering 1. (with reference to a powdered material) coalesce into a solid or porous mass by means of heating (and usually also compression) without liquefaction. "when the moisture is removed from the slurry the powder compact is sintered "

DON’T OVERLOOK THE FLOOR Just as the right level of water pressure is critical to the type of bathroom you install, so too is the flooring.

Neolith slabs for example are based on Sintering Technology, which entails subjecting the 100% natural raw materials to very high temperatures and pressures. It is an especially hard surface resistant to temperatures and scratching. It will not burn if it comes into contact with fire, nor will it give off smoke or fumes.

Neolith’s director Mar Esteve Corte tells Luxury Bed & Breakfast: “In the past, shower design has been overlooked. However, we’re seeing interesting trends on the horizon, including monochromatic colours and seamless, ultra-thin single slabs being used in shower cubicles.

Using the same material inside and outside the shower evokes a sense of continuity, rather than seg-

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CONCLUSION There are clearly numerous considerations to make when it comes to planning your next bathroom renovation project. The main lesson would appear to be not to rush into it, planning everything from assessing water pressure considerations to style. Check you have access to the workings of any bath you install for maintenance purpcses and when you finish it off, put your high-end beauty brands in full-sized bottles.

It does discourage theft! The rewards of getting it right will be worth the effort.

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IN DEPTH || BATHROOMS

menting the area into smaller sections, creating the illusion of more space than there actually is.”

He has tips on style trends that independent hoteliers and guest house owners are pursuing it comes to their bathroom renovations. “Interior designers are looking to darker, inkier tones found in igneous rock, with basalt and soapstone effects, becoming popular for visually impressive bathrooms. The old adage that opposites attract applies even in the bathroom, where black materials are being used to create striking statements in otherwise light, airy settings," he says.

“We expect to see plenty of bathrooms which encapsulate the beautiful detailing of these ancient stones.

The beautiful and complex, swirling, deep grains and organic, continuous patterns will provide a variety of designs meaning no two bathrooms will look the same.

“We’re also seeing an increase in the use of wood motifs in the washroom. While timber itself is not suitable for a damp environment, there are plenty of materials that mimic wooden effects. Adding an organic quality to any space, the unpredictable, knotted grain of timber is versatile, able to evoke a rustic atmosphere or combine with dissimilar patterns for an arresting effect,” he adds.

IN PROFILE || THE ROYAL HOTEL

COASTAL luxury The Royal Hotel, an inn with breath-taking sea views and luxury hospitality to match

PREDOMINANTLY a leisure hotel, The Royal Hotel is the luxury end of the local market in a quiet town with winding alleys of Georgian houses and one that boasts a Castle built by Henry VIII as part of a chain of coastal defences. Deal became a limb port of the Cinque Ports in 1278, and it is very close to Walmer, believed to be the location of Julius Caesar’s first arrival in Britain.

Mentioned in The Doomsday Book as Addelam in 1086, as Dela in 1158 and Dale in 1275, today Deal is a former mining, fishing and garrison town.

There is much else historical about the town, the place where Lord Nelson conducted his affair with Lady Hamilton and where Churchill stayed ahead of the Battle at Dunkirk in 1940. Such is the abundance of history, much of this centred on The Royal Hotel itself, that the rooms are named after the historical figures who stayed there.

ROOMS WITH A SEA VIEW

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The Royal Hotel, which leads directly onto the beach, offers a variety of guest rooms, all of a high standard and all in keeping with the age of the building, with their own quirks and twists. “It’s very much a far cry from a chain hotel,” says manager Alex Dunne. Indeed, every room has its own name and its own history and is personally designed, based around the seaside theme.

“We have three feature rooms, the feature being a private balcony and sea-view,” says Alex. From the beach you can catch the sight of guests sitting in their robes enjoying a bottle of champagne. “The services we provide match the setting and range from outside heaters, enabling guests to enjoy the sea air when the air turns cool, to having breakfast served on their balcony in the morning for them to enjoy the view and the sunshine.”

The location and the build of the hotel means this proposition works all year round. “Even when it is raining, we still deliver breakfast to guests’ balconies.

We are right in front of the pier which is where the sun rises. It is a truly awesome place to sit and enjoy a meal, kept comfortably warm by heaters behind you if you need them,” he says.

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The level of attention paid to guest comfort at the Royal Hotel is high. Its superior rooms have roll-top baths and a number of the rooms feature the bath in the room itself as well as bath robes, and while the superior and standard rooms don’t come with robes, their towels and the luxury products in the rooms are all of a luxury standard.

The hotel has 18 rooms, but its dining room can serve up to 550 meals a day, which means the bias for diners from outside is always greater. “On an average day we would have 40-45 residents, so we are certainly a larger restaurant and bar than we are a hotel,” he says.

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The restaurant helps to keep the hotel’s turnover up out of season. “Although Deal is not short of restaurants the Royal Hotel being the type of business and hotel it is, we stand on our own by our reputation.

We have a lot of great competitors and a lot of other great restaurants, but there’s nothing quite like the Royal. When you are going to treat someone or go out for a nice night out, you say let’s go to the Royal.”

to ensure it suits the needs of all of our guests, and it’s a really high quality down to the toothbrush.”

The hotel previously used Gilchrist & Soames of London. Now, he says, there is more calling to be universal with all our products with regard to accommodating vegans. “This very much took the lead for this change. We use it in the guest bedrooms and also in the public toilets, the and soap and the moisturiser.”

VEGAN

LOCAL PRODUCE

“We cater for everyone now, with everything vegan in the hotel,” Alex says. “We don’t just buy soap from the local supplier for instance: it’s really carefully sourced

Every product used in the Royal Hotel is sourced from within the county of Kent, which means all food is locally sourced and fresh, and the hotel has deliv-

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IN PROFILE || THE ROYAL HOTEL

ALL FOOD IS LOCALLY SOURCED AND FRESH DELIVERIES EVERY DAY

IN PROFILE || THE ROYAL HOTEL

eries every day. “We use a local butcher, Chapmans in Sevenoaks, our fishmonger is in Canterbury, and we use our local greengrocer. Anything guests eat here is fresh and created on site – it’s not prepacked and brought in and microwaved,” he says. The hotel has won an award from VisitEngland for its breakfast, he adds.

There are challenges to overcome to ensure everything is locally sourced by the royal hotel is part of Shepheard Neame brewery, which has a chef development team that works very closely alongside Alex and his head chef. “They go out to actively find suppliers,” he says. “It’s really important to us as a company that we keep our suppliers on our own doorstep. That’s really important to our guests as well. We can land something on the table and tell the guest that was delivered this morning from a supplier in the county.” Meanwhile the hotel’s beers come from the Shepherd Neame brewery some 30 miles up the road.

MANAGER EXPERIENCE Alex took over at the Royal Hotel in August 2018 after having worked in regional roles for most of the key UK breweries. He began his hospitality career as a pot washer at his father’s pub, worked at sea on a cruise line and abroad with Thomson First Choice.

He has held the post of general manager for hotel chains and before that had been a new openings manager for Marsden, taking hotels from building site to operational.

The Royal Hotel had always had a successful past by the time Alex joined, he says. “I have a very good management team that surrounds me. The success is all about coaching and development.”

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In a nutshell, he says: “My managers know what they know and what to do because I show them how I want it done. It’s very much as case that people believe in your values and your passion – they naturally follow that. My managers all look after different departments and are very focused and passionate and their team naturally step up for them.”

FUNCTION ROOMS The Royal Hotel’s Reading Room can seat up to 16 people in an intimate setting, while for larger parties, it recommends the Map Room, which can comfortably accommodate around 40 guests for a sit-down meal.

For a simple drinks’ reception or buffet, both rooms can be hired together, resulting in the maximum amount of space for a full-scale soiree.

The Royal Hotel also represents one of the best business function venues in Deal, offering a range of facilities for meetings and conferences, including wi-fi connectivity.

PLANNING AND MORE PLANNNG A key focus the Royal Hotel is getting the every day right, he says. “When functions come in, we are very focused on our guest service. You can serve the freshest meal on the planet but if it is not delivered correctly it is a complete unacceptable.”

His head chef Omar Ashayer has been with the hotel now for just over a year and Alex refers to him as “first-rate”, and he says: “The company can set menus for the pubs and inns in its chain. Our aim was to be somewhat free from that, operating our own very personalised menu. The brewery told us that could be achieved in two years and we have actually just achieved it in the space of just a year with Omar.”

He adds: “The current menu we are serving is our own – you won’t find it at any other Shepherd Neame site, and my chef has a number of his own dishes on it too. It has very much been designed around our customer profile, and who better to choose that than the people who operate the site? It’s very personal.”

CHRISTMAS Heading into Christmas this year, the Royal Hotel is trying something that has not been tried there before and is introducing party nights, which Alex says are proving to be highly popular with the local community. They comprise a three-course meal and a live act.

“That will be really good fun for Christmas this year,” he says. "I am very much of the view that if we don’t believe we will do it right then we won’t do it.”

The hotel is about to head into its busiest Christmas ever, measured by bookings. The restaurant will be serving 72 guests booked on Christmas Day, and was booked up around two months in advance. “I could easily serve 180, but I am not going to because I want those 72 people to have a fantastic Christmas,” he explains.

He has a Christmas Day waiting list of 55, he adds.

“For someone to trust you with something as special as their festive Christmas get together gives me some really good raw feedback that we are getting something right,” he says, admitting: “Don’t get me wrong – we don’t get it right every day, but we listen, we learn, and we respond.”

Alex’s style of management is centred around constant planning. “We have just had our big meeting about our new menu launch, with the wine range enabling the experience of the waiter to suggest particular wines that will go really well with a certain choice on the menu. We are focused very much on personal service, and our biggest flag we fly is that we plan very well here,” he says.

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STAFF RETENTION It is a well-known fact that hospitality has a high staff turnover rate. According to a YouGov survey last year, the three highest reasons given for staff leaving the sector were anti-social working hours, low pay and benefits and a lack of career prospects. The Royal bucks that trend. Alex says: “Staff naturally come and go. But we have our core team which has been with me quite some time now and includes quite a few of the original team from when I took over, and our turnover is lower than average.”

He explains the hotel offers an edge against its local competition. “If you were to go to one of the chain pubs in Deal, their Christmas Day price bracket is around the £45-55 mark. Ours is £75, but it is a premium six course offer,” he says. “The table is yours for the day – you are not going to have to move on after two hours to make way for another family, and it is a real personal service. It is an old building with nooks and crannies, and every area in the dining room has its own personal waiter.

“We know what those guests are having before they arrive – again, very much about the planning. We also make it clear if there is anything guests want us to know concerning diet or personal preferences then they should let us know. If we can make the day more special for people, it really is our pleasure to do so.”

The Royal serves mulled wine, and Shepherd Neame Christmas Ale is popular with the locals and on sale throughout the festive season. “We have a very talented and passionate bar manager who takes personal pride in what he serves and insists on making mulled wine to a high standard rather than just buying in standard mulled wine that is not always of the highest quality,” says Alex. “I am lucky to have the right people with the right passion to make sure it is the right standard.”

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IN PROFILE || THE ROYAL HOTEL

THE TABLE IS YOURS FOR THE DAY

IN PROFILE || THE ROYAL HOTEL

SEO Booking.com is probably always going to be the first result on any hotel search, Alex concedes, but the Royal Hotel is relatively high up on the first page of a Google search. “We are part of a group with an exceptionally strong marketing team, in charge of 12 hotels out of 375 Shepherd Neame sites.

Investing in search engine optimisation is very much part of your lead marketing.

“All the online travel agents including booking.com play a big part in marketing a hospitality business like ours, but I always think it is results in a better experience for the guest when they book directly with us because this enables them to ask particular questions in the process. This enables us in turn to provide a more personalised service.”

Staffing is also very seasonally driven, he says, and the hotel takes on 25 extra staff just for the summer weeks. “If you looked at my numbers, it’d seem as though I drop off 25 people in September, but those 25 will all come back for the Christmas season and for Easter,” he says.

He adds: “We have a very focused team here.

There are certain times of the day when our office does not operate, and the managers are all on the floor.” The hotel always has two managers on duty during the days and the evenings. “If we have big functions, one of the managers takes care of that, leaving the other managers to oversee the usual day to day things and focus on having a member on the floor at key times. That manager can then see if there are any problems, whether a staff member or a waiter has missed something for instance, and that way we can guide the team. We have a team doing their best, but often they may not notice something – it is human nature. Our focus is very much having the right people in the right place,” Alex stresses.

He says management should lead by example.

“With the best will in the world you can have the best team and you can have a lot of sickness on, but if you have the management on duty and they are on the floor where they should be, leading their teams then it should all flow very well.”

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THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACE ROOMS HISTORY Every guest room has a name with a reason such as Churchill, for instance, who used to stay at the hotel when the rescue plans for Dunkerque were underway at Dover Castle. Above Alex’s fireplace is a photo of the WWII Prime Minister when he resided there, with the registration card he signed on arrival. Lord Nelson also stayed at the hotel at the time of Waterloo, and it is where he conducted his affair with Lady Hamilton.

“We are a beach front hotel. so there is nothing obstructing your view. You can’t beat our view, our sunrise or our sunset. You can enjoy a pint that’s been brewed down the road by our own brewery from your own passionate people, and if you do decided to dine with us, we serve award-winning food which is locally sourced, fresh and well-prepared by a first rate chef, and delivered by a friendly, passionate team,” he concludes.

By contrast there is only so much information anyone can put into a generic website, he says. “If a guest books direct, they can talk to or somebody directly, we can offer a personal service and when we know what they are looking for, and often we can offer them something even more suitable for them – for example saying to them when they book, ‘In fact we’ve got this room available. This will make your weekend stay so much better, if you’d prefer.’”

The hotel deals with every booking as they come in, he says. “We offer seasonal deals, and it’s always worthwhile a guest asking what deals are available when they book. It very much depends on the time of the year,” he adds.

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IN DEPTH || CHAMONIX HOLIDAYS YS

WHAT WE CAN LEARN FROM our friends in the Alps

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FOR the past few years B&B owners and innkeepers have expressed a sense of despair at the fact that just the opportunity to market themselves online has been hijacked by the online travel agents.

The reality is that despite investigation and action by the Competition and Markets Authority into breach of anti-competitive regulations, this business disruption is not going to go away, any more than traditional black cab drivers are going to find themselves freed from the competition of the likes of Uber.

Here, in the first in a series of articles on the issue, we speak to property owners from beyond the confines of your sector who have embraced the opportunities for digital marketing, taken on board the commission rates they have to pay and discover innovative ways to use OTA platforms to make a decent living. Dominic Johnson catches up with Neil Symonds, who runs Chamonix Holidays. For anyone confronting the challenges of online booking today there are lessons to be learned from Neil’s experience in Chamonix.

the following week and have approached him to ask if it is going to be empty - whether there will be anything for them to do there in October.

“There’s actually plenty going on,” he says. “The weather can be cold and wet in the mountains, but there is always a cable car open for sight-seeing, biking and walking and so forth, even when there is no skiing. All the shops, cinemas and sports centres are open, and there is plenty else to do. After all, it’s a proper town. People associate Chamonix with skiing and they just see it as a mountain resort for winter activities, but in fact it is much busier in Summer than Winter.”

His properties are let pretty much all year round, which is testimony to the great marketing job he and others have achieved selling Chamonix as an all-year-round destination. “Many people don’t generally associate Chamonix with self-catering chalet businesses and see it simply as a mountain ski resort,” he says. His marketing model is changing that.

LOOK FOR REASONS FOR PEOPLE TO VISIT HOW THE BUSINESS STARTED. Neil Symonds grew up skiing. As a child he went on family ski holidays and school skiing trips. When he left school at 18, he headed to the City to make some money before going to university - solvent - in his mid20s, before travelling around the world for a couple of years. Eventually he tried to settle down with a job working for BA. Such a career was not for him.

“I hated working for a big union company and pushing late hours. I wasn’t used to any of it at the time. Back then I was far more accustomed to a small working environment with smaller businesses, where you actually got rewarded for doing something well.”

So, he moved back to the slopes and became a ski host. “I worked with a couple companies for winter and summer events before being promoted to assistant manager. Then I went on to manage a hotel for them, and I loved the job!”

But before long he left the company to start running his own business. He spent six months touring European ski resorts, focused on the Alps, before opening up a small, town-centre bar. in Germany.

The bar proved an excellent place to start a lettings / property management business and before long he found himself in Chamonix running around 50 self-catering properties.

REACH BEYOND YOUR COMFORT ZONE

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Just as this magazine arrives off the press the ski season is kicking off in earnest in Chamonix, and the town will become a magnet for visitors for the next five months. Snow or no snow, Neil Symonds lets out his 50 Chamonix Holiday self-catering properties all year round, and he successfully manages this thanks to his deployment of state-of-the-art booking technology.

I catch up with Neil in October, weeks before the busy winter season kicked off. He has just taken an enquiry by email. Four guests booked into Chamonix

You mentioned a friend who tapped into mountain biking and you have tapped into local sports. Do you have any advice for people on how you can tap into those local activities?

Providing a link to such local services means supporting them. Go and try it – they will often let you try for free if you promise to pass on details to all your current or former guests. It’s a bit like the old days when if you stayed in a hotel, they’d always have a big notice board with flyers brochures pamphlets of local activities but putting your client directly in contact with them through media and social networking. Join your local community Facebook group or local area mountain bike group or yachting group and link into it because you never know where your next booking is going to come from.

LOOK FOR THE UP-SALE OPPORTUNITIES His Chamonix business caters to clients that want to do their own catering; he says. “There are chefs here that work on a per meal basis or just get booked for a week, but generally we market the property of self-catered. I it’s a property that warrants it like a chalet then we can provide meet-greet services or maybe even things like a Champagne reception fridge fill-in.”

Chamonix Holidays also provides assistance for ski passes for guests travelling from Geneva airport, or car-hire or ski hire along with lessons/mountain guides, which of course all the clients can book and pay for along with the accommodation. “More often than they just book the accommodation, and we do some slight upselling because we provide this service for free but then we get payed a kick back by these companies for those individuals for pushing business their way,” he adds.

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IN DEPTH || CHAMONIX HOLIDAYS

Using technology to scale the heights of successful marketing.

IN DEPTH || CHAMONIX HOLIDAYS YS

That upselling – is it worth it for your bottom line – is it quite a nice little revenue earner?

Upselling is definitely a route worth taking to boost your bottom line, he says. “I can effectively employ someone simply to do upselling. We are not a particularly large company, but if we make less than 5,000 euros on commission for ski pass sales, I’d be disappointed.”

Transfers will offer 10% commission; and ski equipment hire companies will offer you commission to send business their way, he says, but ski lessons and mountain guides can take some time to organise.

“Families staying somewhere may want to go to a particular local spot offering morning or afternoon lessons, or they may be booking for the whole week, which takes a little organisation. But for other things like selling a transfer, you simply provide the details to the transfer company which goes ahead and books directly.”

He adds: “They keep a record of the amount of business we push their way and they pay us a nice little commission at the end of the season.”

Where do your bookings come from?

Depending on the time of year about 35% is direct bookings, then the big players such as Airbnb booking.com and homeandaway, which is owned by VRBO in the US, there are many other websites and companies such as TripAdvisor and owned by other companies, as well as plenty of other individuals in the process of starting up now using the same sort of model. So, there are a few creeping in and that takes up the remaining 5% or so.

A Q&A UNVEILS THE DETAIL

How difficult is it to setup a new OTA? Now that we are set up with a booking engine, adding a new OTA now takes about 10 seconds.

Is there no need to handle money?

I almost prefer not to handle cash. With ski passes, you can either choose to take the payment directly. You pay the company in Mont Blanc while you retain your commission, or you can use their booking system, thus effectively booking the clients using their payment methods directly with the company in Mont Blanc and then at the end of the season we do a reckoning.

So, the model is they don’t charge the client anymore, but they give you commission taken out of their side.

We’ve found it’s desperately expensive to live here and to employ people, so rather than doing a lot of the work ourselves – if we provided all the supporting services, we would need to employ lots of people. As a business we are qualified to do transfers ourselves.

But we are not a transfer business and if we were it would lead to all sorts of problems. We are in the business of taking care of owners’ properties

In total how many OTAs are you on with?

If you include homeandaway which has about 30 partners that equates to 30 different websites.

Combine those and Airbnb and booking.com and a few others with which we are synchronised with our booking management system, you are able to synchronise with lots of other OTAS facilities where our availability and property details and photography are automatically synchronised with their backend system and website. In total we are with around 50.

Is there a limit to the number of OTAs you are happy to work with?

We can always just switch them off again if they aren’t taking the bookings. We are not completely synchronised with booking.com because they are such a vast engine. When we synch a property with our booking management system, we then have to go into booking.com and add extra features and facilities that booking.com requires for it to be 100% active. If we synchronise, we are 87%, so we do synchronise then we go in and update aspects of booking.com to meet the 100% level and thus feature high up on their pages when people are searching rather than further down where some properties are not fully functional.

For Airbnb and homeandaway, it’s almost complete synchronisation.

MULTIPLE MARKETING CHANNELS Many hotels now market their properties via a number of channels, typically websites, or online travel agencies (OTAs). Booking.com, Expedia, Airbnb and others help put heads on beds that might not have found you via more localised marketing methods. Managing your property on multiple websites can be a challenge and this is where the booking engine can help.

It sits above the various OTAs and maintains availability and pricing is consistent and up-to-date.

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BOOKING ENGINE What is a booking engine.

DEFN: A hotel booking engine is an application on hotel websites used to securely process online reservations. The purpose of a hotel booking engine is to allow reservations to be made: Directly on your hotel's own website; and, Third party websites like Booking.com, on which your hotel is listed.

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Is Chamonix holidays.com your own personal booking engine, or is it a service you brought in?

We bought this one in. We did used to have our own booking engine, developed by a company that we paid a fortune for, but it did mean that whenever we wanted to make improvements or change it was costing us an absolute fortune, £60-£70 an hour to provide those services. The model these days for companies small or large is to bring in the professional again. The start-up fees are zero.

If you already have your own website, you can simply add on the booking management system, but often these companies will provide you with a website too, at a vastly reduced price, because they have already got the template. They have half a dozen templates and you pick the one you want. They simply take your photo and description and away you go. Then they have the booking management system behind it. It’s an internal system where the property details and the owner details, your bank details, reservations and availability are kept up to date along with things such as the pricing. Clients can either enquire or book and pay directly online using their credit card or they can use the banking services we provide, and for which we pay a monthly fee.

There are add-on services you can buy that may cost 1 euro per property per month. You are effectively paying a monthly fee proportionate to the amount of business you have. The fewer properties you have proportionately, the higher the fee but even if you have one property it is affordable.

It enables you to quickly grow to add further properties. In other words, you are not having to change your model just because you are adding to the existing ones.

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IN DEPTH || CHAMONIX HOLIDAYS

Are you working on Expedia at the moment?

If so, do you have a timescale?

We are about to synchronise with Expedia. They are an expanding big business, so we are hoping to get some bookings from them.

We could list with Expedia tomorrow if we wanted to. However, our system of working with Avantio is working very hard on a full synchronisation package and we are reliant on them for that. We could do it now, but it’d mean that if we got a booking through Expedia, we’d need to react pretty quickly to block out our website so that it doesn’t get booked that particular week or so that particular property doesn’t get booked out elsewhere. Then we’d also have to go in and update certain aspects of our properties on Expedia as well – it’s a bit of a time element for us, which is why we haven’t done it yet, but we also realise they are an important channel for us to utilise, so I’d expect to be with them by 1 January 2020.

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What booking service do you use?

We use a Spanish company called Avantio based in Valencia. They are very forward-thinking. Although they are based in Spain, they are now in the US and UK. We entered business with them in their lovely, plush offices in May. There they have a team of 120 staff, of which more than 80 were developers. They are developing these links with Airbnb and booking,. com and finding ways of improving the guest experience or easier ways of people to search for properties or improving the look and feel of your website or the management system or the reporting functionality or the back end management system where you are managing booking and maintenance issues or cleaning on departure. There is no way I’d be able to compete with them and their eight development staff by developing my own system. I just wouldn’t be able to keep up with them.

Unfortunately there has to be a time where you must let go and accept that someone else can do a better job than you can, allowing you to focus on what is important to you – on looking after your guests and your property. That’s what you are good at, with a management system helping you manage your property and your bookings, and they are good at helping you find guests by synchronising with all these other companies which is what they are good at doing. So, it’s realising what you are really doing – looking after your property and making clients happy and providing you with an income. All the other bits you let the other people do.

Five to ten years ago, for you to have any way this complex a setup would have cost you £100k and you’d have to be an IT expert. Yet you are doing this as an element of the entire business. Obviously, you are tech savvy.

REPEAT & DIRECT BOOKINGS Incentives for direct bookings? What are the steps to follow to get more?

The ideal solution is obviously for you to get direct bookings from your own website with repeat bookings and retain those clients.

Repeat business is slightly down because people are just queuing and buying – they are not necessarily loyal to the same owner, the same property the same company or the same location. The challenge is building that loyalty and getting that repeat business, and that is the focus for our business now. The booking management system gives us the time to do that.

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REVIEWS How important are your online reviews?

The name of the game with all the OTA websites, and the only way to generate bookings, is positive reviews and price. You need to be sensitive with your pricing especially at the beginning and not to be too greedy because you want that client to leave you with a positive review.

Usually a review is based on half a dozen things: was it value for money, clean and tidy? were you looked after? was the owner responsive to any request or concerns? was the description on the website accurate? and so on. If you get positive reviews then you put these on your own website, but they are also visible on the OTA site. This will automatically bump you up the listing on their site.

There might be 1000 apartment properties in London on Airbnb. If you are just starting out and you don’t have their features and facilities, you are going to be at the bottom of the list. If you have updated them, you will be slightly up but unless you are price sensitive people aster going to search other cheaper properties. You might not even be listed in the first 100.

You then need to really go for those positive reviews. It’s a bit like google ranking – you are never quite sure exactly how you can remain higher than someone else and get on that home page, and the same can be said of OTAs. You can be sure price is one of these things and positive reviews another.

On reviews for your direct bookings do you rely on the individual OTAs to review, or do you push everyone to TripAdvisor or google?

For direct bookings we send them an email for a departure and we ask them how their holiday went and ask all the things above, and offer them an incentive, so if they provide a review we will give them a discount if they choose to stay next year. That is just a personal email from our system to them.

We don’t advertise with TripAdvisor, but we have done so in the past. It is linked to holidaylettings.

We’d get TripAdvisor reviews if people booked via holidaylettings. They’re review the individual property rather than the business.

SEARCH ENGINES You are ranked #2 on google natural search for Chamonix Holidays. Do you put much effort into natural search?

We are starting to. When we published a new website in mid-2018 you’d have to expect a big drop in your ranking as a result of the new ranking – it’s just what happens. It was a website created using the Avantio template.

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CH DIVERSIFICATION Natural search is absolutely worth going for. It’s the end game. It’s for repeat bookings, direct bookings. If we pretend booking.com was 80% of our business, if they suddenly increase their rates from 15 to 30 or 40% then we couldn’t afford not to pay it. So, make sure you work with a number of providers, so you don’t get stuck and held to ransom, but crucially if you are having to pay those fees to OTAs then reinvesting in your own website seems like a good plan. You can’t not use them, but at the same time you got to be smart to be able to reinvest in your own business.

Are there other ways to connect directly with your future guests?

Yes. For example, via Facebook and Instagram. We have just started to work more with them so we are assembling a better database of people who have booked or enquired with us in the past so we can send regular emails, let them know we are still here and let them know of any promotion As well as keeping us fresh on social media we have specific Google campaigns. For example, at this time of year we have a number of properties that owners like us to rent out for the entire season. Because we had a new website our presence on google is quite low, but we have a special season advertising campaign to help us with that, so we run specific campaigns as well as general campaigns about self-catered apartments and chalets in Chamonix for summer or winter.

HOW TO FIND THE TIME. Do you need to be available 24/7?

Airbnb and booking.com have come in and completely changed things around. Five or more years ago, people really did prefer to have an email or phone conversation before committing to booking.

Now they almost prefer not to. “I want to see a property [to stay in] and buy it.”

Therefore, it’s no longer necessary to make yourself available to call all the time, so long as you can reply to messages promptly.

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If you split your day into marketing vs operations, what percentage of your day do you put into marketing and is it a fair amount of your job?

If you have one property, how many enquiries are going to deal with on a daily basis? 10 a week perhaps. That’s’ probably two hours of your day. Putting in the bookings, another 15-20 mins. You are probably spending in total half a day a week on managing your one property. You have to spend at least 25% of that time on marketing. You have to spend an hour doing it in the evening, just a Facebook message, a campaign with a list of everyone who has enquired about the property before – drop them an email about what is going on in the local area, telling them you have a free week over the new year do they have any friends that’d like to come and stay.

A little bit of marketing and doing it regularly – set yourself a goal of once a week or every fortnight – drop email FB update Instagram. Even if it’s not directly about your property, it might be cross-marketing someone else’s property or something else going on in the local community, because it will all be useful.

VOUCHER SYSTEMS? Have you considered a voucher system?

Many boutique hotels use voucher systems. There are now boutique websites where you have to be a member to advertise your property, and where you must be a member to book a property. The guarantee is you advertise your property on there, and you offer to give the client a discount from your normal rates if they book that property – late deals for example.

It’s like the back of magazines. If you buy a magazine for £10 there’s usually £50 worth of vouchers in there, rather like the easyJet inflight magazine – two parts is bigger than the sum of the whole.

The idea is it’s a bit of publicity: the company operates in this way on the basis that they can guarantee all these discounts and they get benefit in kind from both the guest who pays perhaps £10 a month to get £50 of vouchers which they might or might not use, spread across lots of different companies.

I can see it working. It’s a different concept using exclusivity and five-star treatment as a unique selling point which will work for the boutique hotel. For us as a business we want to be special and different from our competitors but at the end of the day the product we are offering it’s -property and holiday accommodation from a rental point of view, and we want to be as successful as possible rather than exclusive.

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IN DEPTH || CHAMONIX HOLIDAYS

Our previous website had 60-70 information pages on it, which made it hard to manage, hard to keep updating and hard to keep fresh and current. The new website really just focuses on what we are doing which is marketing the properties we have on our website for our owners and there are other websites that we will link to that have current and up to date information about travel, about Chamonix, about weather, webcams, things to do, places to visit, places to eat and so on. We can link to those and recommend other websites that provide much better information, so we perhaps lose a bit of ranking for that reason. Then we can focus on certain key words and certain terms and positive feedback and things like that for or website.

IN D DEPTH || FINANCE

G N I K A T L O R T N O C R U O OF Y s l l i b y energ If you have taken on your first commercial property, or you have just converted your family home into a luxury B&B, your energy bills are going to soar dramatically. Bill Lumley talks to energy brokers to see how you can keep costs down.

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YOU only have limited control over the gulf in energy costs between running your own family home and operating a commercial hospitality business. Even if you leave courtesy notes around the rooms asking your guests to consider the environment, there is nothing to stop your guests sleeping with the window open while the heating is on high, taking lengthy hot showers, or even simply leaving lights on. The cumulative costs can be astronomical.

You may not be aware that there is one moneysaving step you may consider taking that could significantly reduce your energy bills, and that is to appoint an energy broker, whose function is to find you the cheapest supplier in as deregulated market.

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CONSERVING ENERGY AT PEAK TIMES There are two factors when it comes to saving power.

The first is that it is important to minimise consumption where they have control such as communal areas. “In any B&B, guest house or hotel, the breakfast room and kitchen are where a vast amount of your energy is consumed,” he says. “The second factor is to make sure you are paying as little as possible for the gas, electricity and water that you actually consume.”

Reducing consumption can be as simple as changing your halogen lightbulbs to LED bulbs, he says. “I hope that all business owners are aware that making that minor change can make a huge difference. If you want to go a step further you can get building management systems installed, for instance lights that work on sensors and go out if they detect no movement over a fixed period.”

MARKET AGREEMENTS The function of an energy consultancy is to understand the requirements of the hospitality business, to go to the market and negotiate deals with all the current energy suppliers. Full Power has agreements with 48 suppliers. “Most people will be aware of the big six: British Gas, E.ON UK, npower, EDF Energy, Scottish Power and SSE, but they probably aren’t going to be aware of the 50 or so other suppliers out there in the market,” says Marc.

Around one in five of the suppliers in the commercial market will not deal directly with the end user, instead dealing exclusively with brokers. “If a luxury B&B operator approached Positive Energy, a major supplier in the UK market supplier, asking for a quote for your business, they won’t provide one,” he says.

It is these suppliers that tend to be the most competitive: having fewer overheads, and without having to invest in a sales team, they can pass on better rates to the end user. “There is an immediate benefit to using a broker,” he stresses.

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THERE IS AN IMMEDIATE BENEFIT TO USING A BROKER

Choosing the right energy supplier and the right contract is similar to choosing the right insurance policy. “Many people do not know whether their policies actually cover certain risks to which they may be exposed for a multitude of reasons and the policy may not meet the business owner’s requirements. Energy is not too dissimilar.”

Gas and electricity differ in their complexity, he says.

“Gas is quite a simple product, not complicated and quite easy to understand. By contrast electricity is increasingly becoming confusing, owing to the variety of power source and more business owners are becoming more aware of their carbon footprints, and more and more are demanding newer and renewable green energy.”

Electricity is confusing not just in the way it is produced and sourced, but also in the way it is priced.

Within a commercial electricity rate there are the actual costs of the electricity, then there are more than 10 different taxes and levies and charges that make up the price of the electricity supply. At present more than 55% of the price is made up of non-commodity charges. These include the feeding tariff, the climate change levy, renewable obligation and others, all in place to penalise commercial operations for consuming large quantities of electricity.

MAINTAINING THE NATIONAL GRID In addition, there are charges for the maintenance of the ageing structure of the national grid, built many years ago. “It’s a bit of a patchwork quilt, and the demand on the grid is more than it has ever been, and it is struggling under the pressure,” he says. “The price we pay for electricity includes a lot of charges to support the national grid.”

Referring back to the insurance metaphor when you take out a policy you need to know it covers you for everything you need, when you take out an electricity contract you need to know the price you are paying includes all these charges and you are not susceptible to price increases, should the price go up during the course of the contract. “You need to know the contract you have is what we call a fully fixed product. Broker will help business navigate this and ensure they are covered for all eventualities,” says Marc.

WATER SUPPLIER ISSUES Water supply is less complex than electricity or gas.

The UK water market is separated into four areas: Northern Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland. Unlike Scotland and Northern Ireland, the commercial water market was only deregulated in England and Wales in April 2017. Prior to that business owners had to purchase their water supply from their local water authority. Now they can shop the market and buy water from the supplier of their choice.

In truth there are minimal savings to be had by shopping around for a water supplier, Marc says.

However, if you are a multi-site hospitality business owner with perhaps six different guest houses or hotels dotted around the UK, you will be able to choose

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IN DEPTH || FINANCE

SELECTING THE RIGHT CONTRACT

Full Power Utilities in Borehamwood has a large client base of UK independent hospitality businesses.

UK channel manager Marc Wheatley says the service his company provides minimises what clients pay for their gas, electricity and water supply.

“We also remove the headache of trying to navigate a confusing marketplace, and we address the headache of dealing with the energy suppliers whenever there is a problem,” he says. “If a client has received an incorrect bill – and this unfortunately happens an awful lot – then, rather than having to call the energy supplier, they call us. Our direct links into the suppliers mean we can get things sorted out a lot more quickly.”

The lack of knowledge of the existence and function of energy brokers is astounding, he says, particularly among smaller businesses like independent guest houses and hotels, which simply renew their contract with their existing energy supplier year on year.

IN DEPTH || FINANCE

BEST PRACTICE FOR COMMERCIAL HOSPITALITY OWNERS: • Ensure that you have a fixed-price contract in place for the supply of your gas/electricity – ‘out of contract’ rates are upwards of 20% more expensive.

• Do not accept the renewal rates your existing supplier offers you – challenge them!

• Tender your gas/ electricity supply with as many suppliers as possible – do not simply renew with your existing supplier.

• Save yourself time and gain access to more suppliers and better rates, by using an energy consultancy like Full Power Utilities.

• Chose an energy consultancy that does not charge you a direct consultation fee – they should offer you a free review.

• Use an energy consultancy that is ‘Code of Practice Approved’.

Source: Full Power Utilities

from the water supply of up to six different water companies. Under the relatively recently deregulated market you can now put all of your properties’ water

tancy may charge a flat fee. The second is they may charge you a percentage of the savings they find you. The third structure is they won’t charge either

supply under one company, you will get one bill and you will probably save some money as well as the inconvenience of dealing with up to six different companies. There is thus an opportunity to tidy up your business water requirements.

a fee or a percentage of savings but will receive a commission from the supplier in question.

“In our opinion all our competitors should only be employing the third model, which is never to charge the client a fee, because they don’t need to,” he says.

TAKING OVER NEW PROPERTY

WHEN TO LOCK IN FOR A CLIENT

If you are taking on a new property, locate the gas water and electricity meters, and find out who the supplier is. If your own the property already and are converting it into commercial use, then you should be looking for a commercial supply of your gas and electricity. “You may not be able to change your water supply as the water authority may see it as a domestic supply. But to help you get one for gas and electricity there is no harm approaching as consultancy broker who should offer you a free review and not charge to review your current situation,” Marc says.

There are three revenue structures in the industry for companies of this nature. One is that a consul-

Most innkeepers and B&B owners are unlikely to pay close attention to the changes in the cost of energy measured in kiolowatts per hour. Laura Haapanen, head of market strategy at Pulse Business Energy and Water, makes market suggestions to her clients as and when to lock in a contract price. “I think this is one of the most important roles of an energy broker,” she says. “Typically, if you simply go directly with the supplier, they make more money if you sign up at a higher rate. It’s not in your best interest to make good market suggestions because if you sign up at 13p per kilowatt and the rate comes down to 11p, they pocket that money.

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IN DEPTH || FINANCE

“When we give market recommendations as a broker, they are not influenced by us making any more or less money.”

Many people think that simply locking in your energy is like signing a new cell phone contract and they are always looking for the lowest price, she says. "People give their contracts to six different brokers and their different suppliers directly in an effort to find the lowest price. What I usually tell people is to get their broker to view the market in line with what they are thinking.”

The point of a broker is more about managing your contract five or 10 years down the road not just giving you the price, she says. “If you are looking to buy on the last week before your contract ends and you want the lowest price that day go directly to the supplier and they will give you the lowest price that day and they will be very minimal difference in cost, but if you want the best price over the term of the contract two, three, five or even 10 years down the road then definitely use a broker. They are going to make the right suggestions.

“It’s not that suppliers can’t make the best suggestions in terms of contract term life, but they will want to sign you up as long as they can: you can’t really trust what they are saying. They’re in business too – that’s what they do.”

Making the right call on how long to be roped into an energy contract at a fixed price depends on looking at the time and points of recent highs and lows.

It is easy to believe it is a good idea to be tied into a contract for a number of years, especially if the rate is favourable compared with the previous year which may have seen energy prices distorted as happened after the Beats from the East last year.

She says: “We get the lowest price. When you are looking for contracts and use bidding practices, really what

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THE BREAKFAST ROOM AND KITCHEN ARE WHERE A VAST AMOUNT OF YOUR ENERGY IS CONSUMED

we are trying to do is devise strategies for our clients and put parameters in to make sure they are not making the wrong decision for example going too long at the wrong time and even going short at the wrong times."

She says when making a decision as to your energy contract you shouldn’t simply look at your budget from last year and the rate you are currently paying, but instead you should look at the whole historical picture.

“When you are looking at a price and it says £50 per mega watt hour the downside risk is at this stage far greater than the upside return. In other words, the market is far more likely to come down at this point than it is to go up. Therefore, we are advising our clients right now to hold off locking into a contract as there is no reason to believe the market will fall to £44 per megawatt hour which was the 2017 high. We are surprised by the number of people who seem happy to sign 48-month contracts,” she adds.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BROKER An independent hospitality business owner needs to find a broker he or she can trust over the long term, she says.

“Someone you approach for advice might show you where the market is now and show you a five-year view and a one-year view. If someone right now suggests you go for 36 or 48 months, they either don’t grasp the market or its fundamentals, or they have a financial interest in signing up long-term contracts, as a lot of them are paid by term life," says Laura.

“I suggest hospitality business owners test them, for example saying to the broker, ‘I am thinking of going 48 months.’ If the broker comes back and says they think the market is going to come down and that you should re-evaluate it and maybe think about 12 months, that is someone you want to think about working with long term.”

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IN DEPTH || CHRISTMAS DRINKS

CHIRSTMAS Cocktails FOR hospitality workers wondering what cocktails to push over the Christmas period, according to a survey from UK hospitality supplier Nisbets, it turns out the UK still favours old-fashioned (or classic) cocktails like Mojitos, Margaritas and Pina Coladas over newer and sexier tipples like The Hugo or The New York Sour.

The Nisbets survey also found that despite none of the top five cocktails containing vodka, Brits listed the spirit as their number one cocktail base.

They also found the UK’s top five Christmas cocktails, with The Snowball coming out as number one.

NATIONS FAVOURITE COCKTAIL REVEALED • Brits prefer a classic cocktail, according to a recent survey • Lack of knowledge around cocktails content could pose a potential danger to those who drink cocktails • Cost is a deterrent for many Brits when it comes to cocktails Cocktails have grown in popularity ever since their creation in the 1800s. However, despite the plethora of newly invented creations available to us each year, it seems that Brits prefer a classic tipple, according to the survey.

THE TOP 5 CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS

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1. Snowball 2. Eggnog 3. Buck’s fizz 4. Mulled Wine Cocktail 5. White Russian

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The study surveyed 1,000 UK adults to discover the nations favourite cocktail and found that their drink of choice was resoundingly the fresh and minty Mojito.

Despite none of the top 5 cocktails containing vodka, Brits listed the spirit as their number one cocktail base.

This raises concerns about the UK publics’ ignorance around alcohol content, which could be particularly harmful when it comes to the festive party season.

Lack of knowledge around what we are actually consuming could pose a potential danger to those who drink cocktails, particularly regarding both the percentage of alcohol and the number of units per drink - which can quickly add up.

Whilst often good value when considering the amount of alcohol per serving, it seems that cost is a deterrent for many Brits when it comes to cocktails, with many deeming them to be a treat rather than their first choice.

Dean Starling, head development chef at Nisbets, commented on the findings: “It’s interesting to see people’s choices when it comes to the UK’s favourite cocktails. We’ve seen a boom in bartenders creating new and exciting drinks in the last decade, so it’s surprising to see such traditional drinks in the top five, as opposed to more contemporary tipples with prosecco bases or flavoured spirits. Sometimes you can’t beat a classic!

“Christmas is a popular time for experimenting with your drinks, and cocktails are one of the best ways to enjoy different flavours and tastes.

“However, Uncertainty around the alcohol content or level can lead to people getting more intoxicated than they planned, so it’s important to stay safe around the holidays and know your limits.”

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‘Tis the season – not only to be jolly, but to tempt more customers through your doors and keep them staying longer.

Thanks to a warmer winter and changing festive habits, the on-trade experienced like-for-like sales growth of 4.1% in 2018 versus 2017, according to Heineken UK Greenpaper research. And, in 2018, the last working Friday before Christmas – dubbed Mad Friday – had the highest rate of sale over the festive period. Sales even eclipsed New Year’s Eve, as consumers across the country celebrated in the lead up to Christmas Day. This year, Mad Friday is set to fall on 21 December, and there is a big opportunity to boost sales in the weeks leading up to Christmas and New Year. With Christmas a time for sharing, Heineken UK has compiled insights and tips – underpinned by The Greenpaper research – to support you in maximising on the occasion and hear the ringing of tills throughout December.

PREMIUMISE, PREMIUMISE, PREMIUMISE Consumers are willing to pay more and try new drinks at Christmas, and their on-trade experiences and decisions are often treat-led. Some 40% expect to see a wider range over the period, presenting the perfect opportunity to push them into trading up across categories. This reinforces the We’re Worth It and Live Better drivers, worth £72M and £58M incremental value over three years respectively.

• Visibility: 51% of consumers who tried new drinks over Christmas in 2018 were influenced to do so by promotions or adverts. Witnessing another customer enjoying a particular serve prompted 22% of experimental consumers to order the same drink, so it’s key for outlets to introduce festive or innovative serves to remain relevant and keep them front of mind.

• Quality: Over a third (34%) of customers would pay extra for a better quality drink over Christmas than at any other time of the year. Word of mouth recommendations and return business are essential, so ensure you have a good cellar management routine, knowledgeable staff and a balanced range.

IN DEPTH || CHRISTMAS DRINKS

HAVE YOURSELF A MERRY BUSY CHRISTMAS

LILLET MULLED WINE

LILLET RED BLUSH

1 bottle of Lillet Rouge 10ml Suze 75ml ginger wine 50ml sugar syrup 75ml fresh orange juice Zest of 1 lemon 1 cinammon stick 4 cloves 1 pinch of grated nut meg

35ml Lillet blanc 25ml Martell VS 24ml fresh lemon juice 25ml sugar syrup

METHOD

METHOD Build in a mug, top with hot roiboos teas

GARNISH Lemon wedge and cloves

Pour all the ingredients into a sauxe pan Bring it to a simmer

GARNISH Orange wheel

FESTIVE SPIRIT Driven by the phenomenal popularity of gin, spirits saw a 9% uplift in value share over Christmas last year in comparison to 2017. Some categories also play heavily into the occasion, with cream liqueurs experiencing a 139% rate of sale growth over the festive period.

• Seasonal cocktails: From hot gin toddies and spiced negronis, to eggnog and Bucks Fizz, consider adding a mix of classic cocktails and creative concoctions to your drinks list.

• Turn up the heat: Given the trends for more warming flavours, why not incorporate a mulled wine or cider to your offering?

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DECEMBRE

LILLET ROYALE

35ml Lillet Rouge 25ml Byrrh 25ml fresh lemon juice 25ml sugar syrup

50ml Lillet Rouge 5ml creme de cassis 1' vanilaa bitters

METHOD

Build in a flute, top with Champagne

Build in a mug, top with hot earl grey tea

GARNISH

METHOD

GARNISH Orange zest

Lemon wheel & ginger slice

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 49

IN FOCUS || PRODUCT VIEW

A TAMPER-PROOF "DO-NOT-DISTURB" SIGN One third the size of tacky 'Do not disturb' door hooks.

20+ times more used. The majority will choose 'DO NOT DISTURB'.

It's guaranteed.

Astonishing wages.. time.. and workload savings. Visit greenguests.com for more information.

TO ADVERTISE HERE CONTACT DOMINIC@MIRAMEDIA.CO.UK

WHITE BRANDABLE MEDIUM PAPER DRINKING STRAW The paper drinking straw, which is 100% plastic free, is made IURP )6& FHUWLČ´HG 120gsm paper and is 3 ply thick to ensure it remains strong and long lasting. All our paper drinking straws are 100% biodegradable, recyclable and compostable. This straw is available with a white wrap which can also be branded.

Visit paperstrawgroup.com

TRACY POULSOM PHOTOGRAPHY Attractive lifestyle photos to simple product shots. Professional & High-Quality Photography. Quick 7XUQDURXQG $Î?RUGDEOH Rates. â&#x20AC;˘ Location shoots â&#x20AC;˘ In the Workplace â&#x20AC;˘ Lifestyle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; People, Families, Children, Pets â&#x20AC;˘ Portraits â&#x20AC;˘ Events and Functions â&#x20AC;˘ Product Shots â&#x20AC;˘ Street and Architecture. More information available at lovedesignbytracy.co.uk/photography

IHOME HWL83 iHomeÂŽ has added wireless Qi charging to its newest hotel alarm clock featuring their patented triple display (front, left and right sides of the cabinet) for easy viewing. More information available at hotelbedroomclocks.com

HAVE YOU SUBSCRIBED? Please check that we have your details by visiting www.luxurybbmag.co.uk/me The print and online versions of the magazine are 100% FREE to owners & managers of B&Bs, Inns & Guest Houses.

VISIT luxurybbmag.co.uk/me 50 || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || Christmas

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ON THE MARKET

BUSY TOWN CENTRE PUB, RESTAURANT AND B&B

£125,000 Situated in the centre of the High Street in the market town of Battle, this busy venue is a 17th century coaching inn consisting of a well patronised bar, restaurant and five B&B rooms + staff accommodation. Family commitments mean the owners are looking for a quick sale. bit.ly/C19-BFS-1

STYLISH NORTH WALES BED AND BREAKFAST IN LLANGOLLEN £475,000 Located in a popular historic tourist town, Cornerstones is a stylish and much revered Bed & Breakfast that benefits from expansive and year round trade. 3 en-suite guest suites together with guest lounge and breakfast rooms plus riverside garden. bit.ly/C19-BFS-4

VICTORIAN LUXURY B&B IN PADDINGTON, LONDON

£8,500,000 Substantial, terraced Victorian luxury B&B in Hyde Park/Paddington in London. This property comprises 22 individual guest bedrooms 21 ensuite, 1 shared bathroom, outside access and a spacious breakfast room. bit.ly/C19-BFS-7

www.luxurybbmag.co.uk/on-the-market

In partnership with

TWO ESTABLISHED HOLIDAY HOMES IN YORKSHIRE £1,250,000

BOUTIQUE FORMER HOTEL/ B&B WITH SPA NEAR BATH

2 Holiday Homes both next to each other in the village of Holmfirth, West Yorks - where the TV series Last of The Summer Wine was filmed. Both properties have been fully booked for the last 10 years. bit.ly/C19-BFS-2

£995,000 This magnificent, double fronted, detached property built in 1670 located close to Bath and Bristol. It provides 3 bed family accommodation and 7 luxury en-suite rooms. Can be B&B or selfcatering. There is a half acre landscaped garden and a field with barn and spa in the cellar! bit.ly/C19-BFS-3

GLENVILLE HOUSE, WINDERMERE

BED AND BREAKFAST IN GLORIOUS WYE VALLEY

£850,000 Glorious double fronted detached guest house in a prime position in Windermere.

Includes 7 high quality en suite letting bedrooms, car parking and 2 bedroom owners’ accommodation with woodland views. bit.ly/C19-BFS-5

£125,000 Superbly located B&B in the Wye Valley, between Ross-on-Wye and Monmouth. 12 letting bedrooms and owners flat, established for 50 years in a top tourist destination, ideal for exploring the outdoors. Easy to operate and manage. Selling due to retirement. bit.ly/C19-BFS-6

FREEHOLD LUXURY B&B IN PETERHEAD

AA FIVE STAR GOLD LUXURY B&B IN TORQUAY

£749,950 Expanding STB 4-Star rated luxury B&B operating from charming character property recently refurbished to highest specs in large grounds with 5 beautiful en-suite guest rooms & superbly appointed communal & ancillary areas.

C19-BFS-8

£525,000 Award winning B&B with 5 magnificent en-suite rooms plus owner’s 1/2 bedroom. Refurbished building with full rewiring, new boiler, airconditioning and re-plastered rooms, refitted kitchen and all en-suite bathrooms upgraded. bit.ly/C19-BFS-9

Christmas || Luxury Bed & Breakfast || 51

When only the best is good enough

The new GIGA X8

Coffee pleasure – freshly ground, not capsuled 32 speciality coffees can be selected via the 4.3" touchscreen colour display 2 precision ceramic disc grinders with Automatic Grinder Adjustment (A.G.A.®) for consistently even grinding Speed function: Hot water bypass for perfect speciality coffees in record time plus added user convenience

Ideal areas of use: hotels and bars, breakfast lounges, private restaurants, function areas Recommended maximum daily output: 200 cups

JURA Products Ltd., Vivary Mill, Vivary Way, Colne, Lancashire, BB8 9NW, Tel: 01282 868266, Fax: 01282 863411, sales@uk.jura.com, uk.jura.com