Reflections on running a BnB

Could I ever have achieved success with what I started seven years ago without the support of my hubby, our part-time domestic worker, and our gardener?

Never in a million years!

Cynthia now is our BnB housekeeper and our young gardener Bongikosi has become multi-skilled having learned DIY skills from hubby. At times, he has to prepare the units for new guests - from stripping when guests depart, to putting the final touches for the new guests.
Both these two special staff members have become more like family; the business helps us maintain our large home, and provides them with a good income.
So...our plans to scale down and move to a little cottage close to the beach, have been placed on the back burner, for now at least!

When I say it's been another week filled with busyness, it's an understatement... I'm sure you've heard me say that before!

Some people do not believe me when I say our days are filled to the brim, as they think we just sit around and wait for guests to arrive, although that has been happening of late, but it took a whole lot of hard work to get this off the ground.

These are just some of the stuff we had to do to set up our BnB some six months before my official retirement:

• Special Consent and a Business License from the Municipality were required to convert our garden cottage into a BnB - a load of work!
  Surrounding neighbours had to agree, floor plans were needed and a ton of other paperwork was required. Fortunately, hubby had already retired and did much of that groundwork.
• We had to register our domain and managed to get the exact name we wanted.
• Applications from various tourism bodies had to be obtained
• The cottage was furnished, but we had to upgrade and replace some of the furniture and appliances; good quality beds and linen were top of the list. We plowed all the money that came in from bookings, back into the business by slowly upgrading the decor and the exterior.
• I sat up at night listing on many online booking sites.
• Marketing took up a load of time, boosting Facebook posts, and keeping our GoogleBusiness and webpage up to date and I must say that the tourism organizations and booking sites also help a lot with marketing.

Ok, I know I'm going on about what I had to do in the beginning, but what about now?

We do not simply sit down and meet and greet, the work never stops.

Bookings from motoring companies have been increasing, and I now have to pass some of the bookings on to another local guesthouse when bookings clash.

I can proudly say that we have the highest online rating in the area, but this did not happen by chance, it's constant hard work and good hospitality.

Feeding hungry young men take up time, although I only give them self-serve continental breakfast supplies and a plated dinner at night, but spoil them now and then with home-baked goods.

We have some really good laughs at times but some heartwarming moments as well, like the two super-considerate young men who have been here for two weeks and gave me a huge slab of chocolate as a token of thanks tonight.

Small gestures like that mean a ton!

Back to everyday life, it looks like spring has finally sprung as the days are getting warmer, so we have started adding new flowering plants to the garden, to herald in the new season - new beginnings after a difficult year.

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Original Content by @lizelle
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