Blog #4 The first year of B&B Lyts Paradys
September 2021
After years of renovating our farmhouse, the first three rooms of the B&B are ready. The goal was not to open the B&B until the entire renovation is complete, including the apartment which is currently still under construction.
More on the progress of the renovation of the apartment "The Front House" will follow later.
Via, via, the first reservation requests are already coming in for the B&B.
What are we going to do with this?
The first rooms are ready, right? The Web site is ready.
We decide to go for it! We are going to host "our" first guests.
With healthy excitement and much enthusiasm, we welcome the first guests. An extra tour of the room beforehand, check, check, double check, everything is in order.
What is important to us and what we would like to offer guests is:
- a good bed
- a good shower
- a fantastic breakfast of local produce
The feeling of "then" and the comfort of "now.
September 2022
It has now been a year since we first opened the doors of the B&B to guests.
Last summer Chris was in a position, to take a sabbatical from his job from May to September. With that, the B&B was open daily for 4 months.
For the upcoming time, the B&B will be open only on weekends and vacations.
It was a joy to run the B&B. The variety of guests is so special. And every guest is equally enthusiastic and friendly. When guests leave rested and with a smile, we have achieved our goal.
Then the question arises, how do we do it as B&B owners? What do guests think? How are we doing compared to other B&Bs?
That makes us decide, to sign up with bedandbreakfast Netherlands, to get our B&B certified.
Within the time of signing up and one year, a mystery guest will visit. The mystery guest assesses not only the comfort of the B&B, but also the hospitality. One of these days you will have just stepped out of bed on the wrong foot.
Alderman Mr. Hoen of the Municipality of Weststellingwerf came to congratulate us with a beautiful bouquet of flowers.
To cut a long story short:
We 'B&B Lyts Paradys' are certified with 5 tulips.
This is the highest attainable, which of course we are extremely proud of. We are on the right track and this is how we will continue!
The conclusion of the first year of the B&B
Did it go as expected? Ah, we didn't really have any expectations beforehand about how a first year would go. What is beyond expectation is that so many people know how to find us. And the first season got busier and fuller by the week.
Okay, which may have been slightly underestimated beforehand, how much work goes into it, when the B&B is fully booked. But that shouldn't spoil the fun. The enthusiasm of the guests gives us energy.
Of course, the 5 tulips certification is a "cherry on top.
But what's even more fun is that there are already returning guests.
What we get back from guests:
- This feels like 'coming home'
- It was too short....
- We will definitely come back!