Never a dull moment when running a bnb!
Today was one of our same-day guest changeovers, something I dread when my regular staff are on leave. Even when they're here, it's all hands on deck when we have messy guests!
Picture beach sand in every nook and cranny, chips on the floor and couches, wet towels on the beds, a sinkful of dirty dishes, the odd broken glass.🫣 Funny how everyone owns up to a broken glass on departure as of it's a punishable offence😅
Thank heavens there are very few high maintenance guests like that the rest of the year.
It's as if some people go a little crazy when December comes around!
Thankfully we have fabulous guests 90% of the time!
But, changeovers bring mountains of bedlinen, couch throws, cushion covers, and towels.
Add rainy days and a tumble dryer that gave up the ghost as chaos peaked, and the mountain starts to tower above everything! I think you get the picture.
Today was one of the crazy days but thankfully I have a reliable friend who offers her services during December horidays.
Then the fabulous guests - I'm often humbled by the kind guests who give me a gift on departure. The latest was Orchids, and some delicious nibbles.
Lovely people who enjoyed our magical Lily's Cottage so much, that they were reluctant to leave.
I'm super blessed meeting such wonderful people - the Grandpa is recovering from a stroke, and looked way more relaxed when they departed. He told me how well he rested in the cottage.
The other side of the coin
Then we had guests frantically calling me on Christmas day - they needed accommodation in a hurry.
Thankfully I had a cancelation for a dodgy booking and could accommodate them.
They were escaping from what they called a horiday!
Their cousin owns a number of apartments and all were booked except one that still needs some TLC. They were offered free accommodation by the cousin but were told cousin would have to send a cleaning team as it gad been empty for six months and he had contractors using it temporarily.
Well, the apartment was not cleaned when they arrived, and the doorlock wasn't working, so it was open.
The place smelt damp, mold on some of the walls, each room only had one grubby curtain drop, so anyone could see inside - note this is on a busy beachfront.
The guest nearly fell through the couch as he sat down, a big hole laid hidden under the upholstery.
The bedroom window could not open, so his wife tried sleeping in the livingroom; she's asthmatic and gets claustrophobic! She did not sleep a wink as the street sounds reverberated into the room.
No fan to be seen anywhere, and it's high summer here, hot and humid!
The fridge was full of moldy food.
The bathroom was no better - no shower head, only a pipe sticking out the wall!
They arrived looking like they'd been stranded on a desert island, and were over the moon to be back in the studio unit of Lily's Cottage.
So, this little bnb has become a safe haven and escape for many, and although I've now decided to put the house on the market mid 2025, I will continue to enjoy the job of hosting guests from near and far, some offloading mental baggage and recharging while here, ready to face the challenges of life!
Happy Holidays everyone, hope yours doesn't turn into horidays🫣
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Thank goodness for Lily's Cottage, what a live saver!
So you're thinking retiring for real this time? You've made such a success of Lily's Cottage, hopefully you can sell it as a going concern and hei a good price for it, then you can truly start your retirement life and relax. I'm sure that's what Arthur would want for you
Hi Pauline, yes the time has come to stop working and go into full retirement and have more time to let my hair down.
I will really miss the house, seeing old guests and meeting fascinating people from all walks of life! But I will still keep in touch with some.
I would have reached 2 milestones - 50 years in the house, and the BnB will be 10 years old in October 2025.
Property transfers take anything from 3-6 months so I'll cut off online bookings end Dec 2025.
I hope to get a good price as the cottage is generating a good income.
You're so right, Arthur would want me to slow down and enjoy life.
I want to travel and see more of the world.
We had one of those "cottages" at the beach. It was a single room, and we had to wait for the old man and his two dogs to move out before we could move in. A sour smell all over and mold in the fridge. Dog hairs all over and we departed within an hour. A real horriday. !LOL
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Oh no my friend, how awful! The lady got sick yesterday, she's been coughing and was feverish so ended up at the doctor, picked up a virus! So much for a free holiday!
Amazing how things work out milady, and we hope and pray that the lady will survive.
Things so often turn out into the unexpected, but such is life.
Take care.
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Oh my gosh, those guests really would have had a horiday if you hadn't given them accomodation, they must have felt like they were in paradise after that nightmarish place.
I imagine it's hard to make the decision to sell your house, Lizzie, but life has taught me not to resist change and to see it as an opportunity for new experiences, even if they are a little scary at first glance. I hope 2025 brings you new rewarding experiences, lots of health and joy. Much love 🤗😘
I felt so sorry for them, they're regular guests but grabbed the cousin's offer. They were so happy to be back here. The lady picked up a virus so ended up at the doc yesterday, and has been in bed all day. Thankfully they're still here for just over a week, so there's plenty of time to start enjoying a holiday and forget about the horriday!
You're right Eli, we don't like change, but need to do it when the time is right. I'm looking at a really nice over-55's sectional title block, a friend lives there and is very happy. I'll have more in my pocket than any of the other places I've looked at, so I'll be able to travel more.
I will miss the house and garden and the interaction with new and old guests, but I will be making new friends when I move on. Still a whole year to get used to the idea, if my plans work out!
Wishing you and yours a wonderfully blessed 2025 Eli💖
That place you are thinking of moving to sounds nice if you know someone who lives there. And if you have money left over to travel, all the better. One only takes from this life the experiences. You really enjoyed your trip to the Netherlands and if you can do it again and maybe go to other countries in Europe it would be great.
And you will always make friends wherever you go because you are a beautiful soul. May the plans be given to you if that is what is most convenient.
May 2025 be a good year for all of us, Lizzie. 🤗😘
We are humans and love the human touch.
The act of kindess of guests giving you little gifts when they leave sure does help get rid of memories of the guests you give the red card to Lizzie!
Love the orchids.
They sure make up for the unwelcome guests, thankfully I don't have to give out too many red cards Ed 😅
The Orchids are gorgeous, at least I can take my Orchid collection with me when I move, hopefully in early 2026 - a whole year to get used to the idea!
I hope you're having a lovely weekend Ed!
Sheesh, what a hellish place to encounter (especially for a Christmas getaway!). Lucky there's lovely places like yours around - and I mean truly lovely! Those photos are gorgeous! Can't wait to visit someday.
It sounded like one's worst nightmare, plus the lady is now coughing and feverish, had to see a doctor, so their holiday started off badly. Fortunately they're still here for another week. The cousin lives in another town, obviously had not been there for ages.
It would be such a treat having you visit, the cottage is truly magical❤️
So lovely to hear. Mr P will be arriving soon, looking forward to relaxing after a busy Christmas with his family.
Blimey, horidays is right!
Hope you had some time to relax over the holidays.
I remember you mentioned the guests that they urgently needed accommodation because the free one was a horror. Now we have the story. Omg, mouldy food in the fridge? And all the rest you described. Horrible! You named well the post haha, horidays 😆
They really looked shell-shocked when they arrived. Now the wife is feeling sick, feverish and coughing, had to visit the doctor today. Awful experience!
She actually coined the phrase, has quite a sense of humour😉
So far my holiday seems like a normal day. But far from horiday😬. Thanks goodness😌.
I'm glad you're having a holiday, and not the opposite @asiaymalay 😉
Good afternoon my brothers. Peace be upon us all today.
Enjoy your holiday. Holidays with family are really fun.
Thank you, it sure is!
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