create account

Reflections on running a BnB by lizelle

View this thread on: hive.blogpeakd.comecency.com
· @lizelle · (edited)
$5.51
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! 


![Cynthia.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23wX5UwEchY4bfcC6fiV3DS7QSjupAA4hq5DQxbvcsLQdxsbXcxPyJGzWjh8jrnaaeLsm.jpg)


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. 


![chicken meatball curry.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23zS9XtPqsdxGX3LLZSUNAakj6bpUeDAgmSMBi9RxCbGJ38Wn6s5UFH11CKeM6wYrdBMw.jpg)


![Choc muffins.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/Eokd7Bm91qz8HvWW1oxjccQNQDuM475dyHovJ1b4ynsnU8baCx5KmZQz3pgkGCbN46a.jpg)


 
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. 


![20220913_142106.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23vsQk7sKrQ6nUbLfHrkqoUiXz5dj4eyL8SWNvquQ5rJG34NFiHM1AzQMozKLiw2buQwB.jpg)

 
<center>
![SBC Banner hive.png](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23tSKZaKSAuojMVBTQZjjbHiM3NCnvC5oRo12J7dExeLJDRNHC1Me5QHNCexxbB8kDAtb.png)

***
Original Content by @lizelle
Thank you for stopping by
Copyright @lizelle – All Rights Reserved  

**JOIN Hive using my referral [LINK](https://peakd.com/register?ref=lizelle)**
***


###### Come and join our [Silver Bloggers community ![Silver Bloggers footer banner 600 x 300.jpg](https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/hive-106316/48WD1eopcAX4rSS8vpYrV1FgBxPT9MQgSPaM2ToKczuqCr1Z41rVsFP8GHaoMoe4MT.jpg)](https://peakd.com/c/hive-106316)</center>

👍  , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , and 371 others
properties (23)
authorlizelle
permlinkreflections-on-running-a-bnb
categoryhive-106316
json_metadata"{"app":"peakd/2022.07.1","format":"markdown","description":"What it takes to run a successful BnB","tags":["hospitality","retirement-income","business","lifestyle","tourism","life","memories","neoxian","silverbloggers"],"users":["lizelle"],"image":["https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23wX5UwEchY4bfcC6fiV3DS7QSjupAA4hq5DQxbvcsLQdxsbXcxPyJGzWjh8jrnaaeLsm.jpg","https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23zS9XtPqsdxGX3LLZSUNAakj6bpUeDAgmSMBi9RxCbGJ38Wn6s5UFH11CKeM6wYrdBMw.jpg","https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/Eokd7Bm91qz8HvWW1oxjccQNQDuM475dyHovJ1b4ynsnU8baCx5KmZQz3pgkGCbN46a.jpg","https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23vsQk7sKrQ6nUbLfHrkqoUiXz5dj4eyL8SWNvquQ5rJG34NFiHM1AzQMozKLiw2buQwB.jpg","https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/lizelle/23tSKZaKSAuojMVBTQZjjbHiM3NCnvC5oRo12J7dExeLJDRNHC1Me5QHNCexxbB8kDAtb.png","https://files.peakd.com/file/peakd-hive/hive-106316/48WD1eopcAX4rSS8vpYrV1FgBxPT9MQgSPaM2ToKczuqCr1Z41rVsFP8GHaoMoe4MT.jpg"]}"
created2022-09-15 21:22:57
last_update2022-09-16 13:30:00
depth0
children2
last_payout2022-09-22 21:22:57
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value5.513 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length4,562
author_reputation1,140,007,003,509,993
root_title"Reflections on running a BnB"
beneficiaries
0.
accountreward.app
weight10,000
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id116,651,301
net_rshares17,123,717,893,283
author_curate_reward""
vote details (435)
@hivebuzz ·
Congratulations @lizelle! You have completed the following achievement on the Hive blockchain and have been rewarded with new badge(s):

<table><tr><td><img src="https://images.hive.blog/60x70/http://hivebuzz.me/@lizelle/upvoted.png?202209152248"></td><td>You received more than 160000 upvotes.<br>Your next target is to reach 170000 upvotes.</td></tr>
</table>

<sub>_You can view your badges on [your board](https://hivebuzz.me/@lizelle) and compare yourself to others in the [Ranking](https://hivebuzz.me/ranking)_</sub>
<sub>_If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word_ `STOP`</sub>



**Check out the last post from @hivebuzz:**
<table><tr><td><a href="/hive-106258/@hivebuzz/hivefest-2022-contest"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/64x128/https://i.imgur.com/GFdCYKj.jpg"></a></td><td><a href="/hive-106258/@hivebuzz/hivefest-2022-contest">HiveFest⁷ Meetings Contest</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/hive-106258/@hivebuzz/hivefest-2022-bos"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/64x128/https://i.imgur.com/sCBFjhf.png"></a></td><td><a href="/hive-106258/@hivebuzz/hivefest-2022-bos">HiveFest⁷ - Participate in the Balls of Steel tournament and get a new badge</a></td></tr><tr><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/lpud-202209"><img src="https://images.hive.blog/64x128/https://i.imgur.com/pVZi2Md.png"></a></td><td><a href="/hive-122221/@hivebuzz/lpud-202209">New badge - LEO Power Up Day - September 15, 2022</a></td></tr></table>
properties (22)
authorhivebuzz
permlinknotify-lizelle-20220915t231521
categoryhive-106316
json_metadata{"image":["http://hivebuzz.me/notify.t6.png"]}
created2022-09-15 23:15:21
last_update2022-09-15 23:15:21
depth1
children0
last_payout2022-09-22 23:15:21
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.000 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length1,473
author_reputation369,408,226,142,122
root_title"Reflections on running a BnB"
beneficiaries[]
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd10,000
post_id116,653,292
net_rshares0
@poshtoken ·
$0.12
https://twitter.com/LizelleBright/status/1570524708826918912
<sub> The rewards earned on this comment will go directly to the people( @lizelle ) sharing the post on Twitter as long as they are registered with @poshtoken. Sign up at https://hiveposh.com.</sub>
👍  
properties (23)
authorposhtoken
permlinkre-lizelle-reflections-on-running-a-bnb12645
categoryhive-106316
json_metadata"{"app":"Poshtoken 0.0.1","payoutToUser":["lizelle"]}"
created2022-09-15 21:30:21
last_update2022-09-15 21:30:21
depth1
children0
last_payout2022-09-22 21:30:21
cashout_time1969-12-31 23:59:59
total_payout_value0.000 HBD
curator_payout_value0.115 HBD
pending_payout_value0.000 HBD
promoted0.000 HBD
body_length260
author_reputation5,533,603,617,893,014
root_title"Reflections on running a BnB"
beneficiaries
0.
accountreward.app
weight10,000
max_accepted_payout1,000,000.000 HBD
percent_hbd0
post_id116,651,439
net_rshares353,460,982,405
author_curate_reward""
vote details (1)