July has historically always been a very busy month in the Mold household with birthdays and anniversaries to celebrate, the end of the academic year for our son and the beginning of the long summer holiday break. Not forgetting, of course, the commencement of harvest on the farm.
This year the month of July has represented something completely different for us pushing thoughts of celebrations and holidays to the peripheral and making our luxury glamping offering the main focus.
At the beginning of the year our plan was to be ready to welcome guests from Easter week-end but, of course, the global pandemic had other ideas.
Therefore the spring months were spent productively, finessing the luxury safari tents, managing the landscaping and giving us the opportunity to road test the tents highlighting the odd niggle that we were able to address.
It gave us time to research the new cleaning protocol that needed to be adopted and to think through the best way to take bookings moving forwards.
But, what we really couldn’t wait for was the bonafide guests who would give us the feedback we needed to re-assure us that what we had created is what holiday makers are looking for from a luxury glamping experience.
Eventually July 4th was announced as D day, the day we could officially welcome guests.
I hardly slept in the days running up to the arrival of our first guests and during their three day stay with us I was on the edge of my seat, hoping that everything was ok for them. I even took responsibility for the high winds and cool temperatures that thwarted that particular week-end – although of course there was nothing I could do about the weather!
So when their day of departure came and we bade them farewell having received a truly lovely testimonial from them I released the breath I had been holding all week-end and slept like a log that night.
Of course, a few days later we were expecting our next guests, a different demographic who would most likely have different needs and expectations and so my nerves went in to over drive once more.
By the end of July we will have welcomed six families to Meadow Field, with a further eight expected through-out August. We have had some truly wonderful feedback from our guests so far but I know that for every new family who have chosen to spend time here, I will carry that huge feeling of responsibility to ensure their holiday with us is all that they hoped it would be, if not more.
Our goal is to make the glamping experience at Meadow Field a memorable one – for all the right reasons! Whether its the farm location with the glorious vista from the safari tents or the luxurious accommodation with their sumptuous beds and private bathroom and kitchen facilities. Or just the ability to be able to access the great outdoors from your own front deck. Making memories around the fire pit whilst toasting marshmallows and star gazing or playing games and telling stories round the log burning stove.
For me, the best testimonial is when the guest has not needed to contact me during their stay. This tells me that they have had everything they needed whilst with us. Perfect.