78. Starting Small, Dreaming Big: How Coorie Retreats Built a Vibrant Glamping Brand

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Speaker B: show where we dive deep into the stories behind the most creative and courageous minds in hospitality, travel and lifestyle design. In today's episode, I'm, um, joined by Eamonn Hegarty, the founder of Corey Retreats, a beautiful design led glamping brand that proves you don't need deep pockets or decades of experience to build something extraordinary. We talk about how they launched their first site with a limited hospitality background and um, funds the creative way they financed and designed each space and how storytelling and social media helped them grow a loyal following. We'll also explore their upcoming expansions plus the innovation behind their new flotation tubs, a unique feature that's become a guest favorite and a social media sensation. If you've ever dreamed about starting your own glamping or retreat business, or if you just love hearing how passion, design and grit can turn a vision into reality, this episode is for you. Glamping and unique holiday rentals are surging in popularity with the growing desire of customers to book holidays that deliver and experience. They are also the new business of choice for those wanting to improve their work life balance. So how do you build a strong business like this that gives you the life you need and a great investment? I'm Sarah Riley and I want to share what I've discovered after being immersed in this industry for over 20 years to inspire you to find out more about what's going on. Welcome. This is the business of glamping and unique holiday rentals.

Speaker D: Foreign.

Speaker B: I want to share something with you. For years I've been guiding people to launch and grow their own unique glamping businesses and transformational retreat events. And honestly, I've lost count of the number of times someone said to me, this is great, but can you just do it for me? For a long time my answer has been no, but not anymore. Now I've built a team, a hand picked collective of trusted creative experts who understand our industry. We've come together to offer done for you marketing and um, business support. So you can stop carrying it all on your own and start focusing on what you love most, creating beautiful experiences and lifelong memories for your guests. Because let's be honest, until now your team has been you. And that's just not enough. You wear all the hats, manage all the customers and still need to figure out the ever changing world of marketing. Bookings, dip algorithms, shift, competition gets fierce, you become less visible and it feels like you're carrying the world on your shoulders. But now you can expand your team without having to expand your payroll and finally get the help you need to take the pressure off and move forward. To find out more about the team you've always wanted but never had, head over to inspiredcourses.com team and learn about what inspired collective offers. And let's get some of those to do's off your plate. But be aware that we only have capacity to work with a handful of people. So if you're interested, be sure to get in touch. All right, back to the episode. So, Eamonn, it's just so wonderful to have you on the show today. I'm really excited because we had some earlier correspondence about something that I know others are going to want to hear about, which is a different kind of, well, something that could replace the hot tub, let's say, but it's healthier, better for the environment and maybe I'm grasping at straws, might be less regulations around it, but anyway, we're going to talk about that in a minute, but first of all, I'm really interested in your business. So tell me a little bit about that, where you are and what you've got for your guests.

Speaker D: Look, thanks for having me on. Really excited and um, hasn't yet to meet you as well. Just at one point in time, very quick change. But yes. And we started Pre retreats nearly three years ago. The idea came up, it was August 2022 and um, there was a lot of regulations in the sort of service accommodation industry which I sort of was dipping my toe into at the time. And from that I realized that with all the credentials sort of shutting down sorts of accommodation properties, it wasn't really somewhere I wanted to go. And at the time I was working a full time job as a quantity surveyor and I just knew that wasn't for me. And I sort of loved Horton calorie design construction and sort of on my own terms if I could do it that way. So from that I came up with the idea to look into bunting sites in which I've seen were on the up and it was a great experience. I actually um, proposed to my new wife and I glamoured pod for the first time when I went to go to one the. Was it Mark. 14th, 2020. So just before COVID but that was in the pod in the north of Scotland and um, just absolutely loved it with the hot tub over a river, just a greater set and just sort of reconnect to the next year. So that was a couple years prior to coming up with the idea. And um, yeah, from, from then just find a piece of land, quite a cheap piece of land and then just sort of built it all out with sort of construction background. I tried to just do as much as I could also while working the main job. And then lucky enough about a year and a half ago I uh, left my main job and the site was up and running for six months. I could just see it doing so well. So I left that and here we are today. Six units on site to our geodomes for our cabins and all have their own hot tubs and um, outdoor projector screens with barbecue fire pits and uh, everything that sort of guests want. And so far so good.

Speaker B: So tell me a little bit about the area that you're located. So why do people want to visit that area? What sort of there for them and what kind of things can they put into their day?

Speaker D: Yeah, it's an interesting one. So the area, it's in a wee place called Port Patrick which is in the very um, southwest of Scotland and it's probably the most unvisited area of Scotland. If you're coming up from England you're not really going to go direct west, you're going to just continue on up to Glasgow and then up to the Highlands. So it's sort of got its own sort of unique sound point that there's not much in that area. Not many people have traveled there so they like to go down and it's just quaint re villages and towns. The Port Patrick Azzoise the uk, I think it's European Oyster festival there every year and it's got lovely harbor and lovely walks and castles and it's also got the Black Forest which is I think one of the best places in the UK to do stargazing. There's very, very little light pollution so it's got quite a lot of things going for it. But it's just not a well traveled, documented place due to obviously the Highlands being so popular that people just go directly up there. But we can get to an hour, 50 minute drive from Glasgow, maybe two and a half hours from Edinburgh and I've had people from sort of all around the UK now come and visit and so far so good. Everyone's very surprised in a way about the area and because again it's not documented that well. But once you get in and you see things on the walks you can do, it's, it's very, very popular and very routine. There's now sort of like the destination to go in sort of that area and we're bringing quite a lot of tourists to Port Patcham and Stronar, which is the bigger town a few miles away. And um, yeah, hopefully if people are listening have been, ah, they can agree.

Speaker B: I think it's interesting how some areas don't have the natural footfall of tourism that it deserves. And often, you know, I hear people in the industry saying, oh no, no, no, you shouldn't set up there because there's not enough footfall, there's not enough industry, there's not enough tourism, so it wouldn't work. Whereas actually there's enough there to attract the tourists, there's enough there to give them stuff to do. It's just about encouraging them and helping educate them of these new areas that suddenly become this undiscovered part of the country. And so many times I've seen this happen where a very unique tourism business, just purely because it's so unique, has been enough to act almost as a beacon to attract attention for the tourist into that area. And the whole area has benefited from more visitors because of that. So I think this is where glamping really does stand head and shoulders above lots of other forms of tourism. So often because it almost educates, you know, the tourist about all of those amazing places that you can go to, low season, off season, off the beaten track because there's, you know, there's great things that we just don't know about it, we just need to be educated and I suppose that's what a uh, business's you know, social media posts and everything else that it shares amongst its own customers can really help with in an area. It's kind of bigger than the business itself almost. So what was it? So you obviously proposed to your wife and well done for remembering the date. You've got some husband brownie points. But what is it, what is it about the act of glamping that made you get into glamping? I mean there were obviously other aspects but what was it specifically about the act of glamping? Have you been an avid outdoorsman? Have you been very much into camping and being outside? Have you, have you always visited hotels but hated them? I mean what's, what made you want to get into the act of glamping M and all?

Speaker D: It's a great question. I mean it's, I think when I, when I first ever went down it was, I am very much like experience based. I just love doing different experiences no matter what it is. And gambling was a new experience and um, I just absolutely loved it. Something that you know, I think I've said to a few people before, you can go to any hotel in the world and you can only get a balcony. So. Right. But if you go grumping that is evolving like the outdoors. So it's such a big sort of pool and it's such a good experience because your outdoors is ever changing. If you're in Duncan, a view is obviously ever changing if you're in a hotel but you've only got a certain space. And if you go to a Duncan site, typically if you get more and more experiences added onto it like the site I've created, it's everything I love and everything I feel like sites need to have these days and try and aspire to have and trying to keep guests going back because that ah, is the destination. So like having hot tubs and, and southern spire pits, things within the cabins as well like I expect finishes. So it's, it's all of that combined is what, what sort of got me into it and it'll stand the test of time and yeah, I mean it's, it's, it's all about experiences for me and um, I guess that's sort of, that's, that's what I've got. And then that sort of leads me on to the, the wellness area that I've built on site. Uh, again that's an experience and from my own sort of vision of how that could play out and um, it's all about the guests staying in the site, staying in the area for Patrick and enjoying as much as they can and not travel too far from where they're based. And it's just, yeah, I've just fallen in love with it and it's a great, great industry and can I can see how many more people are sort of getting into it, but the levels just getting better and better. You know, like Airbnb 10 years ago was somebody's front or somebody's spare bedroom. Now it's hotel standards are bigger. I think Gonkin's gone along the same lines. It was odd in the field. Now it has to be a very, very high spec unit and with a lot of amenities and things also on site, uh, like a spa or a sauna or a sole protection bar and, and yeah, that's uh, that's where I'm at and I think it will continue.

Speaker B: Well, I think this is the thing, isn't it, that it's the experiential hospitality business. So it's all about the experience and way back in the day, the first days of glamping, when it really started taking off in the UK in about 2010, 2011. And uh, certainly 2010 was when I first got in, involved in the industry beyond what I was doing before, which was boutique hospitality. And I just remember thinking, oh my goodness, the structures, they're amazing. And all these different structures and they're incredible. And that was part of the experience, wasn't it? But now we're moving into a very much more mature industry. The structures aren't the only part of the experience anymore. So we need to be thinking as business owners, what else can we put on that is the experience? So obviously there's the experience of what's naturally in your local area. You know, the flora, the fauna, the natural things to look at, the views, the vistas, the walks, whatever it might be. But um, people want things to do literally as they step outside the door and they want to have something which is much more focused on wellness, well being and reducing their stress and everything else. And I'm well into that because I've been, been supporting people to run retreats for, for many years now and doing some of my own. But I'm really interested in how this is suddenly becoming something more of a focus to a lot of forward thinking, glamping business owners such as yourself who are thinking, okay, how can I make my business last longer and how can I make my services seem more attractive for longer and how Can I keep my customers coming back over and over again, get those repeats going. So is that another or are those various reasons why you decided to put your wellness element onto your business?

Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, the wellness element was, was definitely even from the get go. It's something that I plan to have. I think the, the design initially had just a sauna pod at the time and I knew that that's what people wanted and that's the way uh, people are moving towards like begin. Even speaking 10 years ago, like the people at uni used to go out all the time. Now I know friends that were at uni there recently that all they've got to go is run clubs and wellness and sauna. So it definitely changing landscape. So adding that to the site, lot of people that have stayed and haven't had that experience going back will keep routines coming in. Uh, and again, to me it's all just about creating these days where you really do remember it in like two or three years time. I think what a good time I've had. And it wasn't just sitting inside one week and maybe looking at the landscape, which isn't bad, but it's, it's, to me, it's just that we've given them a lot of things to do on site and even. I think it was about a year ago, it was. No, it was more than a year ago. I was, I was told by a marketing lady owns a marketing company that the number one search term in Scotland for people abroad is where can I see Highland cows? So off the back of that I thought I saw a light bulb going and there was a Highland coy farm about 30 miles away. And I spoke to the owner and said, can I buy two hybrid cars? Because I'd love to have them on our site. And he was like, yeah, why not? Um, and yeah, well, a month or two's work fencing and they had a natural stream already there. So it's a perfect site for it. 200 cars and had guests go on a giveaway to name them and sort of just brought everyone in that sort of journey and experience with us. And we built them a wee house and they've got neon plaques above it and all this type of stuff. So it's really, uh, it's really been quite popular. And just again, it's every guest that comes and stays, no matter how many nights, we always give them like a wee brush and some cow feed. And we have a wee story about Angus and Winston, the two cows, and where they're from and how they got here and people go up and, and just love it. So, yeah, again, albeit it's somewhat of an experience, not many people have met Highland Cows. To me, that's an experience and people, people just love it. So it's, um, it's something I sort of seen, had a local moment and thought that's, that's what I think the site would benefit from and, uh, guess would benefit from. And I think they're great. Yeah.

Speaker B: Yeah. I think you really hit the nail on the head there. It's like, not necessarily you, Eamonn, thinking this is what I want to give my guests. You actually took it from the other angle, which is, what do my guests want? What are they really looking for? Who is my ideal guest? You know, and all the different things involved in that for every guest segment, they're all different. They all want different things. So I often say to people, when you're setting up your business, think about very clearly, who do you want to attract and offer them what they want, because that's who you want to bring into your site. You could, you could try to be everything to everyone, but then you'll end up being nothing to no one. So the best thing is to really focus in on what do your specific ideal guests want. So that's really interesting you said about that. So you're trying to attract maybe more foreign guests. So is that one segment you're particularly focused on?

Speaker D: It's, uh, probably that's where the information came from. It's something we don't really get too much. Again, Port Patrick isn't for people from 50 miles away. Might not even know where Port Patrick is. So, ah, I don't think Americans or anyone abroad would know where they're from. It'd be a different story if it was up obviously in the Highlands or over near, um, St. Andrews, um, for example. But it's, it's more locals that seem to come to our site. 98, 99%. There's no airports, there's a boat across from Ireland that we might get a couple Irish people. But yeah, it's more, more targeted locals and I'm happy with that, uh, in terms of. Can't see that change too much. But I think people recon, it's just about giving them that experience and, and keeping it fresh. Like I was planning them for three more units at the minute and I'm very big on trying to now do like, different styles of units and which again, people that might have said could come back and try a different style. It might be an a frame it might be, you know, something like something underground, an underground unit built in. But it's another experience, something that they've maybe never done. Um, from a business standpoint, I can market that, which our site is doing really well in terms of social media aspect and presence and yeah, pushing that, uh, quite hard in terms of just interactions. You know, you have your different platforms and each platform has its own sort of range of what way you should do it. Like TikTok as it's more like in person interviews or behind the scenes with the staff. Instagram's a wee bit more polished and then Facebook is more like basic with photos. So, yeah, there's a lot there. And that's what sort of my day to day is at the minute, is trying to, trying to keep on top of that and figure out another way to get guests to come back and keep the experiences at the forefront.

Speaker B: The social media audience loves glamping. Oh yeah, they love it. Which is great. You know, it's lovely that it's so natural for people to want to share something connected to a business. I mean, not every business model is able to have that bonus. I mean, we're very, very lucky in the glamping industry. I mean, recently I've been very pleased to be speaking to people who've found businesses that provide mirrored domes and mirrored cabins and underground structures and trains, you know, repurposed trains. I mean the. Just what you can do is just endless and fascinating and really interesting and, and also just gives the most amazing guest experience just in the structure. But as we said, you know, the structures do get tired and they, people do move on and, um, they change their taste and they decide maybe something that was very popular 10 years ago suddenly isn't quite so popular. So there are other ways to add interest to what you're doing in your services and, and we've talked a bit about what you're doing with your. I, uh, suppose, for better word, would you call it a spa or a wellness. Is it a spa?

Speaker D: Yeah, it's pretty cold spa we've called it. But yeah, in the same sort of breath. It's like a wellness area. And yeah, it's an area on site that's private to the guests. And, um, guests would just book in an hour slot. You get an allocated time, you go down on your robe and, um, you open the door and it closes behind you and no one else can get in. And you have your sauna infrared room, which is sort of this dark room with red light parasite and with heated lamps and the Cold plunge, I regulate the cold plunge and then an outdoor warm shower and then the salt protection bath. And that salt protection bath has been sort of a bit of a challenge because it's. I don't, I don't know anyone else that's done it. I've seen the ones where they're like being at odds, where you can sit in individually. But we came up with the idea of buying Zohar hot tubs have these automatic feeders from pellets. So the wood burning hot tubs, all of our hot tubs, um, and the feeder we could take out and essentially make our own outdoor hot tub, which is a 2 by 2 meter salt flotation bath because that needs to be a hot tub temperature. And so it's all been sort of very bespoken, handmade, and, um, surprisingly works. So people do float in it. Uh, it's great. It really is.

Speaker B: So tell me a little bit about that. Because there are a lot of regulations around hot tubs. And, um, I don't think everyone who's getting into the industry when they're new really realize how many regulations there are around hot tubs. We won't get into that. But, you know, it's worth flagging that because people do need to be aware of it. Uh, but it's. There's no doubt that it is a guest magnet. People want to go where there's hot tubs and I can totally understand that. But personally I prefer salt rather than chemicals. I often call hot tubs like chemical soup. The way I think about it, because I'm more of a natural swimmer. I live by the sea. I love being in the sea. I'm very aware of the body's natural chemistry because I'm a, uh, trained health coach and I have some training in it. But also because I love the fact that when I jump in the sea, it just makes me feel so much better. And, um, the body is majority made up of salt, so it loves the sea and it kind of almost equalizes or brings it to a balance by jumping in the sea. So I can see really understand why being in a floating hot tub can. A floating hot tub, it's not hot tub, a floating pool, spa, whatever you want to call it, can be really, really relaxing for a start, but also have a heap of health benefits. But how do you maintain it? Because I can imagine that actually the amount of salt that you must put into it must be a huge amount. And how do you maintain that? How do you kind of keep it safe?

Speaker D: Yeah, yeah, it's definitely got its challenges. It is more vessel a very, very large pot tub, albeit the water level doesn't need to be that high. It only needs to be around 30 to 40 centimeters high, which is obviously different to uh, a thousand meter hot tub which needs filled up. But for every thousand liters, it's 350kg of salt there, thereabouts. There's, there's a, there's an instrument you can use that tells you the density of the salt and within the water. So we, we try and use Epsom salt, which has its own health benefits as you, you, you may know, which is great. And um, we sort of asked guests shower before and after because it does is incredible amount of salt on your body after it. And you could see people if they touch something or had people go into the sauna and they can. People accidentally put salt water from the. Even though there was a bucket pair and the water from the salt back onto the sauna stones and it was. The amount of salt obviously drying up after was incredible. But yeah, it's regulated like a hot tub. And um, uh, it's an experience. It's like New Orleans. You're lying there like the Dead Sea and very relaxing, as you say. And it's cleaned daily. Um, we have the steps the same set up as the hot tubs, but the salt cleans itself. The water is self regulating, so it doesn't need emptied, um, as much as a hot tub may, you know, after every change, you may rechange the hot tub. But this glass maybe five to six days, but everyone's typically showing before and after as well, so it's a lot cleaner. And all the readings are coming up great. We use an external company as well to do all those aguelas. The hot tubs, it comes with its challenges, but we have a maintenance team on site that scripts out of the leafs because it's open to the elements. It's covered, but it's not covered at the side because you sort of want to have that outdoor indoor feeling. And it's got a cover just to keep in the heat. Um, as I say, it's powered by pellets wood. So it's pretty great for the environment instead of an electrical one. And yeah, so far so good. And um, from a guest standpoint, it's just been a big, big hit.

Speaker B: And I imagine that all of your guests sleep like a log because Epsom salts are full of magnesium, which is what you need for good sleep. So that's a bonus, isn't it?

Speaker D: Well, they're not taking us anyway so they must be sleeping.

Speaker B: So also a bonus for you as well because you've got quiet guests. I think that's really incredible to think differently about providing something that the guests want but doing it in a slightly different way which makes you stand out differently. But also I can imagine that people who would come to you and they'd have the experience of staying in your cabins and, and all of that good stuff but they can also book the spa and they can stay in it and then it gives them this experience and feeling of well being. So there's no doubt that when they leave they're going to want to come back again. So it's going to become a regular thing on in their calendar to say, you know, I think we're due a trip now to uh, Corrie Retreats. So it's, it's something I think that really does help with that repeat guest booking element. But people feeling a little bit more like they would in a spirit spa experience. And so is there anything else that you've been thinking of to boost your spa experience with maybe providing massages or getting external providers of massages to come in and things like that? Is there anything you're thinking along those lines?

Speaker D: There's a couple things um, that we're thinking about. Well we have like a, there's an, there isn't, there isn't enough space to have maybe somebody come in and you need to do, you could do outdoors, you could do it in the infrared room with like uh, a massage treatment and it could be burp externally and to be honest it's just been that full on recently that I uh, haven't had the time to sort of look at that in the area. What I have been toying with the idea of is opening it to the public and, but only for a block set for people in the port. Patrick's drawn our area who would like to come and sort of use that facility because typically they're not going to go stay on the units or the cabins or uh, the geodomes just because they live so close. But they could maybe get uh, use of the spy element on like a monthly membership which I'm thinking about. And that would mean that they could come between the times that guests typically written music have like a three hour block period very early in the morning before work and after work late at night and then guests can have their R slot within that. And I think that would be quite a good way to sort of bring in the sort of local community and, and have their buy in on it as well. And I think it sort of deserves that. I initially had the idea of just having it exclusive to guests on site but I think when it's up and running and it's, it's hot all day and it's just sitting there and sometimes not used as much as it could be, it'd be great just to, to have it being used and having um, people enjoying it. So that's what, that's what I'm thinking at the minute in terms of facilities I think maxed out. I'm m going to. And I'll change the cubicle because I'll have to have people coming but like a sort uh, of natural outdoor one. And I've been told I need to make sure we have a hair dryer for any ladies come and use it. So we'll get that sorted and that hopefully be within the next, next three to four weeks. And we can go live with people in the area and just put out flyers and Facebook groups and whatnot, whatever we need to do. But yeah, I'm um, excited about that and really get its own sort of potentially personal profile like Google Profile is curriculspa and people can then reiterate it that way and come into the retreat that way.

Speaker B: I think it's a great idea because as well as, I mean you're going to limit the use even though you're expanding the use but because there's only so much that you're going to be able to book it out to people. So you won't be overusing your facilities but you'll be using them to the level that you planned for originally. And the great thing about that is as people come in and use it, they're obviously going to see and pass by your other units and that kind of really helps to bring it front of mind that you've got hospitality, unique hospitality. So when they have friends that want to visit or family that wants to come down and stay, they can recommend your accommodation as a place that they could book. So it's a great way of actually promoting the other side of your business or the main side of your business which is your accommodation. So tell me a little bit about the infrared. So we, I have a club of small business owners and we get together on a weekly basis to talk about elements of business, you know, from financial setup, setting up, getting the money, uh, and then also to how uh, to do the marketing, how to expand your facilities and amenities and things like that. And we've been talking a lot recently about infrared, because a couple of members have got family who aren't particularly well and they don't like the idea of going into winter. You know, there was the. In the uk, it's a bit damp, it's a bit dull, don't get so much sunshine, that kind of thing. And infrared is something that is very much of a health bonus. But there's two types of infrared. So there's the red light therapy, which is very much, from my understanding, is just kind of surface level red light. And then there's the infrared, which is like the sun, but it removes the negative light that we get from the sun, which can cause the cancer and things. But it allows the good parts of the infrared light to go through your skin and it heats you throughout, but it also heals you throughout. I mean, is that your understanding of it? What am I missing out there? Because it's really fascinating stuff.

Speaker D: Yeah, no, it's incredibly fascinating. And you see a lot of places, people online wrote this and, you know, it's just a daily routine for them and, um, it's. It's all about, yeah, wellness, as you said, it comes into your skin. I think it's meant to, like, mimic a fever, which brings out, like white blood cells and that sort of rejuvenates your body. So it's really, it's really something that's. It's been that it's quite new, but it's something that more and more people like the sauna and albeit it's been along for a long time, and more and more people are using it and seeing the benefits of it. And I think it's three times a week, 20 minutes each time, you reduce your risk of a heart attack by 50%. Some busy stats like that are coming out and I'm sure seeing it's going to come out with infrared or probably have done. So. Yeah. Again, it's all about experience. Like, you want to see good. If you feel good after suffering, you're going to remember it. So if you're going to feel good after soccer, pigeon bath, the hot tub, the cold plunge, anything like that, you're going to have to feel a good experience and good memories about it. So it's, It's. I think business owners these days need to start to think about adding these elements onto their site because that's what's going to keep the customers going back. That's what they're going to tell their friends, the dinner table. And, um, that's what will hopefully keep the bookings coming in. So if You've got any more tips of things that I haven't got on site, please let me know because I would like to add it.

Speaker B: Yeah, absolutely. I had a very interesting conversation with Tori and Seth Bolt recently who are uh, the owners of Bolt Farm Treehouse in America. And they were talking about the types of treatments and uh, accessories and everything else they're bringing into their stays, which partly is to really elevate it so that they can charge more because they're talking about adding value to the stay. Therefore they can charge more for the nightly rate and also so that they can use it themselves. So they have this idea that, and they book themselves time every week, that they're always in their own facilities once a week. And they have things like a uh, hot tub that actually looks like part of the cliffside. You wouldn't actually know it's a hot tub. It looks like the Cliffside which is incredible. So great views, great hot tub looks like the cliffside. And then they, they do treatments with local providers, things like that. So all kinds of, you know, facials and, and things. But they, they're not providing it themselves, they're just getting local providers to do it and, and lots of other businesses doing the same, you know that they, they're thinking about what do they like that actually makes them feel good, what is the health benefit. And then, and then they look at them bringing that in. So I have to ask the question, do you book out time for you and your family to go and stay in your own spa? And if not, why not once it's just fully booked?

Speaker D: No, I wish I could. It's. I live about two and a half hours from the site so I run uh, the site sort of fully automated let's say fully hands off in terms of that. I don't need to be down there. And um, my sort of main focus is now just on the marketing side of things which can be done from afar. And that's sort of been the way it's been from the start because the piece of. That's all I could afford. The piece of land was that far down. And I love the area of Port Patrick and I've been a couple of times prior to that. But that site is now just run sort of fully hands off with the cleaning staff, maintenance manager and um, everything's automated check ins, the systems are all automated and um, guests are checked in, not really meeting anyone, which I think is the way to go these days. I don't think people like the whole, and not everyone, but then people Just like to get in, get their keys, get into the unit and relax. And so I would love to go down more. I uh, keep on promising myself a while I'd go back to the spa and use that much as you can. And funny uh, I was thinking as well where they were saying about the, what additional could you use? It was pointed idea of like a mud room as well which I know there's quite a lot of benefits depending on the mud you get I guess but they'd on your skin but stop time it's tried because I think that could be a recipe for disaster. Depends who's doing it and who's uh, who's not and who's cleaning themselves after with the white tiles and the white ropes. But then yes, yeah, yeah maybe I'll, I'll go down and try and have a go at me doing it personally the month and um, seeing if that can work.

Speaker B: Yeah I think that, I think you're right. That could be a real recipe for disaster. I'm sure everyone would love it but I don't think your cleaners would like it. So I've got to ask then as you manage most of this remotely, I mean what, what kind of tools do you use that you find the most helpful in that process in terms of allowing guests to gain access in and out during the times that they've been booked and as you said you've got automated check in processes and, and things like that. What have you used tools wise to help you relieve you from the burden of having to be there all the time other than staff?

Speaker D: Yeah, yeah. I mean software wise it's like a PMS system, project management system. Had one that we use for, for a long time just switched to one called Muse and just learning the ropes of that that seems like it certainly had a lot more introgressions in it but the whole aspect from when somebody books through the website to then obviously get their booking information or check in time and we have like follow up messages, emails, we have follow up whatsapps just to see if you'd like the other package would you like our check in rate checkout and again it's all automated where they can pay on a book on a payment link and it updates their booking and um, whilst they're staying we would send a follow up email or uh, they leave we would then send a few emails to see if they would like to come back with discounted. All sort of general stuff really trying to keep as automated as possible but not like robot automated but like personally Automated. And from that we just do, uh, a lot of marketing through WhatsApp, which I think there's a massive, massive scope for. I think it's not as big as it probably could or should be. Mark. Email marketing is obviously still very popular, but WhatsApp marketing is massive because I think the open rate and emails is 18% and the opening rate of a WhatsApp is like 95%. So if you have a trusted WhatsApp provider, like your own retreats, WhatsApp, and it doesn't look like spam or somebody trying to take your information, obviously you need to build that trust, but the information, they're happy to be marketed to, then that's the sort of we're going down. And, um, it seems to be, yeah, certainly the best way in terms of getting opening, uh, opening rates and you can send certain links and videos to them. So that's, that's on the booking side of things. And then we, we use a, a system called Go High Level and that is where all emails, WhatsApps, Facebook messages, LinkedIn messages, TikTok and Facebook all play into one system. So instead of having six different logins, you have one login and you can speak to all guests there. And it certainly saves a lot of time and it's a lot cleaner and you don't miss as much. So that's really, really been good. And just trying to keep that is sort of at the forefront of our mind whenever we're speaking to guests, like where they're coming from and who they are. But yeah, they're two main systems and Evan's working really good and um, really hands off and then cleaning side of things. The cleaners have login to the PMS system where they could see cleans and packages and everything's automated that way. In terms of what kind of chicken I'm checking out, if they've got a pizza package, a monthly package, birthday package, spa package, whatever it must be, they'll have that instantly. Um, it's just like a sort of life cycle of how the business is operated now.

Speaker B: So how do you onboard your staff? Do you have to put them through the training for those particular systems so that they understand how it works? Because not everybody who is maybe in hospitality is happy using those automated services when maybe they're a provider of a changeover and things like that? And how have you managed to overcome that?

Speaker D: Yeah, I mean each, each obviously has. As I said, we switched to Muse quite recently, so I'm learning that as well at the minute. Um, and, um, no one likes change. It's, everyone pushes against it and it's just the way we're all built to think. But once you see it working and once you see it it's very doing what, what you were promised and, and how it can save you time, uh, it's well worth investing in. And at the end of the day everyone wants the time back. So everyone wants to have more time and these systems give you that training wise there's certain, depending on who you go with that they'll, they might have their own like training library that you can follow and obviously YouTube, ChatGPT, whatever and train and each system or continue from each system because they'll have the information in the background and so it's just really how much effort you want to put in sort of save yourself in the long run from now and you'll see, you'll see of time in the future is the way I see it. So that's how it's working. And um, from the clean side of things again they're just, they have their calendars and it's all, there's not much tuning they do on their side of things, just a live calendar with whatever they need and that's how we sort of operate at the minute. And it's going great.

Speaker B: I've spent a lot of time uh, with Go High Level and I know that it's got this incredible number of bonuses and positives for a business owner but it can be technologically quite difficult to wrap your head around unless you're technology minded let's say. And uh, yes I think these tools are really helpful as you said, particularly if you are trying to make the guest experience better. You've really got to use technology to do that. I mean, had a discussion not long ago with somebody who said no AI, no shouldn't happen in hospitality because hospitality is all about one to one connections. And uh, while I do absolutely agree with that and I don't dispute that whatsoever, there is still this need because people want to have an instant response even if it's midnight, Even if it's 2 o' clock in the morning and they just so happen to be up with the baby or they're up early because they're about to go off to work and they want to send a message about their stay and they want an instant response or they've got a query about their booking and they want an instant response response. And it's those times I think where uh, AI and the automated systems can really help to enhance the guest experience. Take the pressure off the owner. The guest feels completely looked after. The owner feels like they're not running around like a headless chicken trying to answer all of these things. And so I think it's a win, win for everybody. And I think that's the kind of AI that's really important and those, the automations that are really important to kind of embrace the other in AIs which are, you know, completely writing your emails out to messages, your email messages out to your guests isn't necessarily the best. It's good to have some level of uh, personality in there from the owner and things like that. And so what are your views on all of that, the AI systems that are now available to hospitality hosts?

Speaker D: Yeah, it's an ever changing sort of landscape, isn't it really? It's a, it's, it is great as you say with Those sort of FAQs or somebody's got an issue with how do I turn on a light or a hot tub or the shar or whatever it must be. If that can be automated quite quickly and it's quite a simple, this is how you do it, there's no reason not to do that. I think like the AI mark, AI is from a visual standpoint in terms of people like altering the way things might look and photos online and stuff like that I don't like too much. I think that's not given a true selection of how, how the site might be or how, how the landscape might be. So when I see stuff that's been altered and it's not like that in real life, I don't think that's, that's a good use offer. But I think from a guest standpoint, communication wise it's as long as you, let's teach the AI the way you want it to be taught and it comes from your own person and the way you speak and the way you see the site being and the way you want to speak back to guests, I don't see an issue with that. And I think the guests aren't there to sort of speak to you per se, they're there to experience the site and what's in the site and that's totally away from the phone hopefully. So if I can answer the questions with AI as quickly as possible and um, get them booked in as quick as possible, add a package as quick as possible, whatever it needs to be, um, and it's all seamless and it gives them again more time to have uh, experience instead of being on the phone or texting constantly and somebody takes 10 minutes to text back. I think that's just a positive. And, um, yeah, to me, it's just really the big not worry with the thing. I don't like as much as if they're all grown like photos. You don't know what's real, what's not real these days too much when you see. You can see, like, my face. Are you an AI at the minute? Who knows? It's incredible how that's changing. And that's the bit I don't. I wouldn't like to see come into the garden industry where people might have a cabin and then they had to make it have all these features outside it and people might book and they turn up just a cabin of features, which I think is the, uh, worry inside of it, which I haven't seen much of, but just don't know.

Speaker B: Yeah, well, hopefully people realize that to raise expectations too high and then people are disappointed when they arrive, will absolutely end up with loads of bad reviews and they'll just be completely and utterly destroyed online by people who are expecting more. So hopefully that's always going to be the case, that people won't misuse it, but they will use it in a way that helps to make them more efficient and a better service for the guest. I think that's key, isn't it, making the service better. Uh, but that, you know, hopefully that will be the way. I know that it could be quite tempting for some who don't have quite such strong scruples that they might end up using it and misusing it, but hopefully not. I think guests always vote with their feet and they will walk away from a business that doesn't use it in the right way. So as long as we're using it in the right way, we'll have guests bookings and those guest bookings will increase and also the service for the guest will increase and improve as well as it goes forward. So there's some interesting changes going on in the industry at the moment from some businesses experiencing great growth and strong bookings and other businesses not experiencing quite the same level of positivity. There's definitely ups and downs and I suppose a little bit of a lack of confidence because of what's going on in the wider, uh, world view with the economies and, you know, things happening in different countries, that kind of thing, which always seems to erode confidence levels. So what are your views at the moment of the industry in the UK and what's happening across the board with Glamping?

Speaker D: What's your thoughts Yeah, I think it's still um, quite an exciting time for glamping. I mean obviously post Covid everyone wanted to go outside and I think that's when the boom happened, obviously with the glamping. I do think you were saying, obviously there's a few sites that are struggling. I think it's just sort of a natural selection process of whenever people up their game in an industry, it's the ones that don't try and up it with that, everyone else are going to get left behind. And that's just where, where people need to either come in, um, and buy their sites and develop them up, if that's possible. The owner might be willing to sell it. And I'm having a meeting tomorrow looking at this site, guys in Spain and it's sort of that exact sort of situation that I would. He's only on one platform like M booking dot com. He doesn't have his own website, he doesn't have social media. And it's like I'm trying to say to him like, this is, this is what it could be like. Obviously I don't want a competitor, but it just needs to get up to the level that people want to come to it. So that's sort of what I'm doing at the minute. I'm trying to actively do and find these sheets, uh, which could benefit me, could benefit the owner if they want to get out and they're not getting the bookings to sort of COVID themselves. And that's the way I see a goal. And I think it needs to just constantly develop, constantly be at the top of the game. Always, just constantly think of the guest and what the guest wants. As 10 years ago guests weren't that much into wellness. Now they are. Ten years from now they might be in something totally different. It's just always trying to keep the finger on the pulse of where that's going and change, um, your site as you see fit. And again, the guest is always right, the guest is first. So that's the way I always look at it and. But I'm very, very positive with the glamping industry in a row. I think it's where everything's going. City center breaks and people are going out to bars and stuff like that. Still there, but definitely not as much as it used to be. I'm um, sort of this whole concept of, uh, no phones I think is going to be a massive thing in the next year or two. You go to actual hotels or gramping sites and you don't have wi fi then or the leave your phone at the reception of the hotel or you leave your phone locked in a cabin somewhere, there's a wee lockbox or something like that. I think this is going to be the next sort of like experience and um, the next sort of getaways that people, people want because the ones that are coming in five, ten years from now have just been glued to their phones and they'll want, they'll pay for experiences away from it which is something I'll hopefully look at not too soon in the future because it's, it's a bit for everyone, better for everyone whenever you're off your phone to be honest. Um, and that's where I think that's going to. People pay to be offered in the future.

Speaker B: Yeah, I mean it's really interesting you're highlighting there. We don't know what's going to happen in the future, we don't know where this is going and yet we are in probably one of the biggest times of technological change that we've ever known. This is akin to the Industrial revolution when that happened and the amount of change, change it's going to bring. So in 10 years time everything's going to look very, very different, isn't it? And from my perspective as a business owner, I couldn't possibly advise myself or others on what's going to be happening then. But it's very important to stay one step ahead and to be part of the flow of where it's going and to be paying attention, staying alert and adjusting and tweaking as we go. As you also mentioned and I think that is key for every business in every industry. But the positive thing I suppose I'd like to mention is so part of my day job which is being conference director to or uh, co conference director to the glamping show Americas, we had a guest on stage very recently, he was a Microsoft. Well he was a technological wizard who sold his business to Microsoft. That's how good he was. And he was now in hospitality and he was in hospitality, more specific, unique hospitality. So along what we're doing, which is experiential because he said he felt it was the industry that was going to be the strongest in the future because there is always going to be that need for the unique and individual attention that is very important for hospitality. That's what people go for, that's what they pay for, that's what they want and so that's what we'll be providing. And so his view is no matter where things go with AI technology in the industry, there will always be a place for hospitality and unique hospitality that makes people feel very special. So I think that's a really nice thing to hear when you're in the industry and you're being maybe concerned by the news, you're hearing the things you're understanding, you know is happening in, out there and, and you hear that someone who was in AI, was in a very high level technology industry has moved to hospitality because he feels that's one of the safer places to be. So for me, I'm celebrating, you know,

Speaker D: I've got my arms out. Yay.

Speaker B: Brilliant. I mean that's fabulous. So yeah, I hope that's good news for you and also for anyone else who might be listening. But if somebody wanted to find out more about you and what you do, where would they go to do that?

Speaker D: Uh, I've got LinkedIn Eamon Hybrid on LinkedIn. I uh, post there um, semi regularly, uh, but just all things grumpy and I just love it. So I'm very much in the industry and love talking about it. And then if you want to come check out career retreats is careertreats.co.uk and uh, you can check us out on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook or our own website and it's C O O R I E Restreats.

Speaker B: Brilliant. I will include all of those links in the show description and I know people will reach out to you if they want to talk to you more about anything you've shared today. And thank you for your time and sharing your inspiration. It's fantastic to uh, connect and face to face again. Even though we met at the glamping show recently. But oh my goodness me, my, my addled memory and my jet lag is playing with my mind. But so brilliant to connect again. It's great.

Speaker D: No, it's been an honor. Thanks for having me on and um, yeah, I'm excited to see where uh, you go with this podcast, uh, and the industry as well. So it's exciting times. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Speaker B: Thank you. See you again.

Speaker D: See ya.

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