How to provide the perfect farm holiday welcome

In the first of our series giving advice to farming families offering B&B or self-catering accommodation, Felicity Brown from Hoe Grange Holidays explains how to provide the perfect welcome

One of the first rules of running a farm holiday accommodation enterprise is making sure you’ve got all the little things right.

It may seem trivial, but make sure your signage is clear and looks professional so that guests can easily find you (you don’t want them driving around for hours down farm tracks that lead nowhere, only to arrive tired and short-tempered!)

Similarly, it’s worth taking time to make sure you have what they call in the trade “kerb appeal”. Check that the outside of your property is neat, tidy and welcoming – a well-kept flower border, for example, or a hanging basket, which never fails to gladden the heart and shows you care even before they’ve stepped inside the door.

Farm Stay holidays are on working farms, but that doesn’t mean that guests should put up with a dirty environment and unsightly mess. You want to create that “wow” factor both outside and inside your accommodation – a few little extra touches make a tremendous difference.

Make sure you know when guests expect to arrive so that you can greet them with a smile. If they are arriving after dark, keep the lights and the heating on so that they get a nice warm welcome. And don’t forget to help your guests with their luggage – no one wants to be lugging heavy cases upstairs after a long and tiring car journey.

We always strive to make our guests feel at home with a full familiarisation tour – it is often the little things that they find frustrating, such as how to work the heating, whirlpool bath, shower, or where to empty the compost bin. It doesn’t take long and avoids lots of questions later.

As a Farm Stay member, we provide wonderful welcome hampers with fresh free-range eggs, home-baked bread and cake, and locally sourced goodies – after a long journey, being treated to something extra special can make all the difference.

Everyone enjoys a break from the kitchen and even if guests are self-catering, you can offer the option of delicious local breakfast packs or prepared meals ready on arrival.

Remember to also find out if your guests are familiar with the local area, what their interests are and what they would like to do, so that you can help them make the most of their stay. Holidays are made of memories so use your local knowledge to advantage, to ensure they return for more. Provide a list of local events during their stay, up-to-date leaflets on attractions and information on where to buy local produce and crafts – it can boost the local economy by promoting your area.

listen and learn

One of the things I have learnt over the years of running farm accommodation is that it’s important to listen and understand your guests. Not everyone wants to chat – some prefer to be independent and left in peace, while others are happy for the interaction, so make an assessment and act accordingly. It’s all a matter of judging the situation and anticipating people’s needs, sometimes before they even know it themselves.

Finally, make sure your guests have your contact details and know how to get hold of you if they have any questions. In my experience, they are often reluctant to ask for help, so pop in later in the evening just to check if there is anything they have forgotten or need.

It’s the little touches like these that ensure you are remembered for all the right reasons – and makes guests want to book again.

Once you have waved them goodbye it is important to retain a relationship with them which will encourage repeat bookings. Don’t forget to follow-up after they have left with a friendly thank you. This is also the ideal opportunity to ask them for an online review, too.

HOE GRANGE HOLIDAYS, DERBYSHIRE

tips for a perfect welcome

Q Clear signage – help guests find you without hassle!

Q ‘Wow!’ factor – exceed your guests’ expectations

Q Meet and greet guests with a welcoming smile

Q Share your local knowledge

Q Can we help? Is everything satisfactory?