Apparently, (although I have never tried it), if you run a marathon – do all the requisite training and exercise, get your body to peak fitness then actually run the full 26 miles – you should not just stop after the event itself. I am reliably informed that in the days and weeks that follow you have to ‘de-prepare’ as it were – still run, still train, but each day a little less so that the body has time to adjust to not being pushed to its limit. Those who train and prepare and then achieve their ambition but who suddenly stop at the finishing line, vowing that they are ‘done’, never to run again, are putting their body at risk. So marathon runners can be seen still running, still training, even though they have reached their goal, gradually settling down into their new routine.
We feel a bit like we’ve been running multiple marathons ever since the project here started in December 2017. It’s been a real uphill struggle sometimes and to be honest it has taken a lot of energy, both emotional and physical, and been somewhat all-consuming. When I last posted to this blog we were on the home straight, running full-pelt for the finishing line and hoping we didn’t trip up in the last few metres. There were a few stumbles right towards the end but the good news is that we made it! The glass balustrade on the outdoor terrace went up just 3 days before our first guests arrived so it did get close to the wire, but we were able to open on June 25th 2018 with everything pretty much as we want it to be. We have a few bits of pieces to finish off in the hall and stairwell, and our own living quarters will likely remain undecorated for some long time to come yet, (I think we need a break from paint and dust!), but from our guests’ point of view we are there.
It’s a strange feeling having people around again. For 8 years the house was never our own unless we closed down for a few days, and although we’ve been host to over 50 different tradesmen over the last 7 months the house has been quiet at night time and (sometimes) at the weekend. So it’s an odd feeling hearing voices in the hall, bumping into people on the terrace or having the doorbell go when someone needs some help. Odd, but good. It feels right for Bryn Melyn to be full again, full of people here to unwind and relax and explore this most beautiful part of the UK.
So far the apartments appear to be working well for people and the outdoor space is being actively enjoyed, including the hot tub as you can see! I think we had been so close to the project that we had become unsure of ourselves, unsure of what we had created, but our feedback so far has been universally positive with everyone to date really enjoying themselves and being very complimentary about the accommodation. Which is good! However now begins the more difficult part as having achieved our aim and converted Bryn Melyn into 3 spacious and comfortable holiday apartments we have to start selling them. Our livelihood, our existence, is still tied to the property and it needs to start earning an income once again. So we are now starting the next marathon – learning a new and different market, discovering what channels we need to engage with in order to showcase Bryn Melyn Apartments, experimenting with pricing and selling and new routines of work and cleaning and maintenance. It’s a whole new challenge that takes us into brand new territory but it’s one that already feels less stressful, which was one of the reasons for the change.
We have finished our marathon but are going to keep active. We are confident having finished that we have a great product in a great location and that people are going to love coming here. Bryn Melyn Apartments won’t suit everyone but we already know that our guests love them and will be back and that speaks volumes.