A five-star Mid Wales guesthouse has scooped up another award to add to its collection.
Kirsty Busfield and her husband Gareth, who purchased The Old Vicarage in the former slate village of Corris, near Machynlleth in 2021, have won the marketing and social category of the 2023 Excellence in Luxury Service Awards.
This new accolade comes after five-star gradings from Visit Wales and the AA, who also gave the guest house an award for its three course breakfasts.
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Ms Busfield, who runs the guest house, offers a series of packages that benefit other local businesses and gives her guests extra reasons to visit and things to do and see during their stay.
“I am passionate about promoting local, small businesses for guests to support whilst they are in the area,” said Ms Busfield, who swapped a globetrotting job with one of the big four consulting firms to take over the small hospitality business.
“One of the marketing initiatives I created, which took a lot of effort to co-ordinate with multiple local businesses, was my activity e-gift voucher promotion before Christmas, which included two nights B&B and an activity.
The e-vouchers offered by The Old Vicarage range from multi day hiking and cycling holidays, such as the Welsh three peaks, to ‘your railway for a day’ where guests are taught how to drive a steam train at Corris Railway.
There’s also an interactive donkey experience day, bushcraft or green-wood carving skills and a slate mine exploration day.
“We pride ourselves on being more than 'just a B&B'. We help our guests to truly experience the wonder of these valleys and make memories that will last a lifetime,” added Ms Busfield.
“We have rapidly become a destination for experience-based adventure in Mid Wales and Southern Snowdonia.”
The Old Vicarage is continuing to grow, with advance bookings 80 per cent up on the same period last year. There are also exciting investment plans in the pipeline for the guest house which “will create jobs and attract even more visitors to the scenic Dulas valley in the near future”.
Reflecting on her change of career from being a digital banking trouble-shooter, Ms Busfield says she has no regrets.
“It’s fantastic and I’m absolutely loving spending time with people who are on holiday and happy to be here to explore the area,” she said.
“We think it’s an incredible place and are excited to share it with other people, as there’s so much to do on our doorstep. I have a more hectic lifestyle here than when I lived in London and Brighton.”
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