Woop woop it’s a new episode of A New Life in the Sun. Another whole hour of watching people try to turn their passions into profits!
This episode goes back to Steve and Tina setting up the holiday village in Portugal and things are going really well for them. The place looks amazing especially the sparkling swimming pool and all of the landscaping they have done. I love the addition of the bar and kids play area – naming just a few highlights.
Project Spend on New Life in Portugal
They have now spend over £200k developing the 3 acres of land to cater for big groups and large families to rent the whole holiday village and spend time together in idyllic surroundings.
They got their very first real paying guests, a large family who came to stay for 2 weeks and had the whole place to themselves. They really thought it was a slice of paradise. Guests said that the play was “really cool” and “amazing” so that has to be a good sign. They also commented it felt very safe for the kids.
Getting Prepared for Guests
It wasn’t all plain sailing though it was a lot to prepare including a thorough clean of the place. Being windy in that area means that it’s also dusty so keeping on top of the outdoor cleaning like the patio furniture can be a challenge. They also had other last minute things to do like preparing a welcome pack full of basics like bread, milk, meats and cheese.
Despite all the work these two are loving their new life. In fact they were so engrossed at one point Steve forgot to pick their little boy up from school on time! They moved to the Paderne area for the sun and they just love spending time outdoors with their children. It’s a big contrast from their life back in Bolton. They took the leap because they really wanted to control their own destiny, something lots of people in 9-5 jobs dream about.
They have chosen a lovely spot inland and on a cultural reserve, you can often hear the farm animals in the background which must be nice and relaxing for the visitors. The local area is farming countryside and is well known for growing oranges and figs.
Things can go Wrong
While the guests were there lots of things suddenly went wrong like the hot water went off and the pool pump broke. The guests went to the beach for the day and everything was soon sorted out. It was chaos on the village for the day with lots of workman on site and a photographer visit.
A big step forward for the couple was when the photographer came to do the professional photos and they looked amazing. They even captured drone footage over the village. Now they can start advertising and get even more bookings!
The Motor Home Guys
Loving the updates on this pair of Brits (Richard and Tony) who have set up a motor home business in France. They love getting out on the open road with a picnic and seeing where they end up. One of the great things about motor home trips is when you can go off your plan and if you suddenly see a lovely lake or something like that you can just stop and have lunch.
Exciting developments for them in this episode as they hire out their first two motor homes. They have to learn how to do the handovers and explain all the different elements with not very good French speaking skills! They do seem to manage fine though phew!
Testing the New Campervans
Before the paying customers came they wanted to test out their brand new campervans so they asked their French neighbour and her 2 children. They all went to a volcano theme park around an hour and a half away and stay overnight. The experience was brilliant and the boys loved the theme park so they will certainly be recommending that to their guests too. They have some suggested routes for the guests to follow in the campervan and some go right past this theme park. The kids loved the zip wire and the dragons.
They all had a lovely cooked breakfast outside the vans before heading home. The French neighbour passed on some great feedback such has having guides on how to work things and how to set up the additional equipment like outdoor table and cooker. She described the experience as “exceptional” and “really exciting”. They all slept well in the camper van too!
The motor home business is off to a brilliant start and the pair were pleased they were travelling in stunning scenery in France and not on the M25 back home.
B&B in Andalusia
Kirsty and Simon had given up everything to open this B&B in Spain and even sold their cars. It was already running as a B&B when they bought it. Then Covid-19 came along and threatened their dream.
Finally though they have their first bookings, it just happens to coincide with an event they are putting on at the same time. They try and plan the party as best they can without disturbing their new guests. Things were difficult and they couldn’t put up balloons until the last minute.
The first guests were a couple from Belgium and they really enjoyed their stay, especially the fact that they could eat evening meals there too. This put extra pressure and workload on the couple when they were preparing for the party.
Everything came together in the end though and the event was a big success. I’m looking forward to following this couple and this exciting business in future episodes.
Episode 3 of this series is going to feature a cycling holiday business in Valencia as they open for the first time. Eeeek!
