That is to say, light at the end of the tunnel. It’s been two months since our last Journal update. But at last we have the exciting news of our opening date. On the 17th May we will be accepting guests again. Hurrah! (Yes, this does assume that all goes well with the national vaccination programme, but all the signs are very positive.)
By the time we open we will have been closed for five months in a row. In fact, to bore you with stats, we’ve only been open for five months since Covid hit in March 2020. Normality feels like a long time ago.
Spick And Span
But enough of the C word! Whenever we finally open, our guests are going to be able to enjoy the fruits of our ongoing refurbishment programme.
As the photos below show, our Torwood Suite (Room 7) is now finished in all its glory, including the beautiful Art Deco bathroom . And, yes, we actually have gold leaf tiles. And no, Helen was not impressed when she saw the bill for them come in, having been ordered by me, Peter, without any prior discussion. But as you know, we get immense pleasure from giving our rooms that WOW factor.
The Courtyard Suite (Room 3 – photos below) has also been refurbished. We finished the work in December but sadly it hasn’t been slept in – we have been in lockdown ever since.
We particularly like the wallpaper in this room, which on close inspection looks like marble. When you come and stay we will gladly give you a tour of the new rooms if you’d like a browse.
Keep Fit – Out And About
Besides glossing all the doors and titivating everything and anything all around the house, we have kept ourselves busy and fit walking the dog. As we are not allowed to travel, it’s been walks around Torbay. But as guests who’ve stayed with us know, that’s not a hardship. A short walk from The Somerville there are spectacular views across the harbour and marina. There are also all the marooned cruise liners, both in Torbay and along the coast in Babbacombe bay, where the majestic Queen Mary is waiting.
Keep Fit – In The Garden
This winter lockdown seems to have been particularly hard on almost everyone’s mental health and, of course, everyone in the hospitality sector has been hit especially hard. But at least spring is now upon us, so we’ll be making sure our gardens front and back are looking as they should by the time our guests arrive.
Grab A Spot
I know, I know – I can talk for the nation. But I must reiterate that, with the majority of holidays being taken in the UK this year, we are filling up very fast. Please don’t wait until we’ve opened to book a stay with us. Ring or email us as soon as you can, and we will endeavour to find you a room or suite before summer is upon us.
More Light!
I started this update by talking about light at the end of the tunnel. Well, another bright aspect of the last few months may well be the results of all the exercise we’ve been more-or-less forced to do. Below are two photos a professional photographer took of Helen and myself just the other week. Helen hates having her photo taken but I think she’s looking younger with every passing day. And I have to say that I was even pleased with how I looked. It must be the fresh air!
