Breakfast in Jim Jams - never say no!

In reply to a recent question as to whether our self catering apartment included breakfast! The answer given was -
" Breakfast is not included but what is included are top quality facilities to create wonderful bespoke breakfast which also includes the privacy to enjoy your creations even in your jim jams if you so desire".
Nice one, she made a booking !

I always cringe when I hear tourism colleagues on the phone to potential customers uttering words like, "sorry we are booked" or "sorry we don't provide", this or that. The cardinal sin is saying, "I don't know". We all need to make strenuous efforts to be more positive by using words like, yes, i can, I will, I do if we want to even get close to treating our customers as well as they do in some other parts of the world.

My little piece of heaven in Scotland in Question

Loch Ness Blog: My little piece of Scotland

1st Jan 2009 Happy New Year everyone !

Well we took a well earned trip over to Canada this year (5 weeks) and have been surprised and eye opened at living life as a tourist as opposed to a tourism operator. It worries me a bit how easy it is to think how wonderful your little piece of heaven in Scotland is, until you see how well other places treat their tourist visitors that is!
Shortly after arriving back at Loch Ness in November I had to travel down the fast side of Loch Ness (A82) on business taking with me my trusty Credit Card which accompanied me all over Canada and New Zealand in 07 never giving any thought to carrying cash, what do we need cash for these days??
Well what a pain to find that the restaurant with the great reviews which i had eagerly been looking forward to trying was closed for winter Grrrr if they want a business how can they even consider closing down for winter! This just tells me that they overcharge all summer and then retire for the winter on the ill gotten gains. Restaurant prices in New Zealand are HALF what we have to pay for in Scotland.
Went on to the next establishment in the Nessie capital of Loch Ness only to be told there is a minimum spend of £10 when using a credit card Grrrr !!! I just wanted a sandwich and a coffee. Finally I decide to use the village shop, and guess what? they want to charge me 50 pence fee for buying a pastie and coffee with Old faithful CC.

Come on Loch Ness what are you trying to tell the world? as an accommodation provider I despair of my colleagues in tourism sometimes, but that's another story, well, i have several in mind really but I need to go cool off a while, which doesn't take long at the moment as it has been minus 10c outside recently, but a very reasonable minus 2c today, great for our neighbouring ski resorts at Aviemore and Fort William. Food for thought really when they are both at their busiest time of year, many of our Loch Ness businesses are closed for winter! well done Jacobite for doing something about that by continuing cruises on Loch Ness throughout the year.