Hello and welcome to our very first blog!

We hope you are liking the new website, it's certainly a massive improvement from our last one!

In our blog section, you won't be hit with sales and advertising, you'll get an honest insight into the weekly behind the scenes goings on of the whole hotel.

Recently we've had a really crazy time with getting the new website set up and changing our accommodation system, and although it's all running smoothly now, it wasn't without some melt downs! Mostly from me! As much as I can navigate my way through technology eventually, it does scare me and stresses me out! My sons laugh at me when I tell them mobile phones weren't a thing when I was at university, never mind school to which they reply "Mum, you must be so old!!" and I'm not! I don't think! It just shows the speed at which technology is evolving and if I was born today I'm sure it would be second nature! So, to cut a long story short, I've a few more wrinkles and a few more grays after the changeover process but we are here now and I'm loving it all.

I'd like to use this very first blog to talk about hotel guests. I won't go on too much, but when you have an accommodation business, welcoming hotel guests is always lovely, and you strive to get it perfect for them. We take pride in our accommodation offering, and it's mostly very well recieved. It's not always going to be everyone's idea of perfection, of course, but I do like to think that the majority will see the passion we have and the constant efforts we apply to make sure our guests have a nice time with us.

Very seldom, we do have a disgruntled guest, and, sometimes the way they choose to communicate what they haven't been satisfied with can leave us all a little rattled. I certainly always take it too personally, but I suppose that's because I live and breath this place, and it means so much to me. Anyway, mostly, it's something really minor, but you still have to have a professional approach to it, and depending on how the guest decides to behave, it can leave you really quite upset and deflated, and can have lasting effects!

Now, this is very, very rare, as most visitors to Castle Douglas love what he have to offer both in our hotel rooms and bar/restaurant, but as humans we can focus and dwell on the negative, so I'd like to take this opportunity to do the opposite, and focus on some absolutely wonderful residents and give credit where it's due to some lovely human beings who stayed with us last week. Unrelated guests, but as a whole, they made our week just amazing, and have caused the lasting sense of happiness and contentment that I'm feeling this week.

The Shephard and Anderson families, such wonderdul people and a pleasure to host. They seemed genuinely appreciative of everything we did for them, they were kind and friendly, and I'd like them to know just what an impact this can have on hospitality teams. It gives us an extra spring in our steps and keeps us motivated.

To Eddie and Lorriane, regular visitors, thank you for your continued support and for always being so blooming nice to us all. To the Smiths, MacGregors and Watsons, your kind words and reviews have made us smile, and we absolutely loved accommodating you all.

We know we won't always get it right, despite how hard we try, and we will always do our very best to make it right when there's something that hasn't been to your satisfaction, but when we do get it right, when we know you've had an excellent stay, and we host such lovely, friendly guests, you have no idea what it means to us and the lasting impressions you make. Thank you.

Thanks for reading our very first blog, I promise there's lots of funny stories to come, the good the bad and the hilarious!

Have a great week,

Emma.