Accommodation providers joins forces with activity providers for adventurous holidaymakers
The owners of a five star guest house in Southern Snowdonia, which welcomes “the adventurous who don't want to skip the luxury”, have added another award to their 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.
The awards are run by Luxury B&B Magazine whose judges selected The Old Vicarage, which has four guest bedrooms, for working hard to promote the business together with the local community.
This new accolade is added to five star gradings from Visit Wales and the AA who also gave the guest house an award for its three course breakfasts.
Kirsty, who runs the guest house, offers a series of packages that benefit other local businesses and give 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 Kirsty, who has 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 was my activity e-gift voucher promotion before Christmas, which included two nights B&B and an activity."
The e-vouchers 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.
Kirsty also hopes to provide options for anglers who stay at The Old Vicarage and she’s keen to find a photographer to provide expert advice to guests interested in photographing military jets over the Mach Loop low flying zone.
“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. We have rapidly become a destination for experience based adventure in Mid Wales and Southern Snowdonia.”
The Old Vicarage is a member of MWT Cymru, an independent organisation that represents around 600 tourism and hospitality businesses across Powys, Ceredigion and Southern Snowdonia.
