Every day a holiday
The owner of this property in York reveals the secrets of turning a house into a holiday let and running it as a successful enterprise in a crowded market. Sharon Dale reports. Pictures by CRB Photography.
BUSINESSWOMAN and entrepreneur Charlotte Watson counts herself very lucky to have found her dream home. Ryther Hall, which has featured in The Yorkshire Post Magazine, is a five-bedroom Georgian vicarage near Tadcaster that she and her husband renovated and updated to create the perfect family house for the 21st century.
It was also the catalyst for Charlotte to launch two new businesses after her followers on Instagram bombarded her with questions about where she sourced her furniture and accessories from.
She realised there was a market for glamorous furnishings and finishing touches that were better than those found on the high street but which offered value for money
With her background as a former interiors buyer for Wilko, Charlotte had all the skills and contacts needed to launch her own online store, www.myglamorousplace.com, selling mirrors, lighting, home accessories, soft furnishings and furniture.
A second business, the Yorkshire Design House, soon followed after a customer asked her if she could dress her apartment in Marylebone, London.
Charlotte now sells furniture packages and fits out everything from rental properties and student accommodation to show homes and holiday lets.
In a classic case of “one thing leads to another”, she has recently added another income stream.
After helping landlords and AirBnB owners with furniture and furnishings, she decided that it was time to invest in a rental property in central York.
“I could see it would be a good, long-term investment asset that should, over time, increase in value,” she says.
While undeniably pricey, she opted to buy a three-bedroom house on Grosvenor Terrace, which is a five to ten-minute walk from York Minster.
“The estate agent worked out that I could double the income if I let it for holidays and stays, rather than having it tenanted, so that’s what I did,” says Charlotte.
“York was the obvious place to buy because demand is high and it’s easy to get to from where we live plus my children are at school there.”
After collecting the keys one Tuesday, she listed the property on AirBnB thinking that she would have at least a week or two to get it dressed, kitted out and perfect for the first guests.
“We got a booking immediately, which I never thought would happen, so it left me with just two days to get the house ready,” says Charlotte, who rose to the challenge thanks to her other two businesses and a lot of hard work.
The property, which sleeps six, has a kitchen diner and sitting room with a wood-burning stove, plus three king-size bedrooms, a bathroom and an ensuite.
It had been well looked after, which helped, so Charlotte’s mission was to add the furniture, including three comfortable king-size beds and the accessories and essentials that make a house homely and enjoyable for paying guests.
The walls are in largely neutral colours including Farrow & Ball’s Skimming Stone in the kitchen. The sitting area has a comfy but hardwearing grey sofa brightened by yellow cushions and colourful artwork, along with the fun plaques that Charlotte sells.
The cost of a stay is £200 per night if booked direct through Charlotte’s website and more if booked through AirBnB and Booking.com to take account of the fees. No parties, pets or smoking are allowed.
For those who might want to follow her lead. Here are some of Charlotte’s tips:
■ She has her own website, www.35grosvenorterraceyork.com, which cost to set up but bookings from there don’t attract fees and so it is well worth having. However, visibility online in a crowded marketplace is an issue so she also lists the property on AirBnB and Booking.com though their fees are between 15 and 20 per cent commission on the booking price.
■ Presentation is absolutely key to getting bookings and a good income. Charlotte says: “That’s why our holiday let has done so well. The property looks good and that shows on the pictures that were taken by a professional photographer.”
■ Professional photography is a must as is regularly updating and making sure everything works. Charlotte suggests taking pictures of the rooms on your phone and examin