As patrons we hardly notice how a business takes on the characteristics of its owner and yet it’s the entrepreneur’s vision embedded in that business. To get an idea of the owner's personality, just look at the image of his or her business.This is evident at Ocean Dreams Bed and Breakfast owned and run by the exuberant Antoinette Lalla. After the tour of the house I realised its vibrancy wasn’t born from the pastel colours that decorate each room. It came straight from the heart of its owner. She is an optimist, an enthusiast, a visionary and a dreamer.Ocean Dreams, a four star resort situated on Gonubie’s Main Road, started a year ago but she carried the dream of opening up her own B&B long before she could even realise it.
It all started when Lalla's creative energies were getting restless. She went to a life coach for
personal growth as she felt stagnated by a day job she held for 22 years.“I felt I was drowning in quicksand” she said of the time before opening the B&B.
Even though her previous job was stifling, she is grateful for what it had taught her over the years.
“It gave me the confidence and insight that I have right now. The challenges I took on at the company helped shape who I am now.”
She believes that every person should be treated with dignity and
She owes her success to a fairly aggressive marketing strategy. She is grateful to the Eastern Cape Tourism Board who is always handing out brochures to tourists looking for accommodation.
However, creating and handing out brochures on her own proved to be costing her time and money. Instead, most of her advertising is done online. Both local and international guests learn of Ocean Dreams from the SA Venues website. For Lalla, the internet is the best tool to market her B&B effectively and at a minimal rate.
Lalla emphasised the importance of family support which is key to launching your venture successfully.
“I had full family support in the beginning,” she said.
Her brother, Shaun Sam, encouraged her to put an offer for the premises when she first saw it. And even though her husband, Bhupin Lalla, was reluctant to spend any money at first, he later spurred her on to make it happen. He helped in negotiating for the property and then put his heart into the preparations.
Over the year, Lalla learnt how to manage her time between the B&B and her personal life.
“In the beginning, I would just get home and then I would get a call from someone asking if there was accommodation. Then I would run back there and book them in.”
Now she realises that she cannot please everybody at the expense of her personal life. Instead she refers those very clients to B&B’s situated nearby.
“Some people say they want to do this [starting a B&B] but it’s a lot of work. The running costs are heavy.” she said of the maintenance going into the B&B.
However, she has the ability to overlook such obstacles. She credited her life coach for making her realise material things did not matter.
“This is such a rewarding business. It’s not for the money.”
But in her frustration, the idea of running her own B&B was accentuated. She recalls the time when she was convinced by an estate agent to take a look at a vacant premises in Gonubie. She was reluctant to take the drive there.
“I didn’t like Gonubie at the time. It was too far. But when she convinced me to come to this house I was smitten. When I found this place I felt it was a gift.”
Nowadays she cannot get enough of the area. “When I come here
Nowadays she cannot get enough of the area. “When I come here
it’s my happiest moment.”
The resort possesses a vibrant mixture of absorbing colours and natural light which creates the luxurious atmosphere. The B&B has four standard rooms and one self catering room, each with DSTV. It has a deck on the roof where patrons can sit and relax while viewing the ocean.
What gave the B&B its four star status is Lalla's attention to cleanliness and detail.
“All the small things need to be checked. Everything has to be fresh. The cutlery ha
d to be hotel-ware. We have excellent linen that is cleaned every day.”
She even goes as far as preparing full English breakfasts for her guests on her own.
During the conversation she often touched on customer service, which in this industry counts
more than mere stars.
“I interact with the guests all the time. There’s this personalised service I’m offering,” she said.
What impresses her clients most is her genuine interest in their personal lives.
“I always talk about things that interest them such as their family.”
She believes that every person should be treated with dignity and
respect no matter what their
job title is.
“It doesn’t matter what they look like, each person is treated like a king when they come here.”
A comment made by a previous guest on a website stated that he happened upon Ocean Dreams while searching for accommodation at a ridiculous hour of the morning. When he rung the bell he was greeted with a smile.
A comment made by a previous guest on a website stated that he happened upon Ocean Dreams while searching for accommodation at a ridiculous hour of the morning. When he rung the bell he was greeted with a smile.
Since Lalla focuses on attracting corporate clients, she has helped forge new business relationships between guests.
“I introduce two guests to one another and they get chatting at the breakfast table. It’s wonderful to wake up to laughter and I get the impression people want that at the B&B no matter how miserable they are when they wake up.”
Lalla maintains good relationships not only with her guests but with other B&B owners around her. She sometimes sends her overflow to them. At first it was a practice considered unusual but once Lalla began referring guests to other resorts due to a lack of rooms, it became an unwritten agreement amongst B&B owners in Gonubie.
She owes her success to a fairly aggressive marketing strategy. She is grateful to the Eastern Cape Tourism Board who is always handing out brochures to tourists looking for accommodation.
However, creating and handing out brochures on her own proved to be costing her time and money. Instead, most of her advertising is done online. Both local and international guests learn of Ocean Dreams from the SA Venues website. For Lalla, the internet is the best tool to market her B&B effectively and at a minimal rate.
Lalla emphasised the importance of family support which is key to launching your venture successfully.“I had full family support in the beginning,” she said.
Her brother, Shaun Sam, encouraged her to put an offer for the premises when she first saw it. And even though her husband, Bhupin Lalla, was reluctant to spend any money at first, he later spurred her on to make it happen. He helped in negotiating for the property and then put his heart into the preparations.
Over the year, Lalla learnt how to manage her time between the B&B and her personal life.
“In the beginning, I would just get home and then I would get a call from someone asking if there was accommodation. Then I would run back there and book them in.”
Now she realises that she cannot please everybody at the expense of her personal life. Instead she refers those very clients to B&B’s situated nearby.
“Some people say they want to do this [starting a B&B] but it’s a lot of work. The running costs are heavy.” she said of the maintenance going into the B&B.
However, she has the ability to overlook such obstacles. She credited her life coach for making her realise material things did not matter.“This is such a rewarding business. It’s not for the money.”
Lalla also felt that she could not make her venture work without the assistance of a higher power.
“When you surrender to and trust God, things will work out. I don’t feel He has made this happen. Instead, I was given the opportunities and took it.”
Though such a business is taxing on her energy, she is able to cope and is not looking to expand just yet.
Though such a business is taxing on her energy, she is able to cope and is not looking to expand just yet.
“I don’t need more than five rooms. I’m content with what I have.”
For more information visit www.oceandreams.co.za
For more information visit www.oceandreams.co.za
or check out www.sa-venues.com/visit/oceandreams/
Any enquiries, contact Antoinette Lalla:
Telephone: 043 740 5509
Mobile: 072 418 6885
Email: oceandreams@isat.co.za
Telephone: 043 740 5509
Mobile: 072 418 6885
Email: oceandreams@isat.co.za
No comments:
Post a Comment