The Best Decision

The best decision I ever made (after proposing to my wife, getting married, having kids, moving to California and a handful of others) was to open a Bed & Breakfast. What I never realized (partially because I was the poster child for introverts) was that meeting new people every other day can be a lot of fun and extremely rewarding.

The Bed & Breakfast is up and running and at this juncture I’ve sold 163 room nights and that equates to nearly 80% occupancy for the dates I’ve made available. I have developed a working routine that keeps my stress low, customer engagement high, and one that delivers great results. The early returns on Booking.com have me at a 9.8 out of 10 (after 5 reviews).

One thing I never expected was the number of guests that are coming in from overseas. More than 70% are from Europe and less than 10% are from the U.S. While every guest is here (for the most part) to see Yosemite, each wants a memorable experience. What they don’t expect is that a big part of that experience happens here at Foxtail Farm. From the hummingbird show at breakfast to late night guided hikes (with Ursula) to the granite rock outcropping to view the stars, I try to tailor the experience to the guest and have them feel welcome and enjoy every aspect of their stay. Finding new ways to enhance the experience is a big part of what I find enjoyable about being a proprietor.

Cheryl and I envisioned that having a B&B and a working farm would keep us active and I for one am often on my feet the whole day. After 36 years of sitting at a desk or on an airplane, I welcome the change.