With only two luxurious retreats at ‘Somewhere Unique’ we have the indulgent pleasure of personally overseeing every last detail for the stay of each guest. Murray and I are proud of the retreats and the inclusion of the type of little luxuries that we look for when we travel. But personal experience is not always sufficient. Although the retreats are our version of an idealised getaway, we are always open to additional suggestions and ideas.
Each couple staying with us receives a two page survey, and they are ask to complete it throughout their stay. Apart from ranking various elements of their holiday we also ask for input, feedback, and suggestions for improvements. Although we are always grateful for reviews regarding our attention to detail, reinforcing our approach of scrutinising every facet of each stay, we are particularly excited by suggestions for improvements that may not have occurred to us.
For example, over the past few months we have received several suggestions that, in combination with every other detail, greatly enhance the enjoyment and functionality of the retreats, and which we implemented immediately. These suggestions were:
Bicycle Baskets: Being a small, relatively flat village, Wollombi is ideal for exploring by bicycle. Each of our retreats has two mountain bikes available for use which we service regularly. We provide a tyre pump and helmets for the bikes. An enterprising guest, however, recently suggested including a basket on at least one of the bikes – when visiting the village on a bike, if any purchases are made, a basket is essential for transporting the goods back to the retreat. Such a simple but incredibly practical idea! Within that week we had sourced two non-intrusive bike baskets and had them fitted to a bike at each retreat and sincerely thanked the guest for their insightful suggestion!
Yoga Mats: ‘Somewhere Unique’ is dedicated to relaxation – the seclusion, the peace, and the serenity of the Australian bush. The retreats are designed and built to maximise the solitude of the natural surroundings. And to further enhance this peaceful atmosphere, a couple recently suggested making yoga mats available in each retreat. We quickly embraced this suggestion by purchasing two yoga mats for each couple. Such small details further extend the idea of relaxation and we were very grateful for the suggestion!
Non-slip Bath Mat: Romance is timeless and as such we cater to couples of all ages. We are very proud of the retreat bathrooms, which offer a large rain shower and a bath for two with a view, all set in a comfortably peaceful space. Recently, however, an elderly couple brought our focus to more practical issues – when wet, the bathroom floors can be slippery and guests might benefit from having a rubber non-slip mat available. Consequently, we placed one such mat in each retreat and they have since been regularly used, making the bathing experience not only luxurious and romantic, but safer!
Footstools: Sometimes when exploring the detail it is easy to overlook the obvious. Although the lounge in each retreat is luxuriously comfortable, we had overlooked the importance of accompanying footstools. Based on a guest suggestion we recently bought two footstools for each cabin to enhance the experience of sprawling on the lounge. We were careful to source footstools than can also serve as independent seats, thus providing a mobile alternative to sitting on the lounge!
As is evident, we are keen to constantly improve ‘Somewhere Unique’ retreats through enhancements and renewal. It is important that the retreats remain vibrant, dynamic, and contemporary by being highly luxurious while also being practical and functional. We make these changes after consideration and gradually – with many returning guests we are careful to make all changes incremental so as not to alter the elements that guests look forward to on each return visit.
Murray and I are always open to new ideas and suggestions that enhance our service and improve ’Somewhere Unique’. We are in this business in partnership with our guests and, therefore, we always encourage inclusiveness and all constructive input.
David & Murray
