29. A Beanbag With No Beans & I Won't Succumb To Slippers
The Secret Serviced Podcast
11/24/25
•37m
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Episode 29 is live... and let us tell you, it is a vibe.
This week on The Secret Serviced Podcast, we chat about life at Sefton Place in all its muddy, windswept, heater-dragging, beanbag-with-no-beans glory — and Mark digs his heels in on his ongoing refusal to wear slippers (pray for him).
But it is not all cold floors and camp chairs. We also dive into:
✨ Our latest battle with planning bureaucracy and biodiversity net gain
🌳 Why we are passionately pursuing a nature-forward hotel model
🏡 Direct booking strategy, loyalty ideas, and a big revenue management reset
🌊 Huge momentum with Shetland Stays (including Sumburgh Lighthouse!)
🧹 How our Quality in Tourism virtual inspection went — and why checklists really matter
🎄 Prepping for the village Christmas event and meeting more of our new community
It is cosy chaos, business strategy, and behind-the-scenes realness all rolled into one.
Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts — and if you enjoy it, leaving a quick review would mean the world.
#SecretServicedPodcast #HospitalityLife #AparthotelJourney #ServicedAccommodation #ShetlandStays #SeftonPlace #BehindTheBusiness #UKHospitality
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Previous Episode
28. Please Don't Kill Us & The Super Typhoon
November 11, 2025
•40m
Please Do Not Kill Us & The Super Typhoon 🌪️🇵🇭
In this episode we shine a big bright spotlight on our incredibly resourceful, tough and resilient team in the Philippines, who are literally weathering a super typhoon while keeping the business moving. It really makes you wonder how much better off the UK would be if we had even 10 percent of their work ethic and resilience... while we battle our own first world problems of driving up the road to McDonalds just to use the wifi 🤦♂️🍟
We also share some big decisions on the future of Sefton Place and lift the lid on our new partnership with South Downs National Park Trust as we work towards becoming the most nature friendly hotel in the UK 🌿🏨
Hit subscribe wherever you listen to your podcasts, and give us a follow on Instagram and YouTube so you do not miss an episode 🎧📲
#SecretServicedPodcast #ShortTermRental #ServicedAccommodation #HospitalityBusiness #PhilippinesTeam #SuperTyphoon #SeftonPlace #SouthDowns #NatureFriendlyHotel #StaycationUK
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Next Episode
30. Living in a Caravan & Top Work Martin Lewis
December 8, 2025
•29m
Episode 30 of Season 3 is LIVE 🎙️✨
‘Living in a Caravan & Top Work Martin Lewis’
This week has been... a lot. From tough moments and unexpected challenges to festive cheer and big steps forward, we have been on quite the rollercoaster. ❤️🩹🎄
We headed to a beautiful Christmas event, met some amazing people, and made real progress at Sefton Place — including pulling together a 20-page vision brochure we are so proud of. Builder quotes came in higher than hoped (joy!), so we are deep in funding conversations while we wait for planning permission updates... complete with yet another survey request. Because of course. 😂🏗️📑
We shared a visit from an ecology specialist, celebrated receiving the Gold Award for Quality in Tourism 🏆, and talked about how we are moving towards being a fully data-driven business. 📊✨
We also touched on the recent budget and what it means for the property market, plus a must-see clip from Martin Lewis calling out aggressive council tax tactics 👀💥
And to top it all off, we covered HMO licences, how they can genuinely benefit landlords, and why understanding them matters more than ever.
From caravans to council tax, ecology to holiday spirit... this episode has it all. 🚐💧🎅
Listen now wherever you get your podcasts 🎧✨
#SecretServiced #PropertyPodcast #AparthotelJourney #SeftonPlace #MartinLewis #HMOLicence #PropertyInvesting #QualityInTourism #BehindTheScenes #PropertyDevelopment #PodcastSeason3
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