In reflecting on the subject of timing, it has now been definitively concluded that mine sucks. Opening a luxury boutique hotel in Kingston in the middle of a pandemic is just brilliant.
The guest responses to the hotel, the restaurant, the cocktails, the wines and the team have been more positive than we could have hoped for. The #YGK community has been amazing in their support. When the hotel has been full, it has been a real charge to be meeting new people and taking great care of them. The entire building is alive when we have hosted weddings and events and I have never been more proud of a team of people at any point in my career.
It is tough right now on the psyche to have a virtually empty facility. We had momentum and were headed for a strong December when the first lockdown was announced. What this time has allowed me to do is crank the music at the Club and catch up on all manner of tasks. As I was doing some year-end accounting, I had the Stones on shuffle. Time Is On My Side came on at one point followed immediately by Let’s Spend the Night Together. Coincidence – I thought not.
I got thinking about how a 175-year old hotel had definitely had its ups and downs and that bad times are always followed by good.
You’re searching for good times
But just wait and see
You’ll come running back
(I won’t have to worry no more)
You’ll come running back
(Spend the rest of my life with you, baby)
You’ll come running back to me
Business will come back, and people will be searching for good times and likely appreciate them even more. Since we will likely be travelling locally and regionally to start, seeking out places that are distinctive and new are going to be in high demand and we have that in spades. I mean, who has this view?
Or these rooms?
Or the Bank Gastropub and a vault?
We’ve got the goods that you need when you can get out and travel; when you can make your bubble enormous again; and, when you need to pampered and cared for. When you are ready:
Let’s spend the night together
Now I need you more than ever
You know I’m smiling, baby
Stay safe and we will see you soon,
Sean
