We’re having a good time on our vacation and I’ve enjoyed the sunny beaches, but when Joe sends me pictures like this one, how can I do anything but long to be back home in the Wonderful World of Whiteway?
Budding Saturday: More from Allison
What a treasure trove Allison George has given me to share. Saturday’s of course are Newfoundland art/photography day on the blog, and lately I’ve been so happy to share some of Allison’s work with you. They’re stunning and capture Newfoundland so perfectly – I mean, is this one of the best shots you’ve ever seen of Shag Rock, or what? Enjoy!
Good Week!
Well I guess when it rains, it pours – and we couldn’t be more thrilled, honoured and humbled at the same time. We just learned that we’ve placed 3rd in the Annual Canadian e-Tourism Awards’ ‘Best User Generated Content’ category. Consider us surprised! This award is for an engaging social media campaign/blog that “gives an authentic voice to the Canadian experience.” Blogging has been a deeply fulfilling personal and professional journey for us (I say ‘us,’ because this takes more than a one-man effort!). What an honour to have it recognized by such a wonderful, national organization. You love us, you really love us!
Thanks again to all our readers and guests who have made the journey fun. And please remember – last day to take advantage of our awesome BOGO savings!
Joe Friday Friday: Stellar Wine
One of Joe Friday’s many hats is that of artisan wine maker. And I have to say that in the past year, he’s really perfected his skill. As you can see, our friend, neighbour and artist extraordinaire Clifford George agrees! And don’t forget, the count down is on to take advantage of our BOGO offer – today’s the last day! It’s a great opportunity to see what all the fuss is about these cottages!
Good Week!
Well I guess when it rains, it pours – and we couldn’t be more thrilled, honoured and humbled at the same time. We just learned that we’ve placed 3rd in the Annual Canadian e-Tourism Awards’ ‘Best User Generated Content’ category. Consider us surprised! This award is for an engaging social media campaign/blog that “gives an authentic voice to the Canadian experience.” Blogging has been a deeply fulfilling personal and professional journey for us (I say ‘us,’ because this takes more than a one-man effort!). What an honour to have it recognized by such a wonderful, national organization. You love us, you really love us!
Thanks again to all our readers and guests who have made the journey fun. And please remember – last day to take advantage of our awesome BOGO savings!
Stay In …. and Stay Warm
IWe want to make sure we get the word out, so I’ve been promoting our BOGO Spring special this week (the offer expires tomorrow, don’t forget!). But when Joe sent me this picture, it reminded me that our Stay In and Stay Warm package is still going strong – and it includes snowshoes and chopped wood! I don’t about you, but this looks really enticing to me – we’ll be home in a few weeks and I can’t wait!
Rosy Reviews
No doubt it was a wise decision to leave Joe in charge of the cottages while we’re getting a much needed vacation (it’s a working vacation, but still). Everyone has been saying what a great job he has been doing, and the proof is in the pudding – or I mean, the Trip Advisor reviews. There have been 4 since we left, all glowing about how much they love Joe, the cottages, and their winter getaway. In this picture is the lovely Tonya, who wrote one of the reviews. Seeing all these wonderful guests that I’m not having the pleasure of serving makes me anxious to get home!
And if a winter or spring getaway sounds tempting, remember that we’ve offering BOGO nights on all new reservations up til May 16, 2013 (excluding Easter weekend). Could be a nice way to spend Mother’s Day or St. Pat’s, without the need for a designated driver! More details here.
Tuesdays with Murphy: Warm and Toasty
Shhh – let me let you in on a little secret. I’m not supposed to be in this bed! But Joe Friday is so much more lenient than Jerry and The Berry. They’re having their fun on the beach, I’m having my fun on their downy soft sheets!
I guess you’ve heard the commotion – they recently won an Accommodator of the Year Award. Colour me NOT surprised – everyone loves it here. And if you’re planning on coming this Spring, if you book this week (deadline in this Friday), they’re having a Buy 1 Night, Get 1 Night Free special for new bookings up until May 16 (Easter not included). And I’m looking for a little spring romance myself, so if you come, don’t forget your pets!
Accommodator of the Year, plus a Deal for You!
Forgive the lengthy post, but this is some of the most exciting news I’ve had yet to share on the blog. Last Friday, although it was our first year in business, Ocean Delight Cottages won the coveted H. Clayton Sparkes Accommodator of the Year Award from Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador.
Presented annually, this award acknowledges quality service, commitment to the tourism industry and on-going community involvement. We are excited to see our efforts pay off in so little time.
Forgive me for the bragging, but Ocean Delight is quickly becoming a favourite spot for both tourists looking for an authentic Newfoundland and Labrador experience, and for local residents looking for the perfect getaway without going far from home. Loyal guests come back for multiple stays, and we are now the #1 recommended place to stay in the province by travelers on Trip Advisor. Guests love our pet-friendly policy, this daily blog, and the hands-on attention we all strive to provide. Of course Joe Friday deserves as much of the accolades as we do in this regard.
Joe Friday and Lisa Day (Queen of the Faeries in Trinity Bay, Yoga Instructor, and Light Show Spectacular) accepted the award (and didn’t they look great doing it!) and we Skyped in from Belize. We wished we could have been there, of course, but it was a blast either way.
As we Skyped in, we had many people to thank, and they bear thanking again. We have made some wonderful friends here and cannot thank them enough for all they have done to help us get established in the community – The George’s, the Harnum’s, the Legge’s, the Drover’s, and everyone else we have met.
We thank Kathi Stacey of EDMO, MRON, the folks at Hospitality Newfoundland and Labrador, the Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and of course the people of Whiteway, Heart’s Delight-Islington and Cavendish, all for their patience, guidance and support. Being tourism newbies, we definitely needed it!
Of course we also thank our area friends and fellow tourism operators – Brown’s Restaurant and Blazing Horizon Cottages, Inn on the Bay, George House, Sunset Inn, Golden Arm, Shagview RV parks, Drovers, Cramms and Legge’s Midway for all their tips and referrals and for making the Baccalieu Trail a wonderful destination.
We’re also grateful to all the judges and volunteers who chose Ocean Delight for this prestigious award, and for the Sparkes family and this award named after Clayton Sparkes, a true pioneer in our industry.
And now, to the good part, and to our biggest thank you – thank you to all our guests and all our readers and followers who have made our job so wonderful, who have helped us spread the word, who have given us glowing reviews and glowing hearts. To thank you for your support over the past year, we are offering a limited time, Buy One Get One Night Free Spring Special! This offer is good for Spring bookings up until May 16 – that includes St. Paddy’s Day weekend, and Mother’s Day! (And while Easter weekend is excluded, stay tuned – we’ll be rolling out a special for that too, so stay tuned).There’s just one catch – you have to book by this coming Friday, March 1 to take advantage of this BOGO offer, so don’t wait – we’re already booking up fast. Call 1-877-588-2026 or email info@oceandelightcottages.com and mention ‘Accommodator of the Year’ take make your special reservation. We can’t wait to have you and show you what all the fuss is about!
Sunset Sunday: Stay Tuned!
If you follow us on Facebook or Twitter, then you already know the big and exciting news. Keep following us, check in with blog or subscribe to our mailing list, and tomorrow you’ll find out all the details, plus some big and exciting news for you, too. And if you’re wondering what we’re so excited about, here’s a teaser!