It's times like new year that you inevitably look back on the previous year as well as looking forward to the next.
Yet again, another year has whizzed by in what seems like minutes (this must be an age thing!) and we're about to enter 2018.
What an exciting year 2017 was for us both personally and The 25...
January - more refurb than we thought possible in an already finished B&B but we always like to keep improving. We were aiming to not do anything major but one thing led to another and some bedrooms got a complete overhaul. Five out of the six bedrooms had new decor and furniture in some respect.
February - Gold for Best B&B at the South West Tourism Awards - a great achievement as this included all the very best B&Bs from Cornwall, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire, Gloucester, Bristol & Bath as well as Devon. We're through to the final again in Feb 2018.
March - celebrated being open two years with the launch of our promotional video and a party for local VIPs. A great evening and our video really helps sell the "experience" of staying here more than photos or a slideshow could.
April - hosted a Sunday Times journalist to demonstrate the excellent accommodation available on the English Riviera. We appeared in the Sunday Times again later in the year in their list of the Top Ten B&Bs in the UK.
May - AA Tourism Awards in London - runners up for Unique B&B of the Year. It's a shame we didn't win but we did come second to a castle who you could argue had an unfair advantage. Surely it's what's on the inside not the outside? We'll see what next year brings.
June - of the many shows we've seen at our local theatres this year, Wonderland at Princess Theatre was probably our favourite. It was based on Alice in Wonderland and well worth going to see if you get the opportunity. We love having four local theatres and see as many shows as we can.
July - a great month for local events including a lovely evening at Face2Face at Torre Abbey just 5 minutes' walk away. Torre Abbey is interesting at any time of the year and their gardens are a delight to sit and relax in.
August - a ridiculously busy month but great to see so many returning guests. We are usually 100% full in August which is why we always advise booking well head for busy times. It's always a hard slog but spending time with guests both new and old make the job enjoyable.
September - a visit from previous owner Sheila Dixon gave us a fascinating insight into the history of our building. We loved hearing about the history and how rooms have changed and luckily she approved of all our changes.
October - a lovely evening on the South Devon Railway for their dining experience - thoroughly recommended to guests. It was a black tie affair and set in the 1920s. It is very popular and needs booking well in advance though. We booked in March for October!
November - double win - Gold for Best B&B and also Winner of Winners at the Visit Devon Tourism Awards. Words still can't convey how shocked we were to be so highly praised as "beacons to the industry". A truly wonderful night and amazing memories.
December - busy planning our refurbishment during January and our new year ahead. Looking forward to our most successful year yet as we approach our third birthday. We're not about to stop now. Onwards and upwards. There's so much we still want to do yet.
It's been great to look back at some of the highlights of 2017 and what a marvelous year it was. We hope your year was just as good and that next year is even better.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!