The story from the Covid crisis for one Donegal-based boutique holiday letting company should give independents in the sector reasons to be cheerful.
"Numbers are already up 5 per cent when they should be down 25 to 30 per cent," says Greg Stevenson, founder of Under The Thatch, who, along with three members of staff manages about 80 properties across Wales, England, Scotland and Ireland.
The company, as the name suggests, specialises in cute cottages in stunning surroundings but also carefully curated interiors that mix traditional cottage furnishings with modern day must-haves like comfy beds and and laid back seating.
Stevenson, an architectural historian, can often be found on Facebook extolling, not only the lettings side of his business, but also the tiny details that he might have salvaged for the interiors of the cottages, such as the unusual cris cross mug rack on one wall or the vernacular painted cupboards or original dresser he has managed to find.
Under the thatch has 11 short-lets, 8 of which are located in Co Donegal with many set along the shores of Traighenna Bay in the Rosses, sa Gaeltacht.
It has a broad customer base for its Irish properties with about 65 per cent of its guests coming from the Belfast hinterland, a further 15 per cent from London and a similar number from Dublin.
“It was the worst year for managing out booking calendar,” Stevenson says. “We lost a huge number of international guests. All our Americans, British and German visitors cancelled.”
But every cloud has a a silver lining and for Under the Thatch it was the fact that the agency has found new clients from the southern part of the country, from counties Galway to Wexford, many making their maiden voyage to the county.
Stevenson has just waved goodbye to his very first visitors from Co Tipperary, for example. During lockdown he and the staff continued to answer every email and phone call which paid off in bookings and the increased demand from Republic of Ireland holidaymakers means the company had to increase staff hours. This attentive and hands-on approach to hospitality paid off.
“Sales for bookings one year in advance are already above this year and we’re full for some months of the next year,” he says.
The units are all booked out until the last day of August but if you can get away over the autumn the properties to check out include Frank the shipping container, which cantilevers over a small freshwater lake, sleeps two and costs from about €534 to €1,016 per week; and Teach Mhicí, a former cow byre that sleeps four, and from which you can access a small sandy beach. It costs from about €632 to €1,307 pw.
The latest addition to the portfolio is Teálta Folaigh, a bungalow with a contemporary extension with big picture windows from where you can observe the antics of the local wild red deer population, escapees from the nearby Glenveigh Estate. This property sleeps six and costs from €632 to €1,307.
“Our international and UK guests who have already travelled the Ring of Kerry and visited Connemara constantly tell us that they finally feel they have found the real Ireland,” he says.
