Napoleon adds a touch of class

Eileen and James White, owner-managers of two 4 star Bed and Breakfasts on the Mornington Peninsula tell their tale of how a brand change brought a fresh wave of business to their shores. Established in 2005 when the couple bought a charming, 1900’s fisherman’s cottage located in the heart of Rye and refurbished to provide a romantic home away from home for a variety of travellers, the business has since grown to include a second property near the back beaches of Blairgowrie. 

What made you get into the hotel and tourism industry?
We made the sea change a few years earlier when we moved from Melbourne to the coast. Once settled, we were looking at investment options in the area to set ourselves up for retirement and came across a lovely, but tired fisherman’s cottage… and so the idea was born.

Have you worked in the industry previously?
No, but I was brought up the daughter of a successful small business owner and learnt a lot in my early years. We’ve made some mistakes but thankfully only small ones and have managed to learn the business quickly and make it grow.

So your first cottage, Kaikora brought such success you decided to buy a second?
People loved the little touches… the spa, the garden chess set and the charm of each room. We had so many returning visitors that soon we were turning back bookings. We realised we had enough “overflow” to fill a second property so started the search for Kaipara.

So why the brand change?
We wanted Kaipara to attract new customers rather than act purely to catch the overflow from Kaikora. Something a little more modern was also on the cards.
We tossed around many brand ideas with a hint of a luxurious getaway. I’ve had a keen interest in Napoleon for years and thought the period might help with the tone we were after, added with the fact that the Mornington Peninsula already has a connection to Napoleon (through The Briars).

How did you go about it?
The idea was agreed in March 2007 and we wanted to make the change in time for spring when custom tends to pick up from the cooler winter months. We renamed the Blairgowrie property Napoleon’s Retreat and provided all the comforts of Kaikora but with reflections of Napoleon and Josephine throughout. It is limestone luxury! The spa and barbeque are perfect for warmer days while the cosiness of the gas log fire provide the perfect hide away on rainy days. The children even have a playroom of their own while the adults can relax in style.

What was involved in the brand change?
We reinvested a significant amount of our early profits into refurbishing the cottage… new curtains, carpet, paintings, furniture, everything down to cushion covers. We also gave the garden and outdoor entertaining area a bit of an overhaul. We then designed new brochures and flyers and set about arranging mail outs to our regulars and also to new potential customers.

When do you expect to recover your investment?
Well if the early response is anything to go by, we should break even early in the new year. We’re finding the new branding is attracting people in the low season as well as in the high.

Do you find that the cooler months are quieter?
Since re-branding we’ve seen a spike in visitors… I think there’s a warmer feel to the luxurious approach and so we appeal all year round. Both cottages have gas log fires, air-conditioning and luxurious fittings that make a stay memorable, and we have a constant stream of past guests returning and new ones arriving.

Who do you cater for?
While Kaikora Cottage is ideal for 2 – 4 adults or a small family, Napoleon’s Retreat is a great getaway for friends, couples or families. They are both suitable bases from which to enjoy the peninsula. Kaikora has the front beach 200 metres away and Napoleon’s Retreat is an enjoyable, short walk to Bridgewater Bay or Pirates Bay.

How do you attract new customers?
We have our own website www.kaikoracottage.com.au where both cottages can be found and we are also on Peninsula Pages and Visit Victoria websites:
www.peninsulapages.com.au
www.visitmorningtonpeninsula.org
www.visitfrankston.com
Our presence on these enable us to be found quite easily through the major search engines and a lot of our bookings do come through the internet. Our reputation is growing and word of mouth is one of our more successful forms of referral – obviously the relationship we have with our customers and the experience they have when they come to stay is vital for good word of mouth. We also do mail outs from time to time and these always tend to generate some good enquiries.