It may be a sign that we are getting older, but after what seems like a lot less than 12 months another year has passed. Today Saddle Mountain Hostel is 8 years old.
Last year we saw the highest number of guests since the start of the COVID pandemic. The majority were UK based but pleasingly we saw an increase in overseas visitors last year. Those numbers look set to rise again this year. We like it when we have a mix of nationalities in the building. It makes our job feel more exotic!
Some big changes have happened since last year. The end of all COVID restrictions part way through 2022 means that we are now back to normal in terms of running the hostel. More excitingly, we were delighted to receive a 5 star grading from VisitScotland recently. This news, and the fact that we can once again offer all the things that make hostelling so special, makes us optimistic for our business this season.
There’s no time to rest on our laurels, though, as we are spending our 8th birthday on a full hostel changeover after 12 consecutive nights of whole hostel bookings! It’s not all fun being a hostel owner.
As usual, we’d like to thank everyone who stayed with us over the last year, both loyal repeat guests and first time visitors. We also want to say thank you to our family and friends for your continued help and support.
We hope you raise a glass with us as we celebrate this year’s birthday!