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April 2022 for us consisted of just one house sit in Beaconsfield plus a flying visit to Manchester.

We are quickly becoming to realise what a fine balancing act it is, deciding whether to do long sits or shorter ones.

The long sits are great because we can settle, get better connected with the pets and also get a better chance to see some of the area we are staying in. On the other hand the shorter sits are great because we get to see a wider variety of pets and places.

On the whole, we still favour the longer sits which is why, after having just spent the whole of March at one house sit in East Grinstead, we were delighted for April to have managed to secure another month long stay . This time in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire.

The house sit

After spending March in a small one hundred year old cottage, this house sit could not be more different. It was a relatively new, detached property. The house was very modern and really lovely. On three floors with five bedrooms and five bathrooms – no queueing for a wee here!

Downstairs, there were three bi-folding doors that ran the total length of the property, opening up onto a large, private garden. Great for us, as April proved to be quite sunny which meant we were able to take full advantage of the garden.

Inside, the property was beautiful and luxurious, it had the feel of a high quality hotel. This was no coincidence as one of the owners worked for a well known hotel chain – this inspiration for their home was everywhere to see. We even had a cleaner that came three times a week – quite a treat!

The Pets

This month we had four pets to care for..

Pip, the dog plus three cats, Leo, Nea and Nala.

Pip was adorable. He is a cocker spaniel, full of energy and super friendly. I had arrived to the house a few days before Karyo as our dates had over lapped from the previous home. This meant that Pip and I formed quite a bond. During the whole month he hardly ever left my side. He followed me everywhere.

Every morning when I woke I would have to retrieve my shoes from his basket! I really did fall in love with Pip and became quite emotional when the time eventually came for us to leave – a definite occupational hazard of pet sitting!

The cats all had their own individual characters – All were very easy to care for. They came and went via their cat flap as and when they wished

Nala was the boss of the house, could be a bit of a bully to the other cats and had a tendency to lightly bite you if you were not giving her enough attention – or too much attention, it was a fine line!

Leo was the most friendly of the feline trio. He loved to play and followed us around the house like a puppy

Nea was the shy one, a real loner that we often had to hunt around the house for when we suddenly realised that we had not seen her for hours. Only to find her enjoying her solitude fast asleep under the bed or behind the settee.

The Area

At just a ten minute walk to the train station, town centre and supermarkets, this really was a perfect location for a house sitter.

The home was on a newish housing estate that was surrounded by fields and woodland. A great running area for us, and also for Pip.

Being on the edge of the Chiltern hills we were never far from miles of beautiful countryside and we really took advantage of this. Most of our spare time during our stay was spent with Pip, taking long walks around the area.

The oldest pub in the UK?

Our walks usually, and not entirely surprisingly, ended with a visit to one pub or another for some well earned liquid refreshment. On one occasion, on the recommendation of a friend we planned our walk to pass The Royal Standard of England.

This pub, if not the oldest pub in the UK, is a serious contender. It was first known to be mentioned in the Domesday Book, dating back to 1086 and has continued serving fine ales in the nine hundred plus years since then!

Inside it is a large, darkish space with low ceilings and a mish-mash of rooms and snugs. On the day we visited, it was busy and bustling with chatter and activity. Standing at the bar, looking around it is hard not to find yourself absorbing the hundreds of years of history that run through the veins of this beautiful historic building

It is said that there is a ghost in the Royal Standard of England and who doesn’t like a spooky story?

The ghost is thought to be a traveller from 1788 accidentally killed by the Earl of Barrymore.

Barrymore was said to be driving a coach of four horses as fast as he could but did not see the traveller and collided with him. He was crushed beneath the stampeding horses and died instantly.

The body was taken into the pub and the landlord was paid to secretly dispose of it. No one knows what he did with the body the story goes that it never left the pub and hence, to this day the unknown traveller remains there. Occasionally seen by customers, sometimes walking through walls from one room to another.

A meeting with friends

One of the downsides of house sitting is that we do not get to see friends and family as much as we we would like. Therefore when the possibility to do so arises, it is always a pleasant surprise.

Face book has its faults but it is undoubtedly a great way to keep in touch with friends near and far. We try not to over use it but do put an occasional post each time we move. Primarily, to let family and friends know where we are at any particular time.

For a while I was admin on an Airbnb host Facebook group. Bernie was a fellow admin member and we had quite a bit of interaction via the group. We have only met in real life once before when we both attended an Airbnb host networking meeting in Birmingham, but that was a few years ago

To my surprise, out of the blue, during our Beaconsfield house sit Bernie contacted us. She had seen a post we had put on Facebook and realised we were only a couple of miles from where she and her husband, Don, lived so invited us to join them for lunch. Of course we were delighted to accept their offer!

So, on a sunny, Sunday afternoon Don kindly came to collect me, Karyo and Pip and took us to their lovely home. Bernie had kindly made a delicious lunch and we enjoyed a really lovely afternoon chatting and enjoying the unexpected April sunshine.

We love the opportunity to meet with friends that we don’t get to see often enough.

Don’t forget to let us know if you notice we are in your area!

A year off work?, don’t mind if I do!

Just as our house sit was coming to an end Karyo was notified that he needed to attend an office meeting in Manchester. We really fancy applying for some house sits more world-wide. If we do manage to do this, realistically, the time differences will make it difficult for Karyo whilst he is working.

Which brings mw to the the big news of the month. Karyo has decided to apply to take a years unpaid leave. We really hope that it will be agreed but nothing is certain so our fingers are crossed that he gets the green light. Hopefully we will have more news on that next month.

As it happened I also needed to spend a day in Manchester. Our current tenant had given notice to leave so I needed to find new tenants. I advertised that it was available to rent and managed to get some viewings in for the same day Karyo was at the office.

It all happened unexpectedly and was a bit spur of the moment but seemed like a good idea to travel together and do both on the same day.

Goodbye Beaconsfield – Hello Manchester!

So that was that. Another month of house sitting completed. We loved our stay in Beaconsfield but once again it was time for us to move on.

Luckily for us, we had a couple of days available before our next house sit was due to start. Also, the next sit we have booked is ‘up north’ which was the direction we needed to head for our flying visit to Manchester. This was one of the rare occasions that our plans all fitted together perfectly.

Manchester

I didn’t expect to have any problems finding accommodation in Manchester as this was just a two night, mid-week stay but I could not have been more mistaken!

There must have been an event of some description going on in the city. When I searched for an Airbnb for us to stay, most were already booked and those that were still available were really expensive. The situation was the same with all hotel rooms.

This is a real issue for visitors to Manchester, and I suppose other major cities around the world.

There are thousands of city centre rooms on offer and, normally, if you are visiting the city mid-week for a work meeting or shopping spree it is often possible to book accommodation at a good value price.

However, if there happens to be an event on in the city on the day you want to stay, then a room that would have cost you £40 yesterday can easily turn into a £100+ room today.

I don’t blame the accommodation providers. It is the simple rule of Supply and Demand. As ex Airbnb hosts in Manchester we followed the pricing dynamics of the local hotels closely. If their prices went up, so did ours. If they were pricing low, so did we.

It is, however really frustrating when it happens to you!

A top tip!

A top tip if you are visiting a big city for a social occasion where your dates can be flexible is to check the hotel prices BEFORE you set the date of your visit. The hospitality industry keeps a close eye on events throughout the year that are likely to cause a spike in demand for rooms so these prices will show as inflated well in advance.

As an example of this. On Saturday 4th June there are no special events happening in Manchester city centre. However, on the next weekend, Saturday the 11th June, there is an annual music festival – The Parklife festival.

This means that hotels expect to be busy on the 11th. A quick google check on hotel prices for those Saturday night shows how that will effect room prices the same day, one week apart.

Premier Inn	Sat 4th June	Sat 11th June
Room Cost	£69	£218

Malmaison	Sat 4th June	Sat 11th June
Room Cost	£160	£498

Milton Hotel	Sat 4th June	Sat 11th June
Room Cost	£260	£890

As you can see, changing the date of your shopping expedition by just one week can literally save you hundreds of pounds.

A great budget find

I have no idea why, but the Tuesday of our Tuesday/Wednesday night stay was really expensive all over the city and, call me a tight arse but I really begrudge paying over £100 a night for what really was going to be a flying visit. We just needed somewhere to lay our weary heads for a couple of nights.

I started to search for somewhere cheap and cheerful. All of the Airbnb listings and hotels proved to be far too expensive so I took a look to see if booking.com had anything to offer. To our surprise, I came across this hidden gem.

Luther King House is situated in the student area of Rusholme. About a mile walk or there is a regular bus service directly into the city centre. It has an unusual identity that it hard to describe. There is a hostel feel to it although all rooms are double or twin and all have en suite bathrooms.

I have no idea why we have never heard of this place before. For anyone looking for budget accommodation on the very edge of Manchester city centre you can’t go wrong booking here.

The rooms are, as expected, very basic and resemble student accommodation. A lick of paint and a bit of TLC would have really improved them at a minimal cost. However, all are clean and en-suite.

Luther King House is set in beautiful landscaped gardens. The staff are probably the best that I have ever come across. From receptionist to the guy serving breakfast. All were really as helpful and friendly as you could wish for.

The price was an incredible £45 per night which included a buffet style breakfast! – Unbelievably great value.

A great find that we will definitely be using again. We would definitely recommend this place for anyone looking for no frills accommodation whilst visiting Manchester for a night or two.

We had a good stay but as quickly as we had arrived It was time to pack again and head to our next destination.

Where next?

After a fairly relaxing April in Beaconsfield, For May we are heading north. It looks like a busy month with bookings in Sheffield, Barnsley and Leeds. Plus we get to see one of our home hosts appear on Britain’s Got Talent!

and, as if that wasn’t enough excitement for one month – Karyo will get the final decision as to whether he can, or can not take a year off work!

Next Stop, Wales?!?