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Where I normally clean the entire house on Sunday (after the last guests have checked out), this time I was able to finish everything on Saturday. That same morning my sister and her friends, who had stayed with us for a couple of days, left for the airport. So she could spend a few more days in the Netherlands before duty in Switzerland called to her again.

“What a great village! When I greet someone on the street with ‘Bon dia’, they tell me to just speak Dutch!” The message from one of our former guests makes me laugh. After leaving the Netherlands in a hurry and staying with us in Vall de Gallinera for a while, he is now staying in Xaló for a few days. In Casa Mistela, the beautiful Bed & Breakfast of John and Sonja…

“You are the love of my life, will you marry me?”, “You won the jackpot in the lottery…” or “Unfortunately, gym class is cancelled today…” are all statements that will evoke an immense feeling of joy in most of us. In me (undoubtedly) too. But because I only hear the latter every now and then, my heart always jumps when I receive good news. Like today. While I am…

Stephanie and Eline from Valencia Inside, who have already raised more than €25,000 for the DANA victims with their GoFundMe campaign, have increased their goal because aid in the affected areas is still needed. We would therefore like to thank the readers who contributed to their campaign in response to our last blog. And although we all hope that people…

As I wrote last week, house hunting can be very different in Spain than what we are used to in the Netherlands. And because after twenty or more viewings we no longer have a clear memory of all the houses – let alone the location in which the house in question was located – we regularly refer to the most striking aspect of the house or the viewing to remind…

Although we normally receive mainly Spanish guests, a surprising number of foreign guests have stayed with us in September and October. Including, of course, several Dutch guests. Couples who consciously opted for the change between city (Alicante or Valencia), beach (Gandia, Dénia, Calpe or Moraira) and nature (with us in Vall de Gallinera). And while we were already huge fans…

While it is still too hot to light the fireplace, it is also too cold to dive into the pool. According to most people. Because while a few (especially non-Spaniards) still lie outside in the sun with a book and a towel, most guests (especially Spaniards) are certain that the hiking season has started. Our Spanish guests, who are about to check out and have already…

Everyone knows Booking.Com. Anyone who starts a Bed & Breakfast can hardly ignore the platform. Because a large number of our current guests still use this booking site, we have to deal with the high commission costs. But at least it will get us known by a large public. Some of whom will become regulars. And when they become a regular, they usually will no…

As I feed one sheet after another to the laminator, I run my eyes over the words. Our new ‘swimming pool manual’, which has been compiled by an officially recognized company, consists of no less than twenty-six pages. In addition to the specifications of our swimming pool and the pump, the manual for its maintenance and various provisions that must be taken…

A year ago, all three of us obtained our Manipulador de Alimentos certificate online (the Spanish version of the so-called Food Hygiene certificate). One of the many requirements that a Bed & Breakfast owner in Spain must meet and (in retrospect) one of the few things that we clearly had in mind well before opening. Because although I once ran the entire Valencian decree…