Beautiful Escapes presents a stunning portfolio of luxury coastal and country self-catering properties throughout Yorkshire. The properties are equally ideal for gatherings of family and friends or romantic getaways. We speak with founder and Managing Director, Angela Graham, to learn more about this new business venture.
Please tell us a little about yourself and career.
I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed a career that has spanned many roles from leading Business Services functions to directing Learning and Organisational Development and across several sectors from Telecoms to Healthcare. So when I reached a point in my life about two years ago now, when I had the time to pause and think about what might be next, it felt really special to have the time to walk by the coast, amble across the moors and dales and mooch around our market towns and just be, without the need to do. It struck me that it was a rare moment, in the busy lives we all lead in today’s world, we keep on going and we keep on doing, it seems so much harder to stop and just be. I knew then that whatever path I took next it would have to take me to something I love doing, like breathing new life into properties for them to be enjoyed by the next generations. But more than that I wanted to share the idea of being here, of being in Yorkshire, with all its wonderful places, interesting things to do and with the space and the pace to just be.
Tell us about the Beautiful Escapes offering and how it differs from a globalised booking platform.
We offer a personal concierge service for guests, helping them discover all the great things they can do and see in Yorkshire. Our carefully curated collection of properties are personally selected by us and we only include the ones that meet our exacting standards.
For holiday home-owners we offer a bespoke service working with owners to create tailored solutions to meet their individual requirements.
And the lightbulb / let’s do it moment?
After searching the marketplace for a holiday letting agency that was based in Yorkshire and with real local knowledge, we couldn’t find the right fit. We felt there was a gap in the market for an agency who were willing to work collaboratively with us, as holiday property owners. An agency that understood the need for flexibility without penalising us and importantly, were willing to see us as individuals and work with us on a bespoke basis.
Your beautiful properties are all located across Yorkshire. Tell us more about your decision to focus on this region.
Yorkshire is simply the best, for me there is no better place to be. I’ve spent my life here, I was born here, I grew up here, I brought up my own family in this wonderful county of ours. I love it.
What can visitors expect from a Beautiful Escapes break in Yorkshire?
Guests can be reassured that when they stay at one of our properties it will be furnished beautifully, immaculately kept and it will include everything you need to have the very best escape.
And what is your personal favourite area and aspect of the county?
I love that we have the most incredible land and seascapes within the county from the rambling Dales and rolling Moors to the spectacular coastline we have such dramatic scenery. And of course, our Yorkshire people are simply the best!
What impact do you think the carbon footprint conscious travellers will have on the travel sector?
I think we will see an increase in staycation holidaymakers looking to spend time closer to home, which is great, we must also make sure we gear up for the increase in numbers with the right resources and infrastructure to manage the impact in a way that protects the environment and is sustainable too.
What are your aspirations for Beautiful Escapes in the next few years?
Our aim is to bring together a portfolio of beautiful properties for people to enjoy in Yorkshire. Our website is so much more than a booking engine, we have created a digital magazine that includes stories of our wonderful Yorkshire people, artisans, places to go, things to see and do. We want to encourage more holidaymakers to come and see this great County of ours and for them to love it so much they want to come back and see us again. We want BE to become the go-to place for everything you need to plan your next luxury escape to Yorkshire.
What does luxury mean to you?
Luxury means exceptional standards of quality and attention to the finer details, the feeling when you enter a room and immediately feel at home, relaxed, cared for.
What is your life motto?
Be the best you can be but always be yourself, everyone else is taken anyway. And be kind, always.
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