Jeff and Louise Puddle, Bella Vista Invercargill

Jeff and Louise We sold our business in Auckland and went on a motel management course, we then served our apprenticeship doing relief management at different stand alone motels throughout New Zealand.

When we decided that motel life was something we wanted to do we looked at a variety of motels to purchase as a business.

The purchase was for both business and lifestyle purposes, therefore we were looking for a motel that could support both of us with help from staff and with a good bottom line and room to grow the top line. Eighteen units seemed the ideal size to achieve this.

Even though we work hard we thoroughly enjoy the lifestyle of motel life and find that we take time out to do things we enjoy and can afford to take regular breaks away.

We chose to purchase a Bella Vista motel as the group had a good name, good support system and is still growing in size.

Some of the points we find to be good in the Bella Vista group compared to a stand alone motel are:

Support from the Bella Vista Management when needed
Good, friendly support from fellow moteliers,
Group buying power
Group advertising,
Group meetings where everyone has a say on what the group will be doing in the future,
The executive is made up of fellow moteliers and Bella Vista management and any motelier can go on the executive
Wide awareness of the brand- Bella Vista motels,
Loyalty card for regular guests, and a national corporate rate for corporate clients with support for other loyalty schemes like AA and Super Gold card

We find guests make a conscious decision to stay at Bella Vista motels because they know that they are getting the same standard of accommodation, friendly service and cleanliness throughout the country.

We have no regrets in joining the Bella Vista group and can highly recommend it to anyone.