My weekend at Yellow Point Lodge was a nostalgic experience unlike anything I’ve ever experienced…

 

 

A Nostalgic Feel-

“Oh, we don’t have room keys”, said the lovely staff person when I was checking in.  No room keys. Ok. This felt a bit like when you used to leave money on your door step for the milk delivery.

My room was called The Attic for a good reason, it was on the third floor of the main lodge. The patchwork quilt and fluffy pillows reminded me of visits to my Grandparent’s house. I half expected a Grandma to come into my room with an extra blanket.

The main floor lounge/living room was filled with huge windows to see the gorgeous ocean views. The many overstuffed couches and chairs were perfectly set throughout the room. You were encouraged to read, chat or even nap on them. The huge fireplace warmed the entire room.

 

 

The sunny weather allowed me to explore the 185 acres of amazing, protected rainforest. The forest trails took me throughout the property, snaking past the various cabins you can also stay in. Hawks and bald eagles circled above while at the water’s edge, sea lions snacked on nearby herring.

 

 

A Unique Business Model-

As enamored as I was just being a guest there, I did put on my small business owner glasses on to examine this unique business model.

You have this beautifully rustic lodge and cabins set in a pristine natural setting, that literally hasn’t changed since it reopened in 1986 (after a fire burned down the original lodge). And when I say it hasn’t changed, I mean it HASN’T changed! No fancy room updates, no gourmet fusion cuisine and definitely NO Wi-Fi or tv’s. In today’s rush for the latest and greatest upgrades to stay ahead of the competition, The Yellow Point Lodge has actually gone in the exact OPPOSITE direction by changing nothing.

Now you might be wondering, as I was, why they’ve kept it all the same? Why haven’t they gotten with the times and upgraded? Well, it didn’t take me very long to find out the reason…

 

They KNOW Their Customers!

They’ve zero-ed in on their ideal customer avatar, with laser point accuracy, that’s why. They KNOW what their customers like (familiarity and comfort) and what they don’t like (radical change). And this business model works for them – they have an incredibly high re-book rate that has Yellow Point fully booked for 2023 AND 2024! How many other businesses can say that?! And post pandemic, no less.  Now, they do have cancellations so if you do want to go (and I highly recommend it), you can get in like I did.

Yellow Point doesn’t rely on vast social media campaigns to gather new customers – that part’s taken care of by their raving customer base! Most people I’d talked to had found the place through someone else who’d been. Recommendations are always an effective and budget friendly way to get the word out.

Yellow Point’s customer profile also appreciates the personal touches – simple things like dancing to a live band on Saturdays nights (where else can you go dancing?!) and evening cookie snacks hand delivered by the owner, Richard (what owner does that?!)

Speaking of Richard, he embodies a level of accessibility and humbleness that’s rare among successful business owners. He stops to chat with everyone, puts the logs on the fire and even carves the prime rib. He has the many wonderful staff that could do all that and yet he does it himself. That’s something you don’t see every day.

 

An Amazing Experience-

Throughout the weekend whenever I met someone new, I asked them the same question: why do you come here? (I felt a bit like an undercover reporter!).

Nearly every answer it’s familiar, comfortable and predictable. Some guests have been coming for just a couple years, others for decades. For some, it feels like a reunion, with familiar faces that have become like family to them. For others, they say it’s like adult summer camp where you get to make new friends every time you come.

 

 

Wally told me that on Friday night when he and his wife arrive, they go directly into the lounge and spend a couple hours hugging everyone and catching up.

Ruth loves that when she comes, she leaves behind her stressful practice and she’s instantly in relaxation mode.

Gail’s been coming twice a year, since 1983. As a nature photographer, she’s in her element and reconnects with friends that come at the same time every year.

Being my first time there, I wasn’t sure how I’d fit into this seemingly tight circle. Rest assured; this isn’t some snooty exclusive club of lifers! On the contrary, everyone and I do mean everyone, was beyond kind and welcoming to this newbie. They were as happy to share their stories as they were to hear yours. By the end of the first day, I felt like I’d just made a whole new group of lifelong friends.

When was the last time you’d had such a connection with a business? Exactly, me neither.

 

 

The Yellow Point Experience-

The Yellow Point Lodge is set up in such a way that you can do as much or as little as you want. Yes, mealtimes are set as is the menu (which is some of the best homestyle cooking I’ve ever had but don’t tell my personal chef/husband!) but apart from that, you do you.

And I think that’s another part of the charm and success of Yellow Point. You’re free to do as you please. In a world that often times feels restricted on so many levels, freedom is a welcomed thing. It’s also a rare occurrence that we get to just sit and talk with people. So many of us barely know our neighbors or work colleagues. And communities are built on social platforms, not in person.

Yet here, tucked away in this natural oasis, I spent a weekend talking, laughing and yes, even hugging, a bunch of strangers I’d just met. It’s an experience that I can’t wait to have again, soon.

 

Yellow Point Lodge,
3700 Yellow Point Road, Ladysmith
BC, Canada V9G 1E8   (250) 245-7422

Yellow Point Lodge is located on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia on Canada’s west coast.

To discover more about them, visit their website HERE!