Georgie reflects on opening her new Longcroft Cat Hotel in Hampshire.

Georgie Taylor-Darke and her husband Chris opened Longcroft Romsey this summer. Both huge animal lovers, they are excited to have embarked on their Longcroft venture, in the peaceful, rural location of Georgie’s childhood home, New Barn Farm in Lockerley, Hampshire. It’s the purrrfect setting to combine Georgie’s passion for all things feline with Chris’ expertise as a small animal vet.

Georgie and Chris’ love of cats started with their own two beautiful Burmese cats, Vida and Tito, who live with them on their family farm: “They are half brother and sister and are 10 and 9 years old respectively. Vida is a beautiful chocolate girl and Tito is our blue boy. Because of their inquisitive nature we made the decision to keep them indoors but have built them a beautiful catio where they spend endless hours sunbathing and eyeing up the garden wildlife!  Burmese cats are often described as ‘bricks in silk’ because of their lean muscular build and soft silky coats. Our two are very tactile and love being near us all the time. Vida always runs to greet Chris when he gets in from work as a vet. They are still playful like kittens, which is also a fun trait of the breed.”

Georgie reflects on the highlights so far, of starting her own Longcroft cat hotel:

“Aside from completing the build and getting our 5-star rating from our licensing offer, it was definitely a stand out moment when we welcomed our first guest back in August this year. He arrived  and was an amazing first guest, so comfortable and happy in his suite, loving his play and grooming sessions but especially his treats in the evening at turndown. To finally be able to physically have our first feline guest in my hotel after so many months of planning was incredible.

“One of the loveliest realisations I’ve had about running the hotel, is that our customers clearly care as much about their cats as we do for our own beloved cats. I quickly came to see that they really do want the very best for their furry friends, and it’s incredibly satisfying for us to be able to provide such a high level of care – to meet and hopefully exceed their high expectations. I think that’s what Longcroft is all about and makes us special!”

Georgie also recognises that there are some unique challenges raised by the current climate, in a global pandemic:

“People are just not booking as many holidays – times are so uncertain. Rules are changing on a daily basis and it’s more difficult for customers to plan ahead than in normal times. This means we’ve seen quite a lot of last-minute bookings, some bookings have been cut short and others extended at relatively short notice. It’s definitely keeping us on our toes, but I think it’s so important to be as flexible and understanding to our customers as possible. We all have to try to navigate our way through the current situation, whilst doing our best to keep things running as smoothly and normally as we can.”

Partly due to the current pandemic, the UK is seeing record levels of new pet ownership, as people understandably crave the love and affection that cats and other animals can bring. So scroll down and take a look as Georgie shares her top tips on caring for a new kitten..

“These can be tricky times to have a new kitten, especially if their humans are isolating at home. But where possible, it’s important for their development to get used to visitors coming into the home. Scroll down to view my list of must-dos for welcoming a new feline friend into your family”:

Georgie’s passion for cats is clear: “I just love the way cats look and feel, their adaptability and their resilience. But most of all I love their attitude! Everything is on their terms, they will not be dictated to or trained unless it suits them. Every cat is an individual with a distinct personality, likes and dislikes. And that’s what I’m loving about running Longcroft Romsey. I feel very lucky to spend my days getting to know and care for so many fabulous felines!”

To make a booking or to view Longcroft Luxury Cat Hotel Romsey, please contact Georgie on 01794 341782 or email romsey@longcroftcathotel.co.uk