Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron and Susan Van Volkenburgh.
Susan and Ron were never really looking to open a bed & breakfast… It’s just something they sort of fell in to.
In looking to leave the city and move to the country, because each works for their own business; respectively, one as an author and the other a software engineer, there was no reason for them to entertain starting another business, but as they’ll tell you, “sometimes opportunity has a way of finding you, when you’re not looking for it.”
In looking to move to the country, the only prerequisite for finding property was that it had to be at least 15 acres so they could spread out and it had to have trees, since both were raised in areas of the country that had plenty of trees. They were able to locate such a property east of Dallas in Celeste, Texas and took note that since it had two treehouses, Susan might take one for her business and Ron take the other. When they arrived to tour the property, they quickly changed their mind.
What they found was not only two fully functional treehouses, with hot and cold running water, air conditioning, bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens, etc., but a lavender and herb farm, outdoor wedding and events destination, silo-turned-store, and other things. The entrepreneur spirit kicked into high-gear and Susan and Ron saw the potential of what was started, new that if the business model was flipped to focus more on staying in treehouses and exploring the outdoors during a stay, there would be many people who would enjoy such an adventure.
After purchasing Savannah’s Meadow in April 2016, they now work seven days a week during their open season from April 1 to October 31 each year, greeting and serving their guests who are looking for an adventure in the trees. They’ll tell you that they also work seven days a week in their off-season as they continue to add new features to their destination and as they put it – “this is when we do the bulk of our heavy lifting and building”.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The owners would tell you it definitely hasn’t been a smooth road as one could imagine with something like taking on a treehouse bed & breakfast…especially during their first season, which started two days in April, 2016, after they took ownership of the property and hadn’t even completely moved in themselves.
They knew that being a primarily outdoor destination, maintenance and upkeep, as well as safety, while accommodating the adventurous spirit, was of the utmost importance to providing the level of experience the owners wanted for their guests. The added factor, however, was that in addition to standard maintenance for such things as air conditioner units, bathroom and kitchen facilities, hot tubs, pools, etc., treehouses and other destinations on the farm, constant inspections and maintenance would be more important as everything is made from materials that degrade because they are always outdoors.
From the structures themselves, to the underlying structure, which supports the treehouses 25ft to 35ft in the trees or the many other destinations built on the ground…everything requires constant inspection and immediate upkeep or replacement, so their guests enjoy interacting with and being part of these destinations, but are safe without thinking about it. Getting past the first season was a sizable effort, but the time and money spent investing in adding to and improving existing destinations, has definitely made the 2017 season significantly easier and run smoother for their guests.
As Susan and Ron continue to move the business forward, they continue to invest heavily to replace failing materials with more sustainable materials, add new features and destinations, but know that the expenditure for these items will level out by the 2018 season and the return on their investment can be seen not only in the enjoyment of their guests, but in reducing the struggle in owning such a destination.
Savannah’s Meadow – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Savannah’s Meadow is a treehouse bed & breakfast, lavender and herb farm, with an outdoor wedding and events destination, which also has a shabby-chic trailer and silo-store, where they sell their lavender, herb, and bath products. They are located about an hour east of Dallas and 45 minutes east of McKinney, Texas. Located in the DFW area means that the farm is centrally located for guests looking for a quick or long getaway and close to a major airport for those traveling from abroad.
While focusing more on the business as a destination for adventurers who love to explore and play outdoors, their treehouses and shabby-chic trailer offer hot and cold running water, A/C and heat, with full kitchens and bathrooms. Depending on the destination, guests also have access to a pool, hot tub, or working outdoor bathtub in the woods.
Majestic Oak Treehouse is the more rustic of the two and can sleep up to seven people. The treehouse offers seclusion in the trees and has a master bedroom with walls that roll up, allowing guests to enjoy the outdoors while laying in bed. These walls will also roll up on to the roof so that our guests can enjoy sleeping under the Texas stars.
Bare Creek Hollow Treehouse is a story “house-in-the-trees”, which sits on six Post Oak trees and straddles a creek, which is normally empty: the destinations namesake. This treehouse will comfortably sleep up to four adults or a family of six, has central air and heat, and while less rustic than Majestic Oak Treehouse, provides its guests with a beautiful and cozy living room, front and back porch, complete with rocking chair, and a second story balcony, perfect for drinking coffee in the morning, or enjoying an evening.
What makes us most proud is the quality of the destinations we provide and the service we extend each guest. Knowing that most of our guests enjoy time outdoors, we want them focused on that, while we focus on everything else. Our mission statement became self-evident during our first season as the owners watched their guests and will tell everyone that “Savannah’s Meadow is a place for healing those that find themselves hurt or lost. There are healing properties about staying in a treehouse, or spending time with nature and our guests get an opportunity to take a moment to step away from their fast-paced lifestyle and reconnect with things that are more important.”
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Susan and Ron define success through the relationships they get the opportunity of developing with guests who stay on their farm. In opening the farm to guests, by extension, they are inviting people into their home, even though guests stay in a treehouse, shabby-chic trailer, get married in the wedding chapel, or enjoy a concert in the events field. While some relationships with guests become deeper than others, there are other key indicators, which help the owners define success.
They are also looking to see if their guests have a personal need, which might indicate hurt or loss. They’ll be the first to tell you that spending time in the trees or in nature has a healing quality and have witnessed this phenomenon many times since taking ownership in 2016.
Finally, the owners know that success can also be defined by watching their guests ride by on bikes provided at each destination, or a guest catch a large fish and throw it back in the pond, or a father and daughter row the canoe around the pond.
There are multiple ways Susan and Ron define success, but it seems the common denominator for each, is the care of, love for, and respect for each guest.
Pricing:
- Majestic Oak Treehouse is $175 Sunday through Thursday and $195 Friday and Saturday, for two.
- Bare Creek Hollow Treehouse is $215 Sunday through Thursday and $245 Friday and Saturday, for two.
- Gypsy’s Grotto is $95 Sunday through Thursday and $110 Friday and Saturday, for two.
- Outdoor Wedding packages range from $950 to $1500
- Outdoor Event packages range from $250 to $750
Contact Info:
- Address: 4445 FM 903
Celeste, TX 75423 - Website: http://www.savannahsmeadow.com
- Phone: 214-668-4299
- Email: reservations@savannahsmeadow.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savannahsmeadowllc
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SavannahsMeadowLLC
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/savannahsmeadow
Image Credit:
Camille Schroeder
Andrew Van Volkenburgh
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