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00:00Two at one, it's twenty-one.
00:01Got it!
00:03Four sets of holiday hosts.
00:05It's wallpaper, it's literally giving me a headache.
00:07Check in to each other's places.
00:09That was easy to get it.
00:10And get to grips with one another.
00:13So how did everyone sleep last night?
00:14Not great.
00:15You just want a good night's sleep and we didn't get one.
00:20Today, guests bed in.
00:22Oh, man.
00:24As they battle.
00:25I do all the cleaning, I do all the marketing, and we do it very well.
00:28I do check-in and breakfast as well.
00:30Not very well.
00:31To be named Best Value for Money.
00:33The person who wrote this is obviously very competitive and wants to win.
00:43The third visit of the week is to Maidstone in Kent and Stone Court House,
00:48owned by Sharven Demibasher, a host ready to blow his own trumpet.
00:53I'm normally fun, easy-going, charismatic, life's all of the party.
00:57But business-minded as well.
00:59So, you know, I can switch quite quickly.
01:02Guests, prepped for a pivot, can pick from seven rooms for up to £160 per night
01:07and meet a host living in the past.
01:10It's like a Pandora's box of history that we've got from many Knights of China Lama.
01:16Then it's going from the Tudor period to early Georgia, Regency to late Georgia.
01:21And so we've got basically about 700 years of history in one property.
01:27And when it comes to hosting, Sharven doesn't believe in getting too hands-on.
01:32I'd say about 90% of our guests I don't normally see.
01:35They self-check-in, they self-check-out, but I'm always approachable.
01:38So if I'm not at my desk, you can call me, email me and I'm here.
01:42Even my children call me to get in contact with me because it's such a big house.
01:46About to arrive are today's first guests.
01:49Would you ever think about coming to Maystone?
01:51No.
01:52I'd probably visit you in prison.
01:55Locked in are married couple Mark and Annie Ezekiel of Old Town House in Margate, Kent.
02:02At the last visit, Sharven showed his age.
02:05My place is almost 700 years old.
02:08Dates to the medieval period and goes all the way to the late Georgian period.
02:12So today, Mark and Annie are playing for time.
02:16I like all this old and you like everything modern, don't you?
02:19Old, baby. Classic.
02:20Classic. I like classic.
02:21It's antique.
02:22Antique.
02:23You're old.
02:25Oh, I just got a message.
02:27Oh, yeah.
02:28Dear Mark and Annie, I have reserved the Georgian Scruton room at Stone Court House.
02:34This is priced at £166 per night.
02:37Your bedroom door will be open with your access card in the bowl
02:41next to your welcome pack.
02:42Okey-doke.
02:45Oh, that's beautiful.
02:46Wow, it looks stunning.
02:47Get your coat out and then let's go and see what's inside.
02:53Nice heavy door.
02:55Wow.
02:56Oh, look at it.
02:57That's beautiful.
02:57Love the walls.
03:01Wow.
03:02Everything's in keeping with the building.
03:04It's beautiful.
03:04With Mark and Annie age-appropriate, today's next guest is barking mad.
03:10I am missing my babies.
03:12I love my babies and I've never been away this long.
03:15When I say babies, I mean my two lovely dogs.
03:20Calling it puppy love is Emma Louise Sims, manager of the Crown Inn in Saar, Kent, who was joined
03:26in the competition by colleague Liv Roberts. At the beginning of the week when they hosted...
03:31Welcome to the Crown Inn.
03:33...over drinks, Emma Louise disclosed her duties.
03:36So do you guys literally run the place yourselves?
03:39Yeah, it's a lot of hard work, it is a lot of hard work.
03:41But at feedback, sharp and unloaded.
03:43I think they're just spreading themselves too thin.
03:46It's my baby and I like to do a lot of it myself and that's my choice.
03:49Yeah.
03:50Liv's had to leave the competition for personal reasons.
03:53So Emma Louise is continuing solo.
03:55And today, she has great expectations.
03:58Sharp and comes across as a perfectionist.
04:01Everything's attention to detail, so I'm pretty sure that we're not going to find
04:05anything wrong with it, but time will tell.
04:09Dear Emma Louise, I have reserved the Judd Mealash room for your stay.
04:14This is £176 per night and it's self-checking.
04:19Self-checking. I'm not a fan of, I do like the more personal touch.
04:26Okay, over in.
04:31Okay. It's not giving me that wow factor. I'm actually a bit underwhelmed.
04:36With the wind taken out of Emma Louise's sails, today's next guests are beyond the pale.
04:41Oh, there's a bucket there.
04:43A bucket.
04:45Maybe it's for the great picking.
04:47Yeah. Don't tick it.
04:51Compiling their bucket list, our married couple, Amy and Mark Culver,
04:55of Kitzkotty Glamping in Aylesford, Kent. Last time at their place...
05:00Hi. Welcome to Kitzkotty Glamping.
05:02There were happy campers.
05:04Fluffy pillow, nicely washed and ironed and everything.
05:07It's spotless, isn't it? I mean, it squeaks, it's so clean.
05:11But one guest...
05:12Yeah, it's not big meat.
05:13...was a square peg in a round hole.
05:16Can you see the cobwebs? Look. Look. It's all dirty.
05:19And at feedback, some remarks...
05:21Dust, dirt and cobwebs, pretty much everywhere.
05:26Four? Yeah.
05:27...caused the hosts to smart.
05:28I don't agree with the four at all. It hurts.
05:32I know it does, but...
05:34But today, Amy wants a fresh start.
05:36The feedback that we got from Emma-Louise, that's really stuck with me.
05:40Yeah.
05:41But I'm not going to let that bother me.
05:43I think there's going to be a bit of an atmosphere, to be honest.
05:46Yeah. It won't come from us, though.
05:47I treat everybody the same.
05:49Oh, here we go.
05:50So, dear Amy and Mark, I have reserved the Judge Huddleston room.
05:54This is 186 per night, and it's self-check-in.
05:59So, I'm guessing we're not going to see him when we turn up.
06:03He's such a shame. He's so charismatic.
06:05Yeah.
06:05You want to see him.
06:08Here we go.
06:11Oh, man.
06:13Wow, look at this.
06:14That's some bed.
06:16Oh, my goodness.
06:17With the hosts out of the way, the guests can see if Stone Court House
06:21is a stone-cold classic.
06:23It's nice and soft. Lovely.
06:25No marks so far.
06:26No, yeah, nice and clean.
06:28Nice, fluffy pillows.
06:31Yeah, they're nice, nice towels. Nice and fluffy.
06:34Nice, clean cups.
06:35But I think with the whole stately home thing,
06:38these are quite basic, would you say?
06:41Oh, my life.
06:42Massive ham on the inside of a duvet.
06:45Are you going to fit?
06:46Being 900 foot tall.
06:49Well, just 160 tonight.
06:53Would you expect maybe alternative teas?
06:55Probably one more choice of tea.
06:58Yeah, there's loads of dust around here.
07:00Look.
07:01Got a bit of dust here by the bed.
07:05Oh, no.
07:06They're not even posh tea bags.
07:07You'd expect something a little more luxurious, I think.
07:10Look.
07:11Yeah, you don't even have to go looking for it.
07:14Wow.
07:14Wow.
07:15This is stunning.
07:17Spotless, isn't it?
07:18So clean, it, like, glares you in the face.
07:20I wasn't expecting something this big.
07:22Well, it's a huge bathroom, but there's no shower curtain.
07:25Oh, there's no shower.
07:26And I wouldn't be able to get in that.
07:28Such a beautiful bathroom, wouldn't it?
07:31Basic.
07:32Plastic.
07:32Yeah.
07:33Bit of mould on the seals.
07:35Bit of live scale.
07:36So, again, look, this is underwhelming.
07:39Yeah.
07:39You'd expect something slightly nicer, wouldn't you?
07:43Room inspection's almost over.
07:45Amy and Mark have hit the squeak spot.
07:48Oh.
07:52Mark's shaken, not stirred.
07:54Fetch me my drink, waiter.
07:56And spring has sprung for Emma Louise.
07:59It's a good job I'm sleeping alone, isn't it?
08:06In 1834, the first discovered fossilised skeleton of an iguanodon dinosaur was unearthed in maidstone.
08:14And today, host Sharbon hopes the guest's good cheer won't be extinct after a historic boat trip down the river
08:21Medway.
08:22I'm really looking forward to it.
08:23It's not something I've done before, so I'm ready to give it a punt.
08:27And as they set sail, it's over to guide Michael.
08:31Welcome to the Kentish Lady.
08:32Some of you may know, wherever there is a river, there is history.
08:36Where we're going past right now, actually, is a place called Ringleston, which means a ring of stones.
08:41So this would have been the centre of a Roman camp at one point.
08:45I heard Maidstone came from Maid, which is a Saxon village up the high street.
08:50And stone, which was the roads were made up of stone and the houses.
08:54Yes.
08:54You seem to know a lot about Maidstone. Why did you move here?
08:57It's really cosmopolitan. We love it. We've been here now for six years.
09:00There's lots of different nationalities. Everyone's getting on really well.
09:04And Maidstonians are really proud that they live in Maidstone.
09:08So Charbon is such a good host. And it's just a shame that, as an average guest...
09:14Yeah, on the self-check-in... You wouldn't get that.
09:16Definitely loves Maidstone. He's trying to sell us Maidstone a lot.
09:20We're almost... Talking to him, you make you want to move here yourself, doesn't it?
09:22Yeah.
09:23Civic pride on parade. It's time for trade talks.
09:27Where we are right now was once the site of Wattman's paper mill. It was built in the 1700s.
09:33And James Wattman was a Maidstone man. And paper wasn't in the best of conditions around the world
09:38until he invented the woven style of paper that we still use today.
09:42That's really funny because Mark's dad used to work at Wattman.
09:47Oh, really?
09:47Yeah, my dad did. 40 years, man and boy.
09:49Your family worked in the industry that built Maidstone, basically.
09:53Maidstone was well known as a paper-making town.
09:56Yeah. Also, an alcohol-making town.
09:58It was very well known for its gins and its cherry brandies.
10:01There you go, my grandad.
10:03My grandad.
10:05During the war? During the war, yeah.
10:07I'm thinking, like, doing this, I don't know, like, Kent.
10:10I've lived here, like, all my life. There's so much to see and do.
10:13You guys are ruining my trip to London.
10:17I was apprehensive about seeing Mark and Amy since I have given them feedback.
10:22I don't think the dynamics of the group has changed, which I'm really happy about.
10:26And as the group gather in the sun on the stern,
10:29Charbon's after tales of maritime mishaps.
10:33Has anyone got any interest in boating stories?
10:36So, we were on holiday once and we went on a jet ski trip.
10:40I got on the jet ski and Mark put one foot on the jet ski and the whole thing flipped.
10:48So, we ended up in the water.
10:50How do you feel about water?
10:51I'm really not a fan.
10:54I thought this afternoon was really nice, actually.
10:57Everyone really gelled together. We're having good banter and everything.
11:00Afternoon over, the boat docks. But back on dry land, some predict mutiny.
11:06It's been lovely this afternoon. You know, the water's calm at the moment,
11:10but things might get a bit choppy later.
11:19The third visit of the week is to Maidstone in Kent and Stone Court House,
11:24where tonight host Charbon has invited his guests for a livener in his lounge.
11:29Cheers, everyone. Cheers.
11:32And with drinks poured, Mark digs up the past.
11:36How come she came to this building?
11:38When we purchased the property, it was in a really bad state.
11:41There was water coming down. There were pigeons flying everywhere.
11:44It was squatted in, vandalised. Everything was smashed up.
11:47Walls were collapsing and roofs were collapsing as well.
11:50This is a 15th-century fireplace. It was in pieces, front in the corner.
11:54Wow. You've obviously embraced it. You've learnt from it.
11:57If I knew what I was getting into, I would have not touched it.
12:00Sorry, when you came here with your wife, did she think you were crazy?
12:03Yeah, the first thing she says, I'm not cleaning it.
12:07It was nice to hear a little bit more about Charbon's past
12:10and how he got to the point of opening this place.
12:13You don't want to say he's kind of got the Midas touch.
12:15He comes across as smart cookie. Yeah, he is.
12:17Like, he's a smart man.
12:23We've all been in hospitality for many years,
12:25so we must have some funny stories.
12:27I was cleaning one of the tents one day and screamed.
12:32Someone had left a wig in one of the tents and I thought it was an animal.
12:38So, we had a Playboy photo shoot just here.
12:42Oh, wow. Where was this and now?
12:43However, I forgot to tell the guests why.
12:49And this French couple came in and they went.
12:52Okay.
12:53That must have been quite a shock.
12:55It's not every day that you walk in a room with someone naked.
12:57I'm like, oh my God, I'm so sorry.
12:59Like, I can imagine.
13:01Naked truth uncovered.
13:02Now, Charbon wants to discuss his door policy.
13:05So, how did you find self-checking this morning?
13:09Easy.
13:09Seamless, really.
13:10I've got him fine.
13:12It's just not something I agree with.
13:13We want to see you.
13:15But I'm here all the time.
13:16We don't know that.
13:17But there's my sign at the door that says,
13:18please contact me any time.
13:19But I would have liked to see your face.
13:21But I have got other stuff.
13:23Do you know what I mean?
13:24Like, you know, I've got to do the laundry.
13:25I do all that too.
13:26So do I.
13:27I do all the cleaning, do all the marketing like you do in there,
13:30I think, and we do it very well.
13:31I do check-in and breakfast as well.
13:33Not very well.
13:34Really?
13:37What I'm saying is, you work so hard, you don't pay attention to detail.
13:41I think I've got really great attention to detail.
13:43OK.
13:44But then you might think that you have here, but I disagree.
13:47Yeah.
13:49You can see the true colours of some of the people now say,
13:53it's a competition, the daggers are out.
13:56I think I was right to voice my opinion.
13:58Self-check-in, it's a cop-out.
14:00Drink's done, it's off to bed to dust themselves down.
14:04It actually comes off in clumps.
14:07Meanwhile, some find the traffic roar hard to ignore.
14:11Do you think we're going to sleep tonight with all this road noise?
14:13I don't know.
14:14It's loud, isn't it?
14:16Hopefully these earplugs do the trick.
14:25It's morning in Maidstone, where Amy and Mark are in need of a
14:30jumpstart.
14:30It's really noisy, isn't it?
14:33Yeah.
14:33It's really...
14:34After about five o'clock, it really started going for it.
14:36Yeah.
14:37And Emma-Louise is also running on empty.
14:40I don't think I've said that last night.
14:42The noise from the door carriageway, right outside my window.
14:45Noise from upstairs, people closing the front door,
14:49and the whole room vibrating.
14:51I even tried the earplugs, but they didn't work.
14:55Breakfast at Stone Court House is a self-starter,
14:58with guests able to bring in their own food or head to a local cafe.
15:02And today, host Charbon reckons his recommendation isn't reckless.
15:06The quality of the food, the breakfast is fantastic.
15:09I think they'll have a lovely time.
15:12With everyone seated, waitress Maddy is on hand to take orders.
15:16Hi, what can I get you?
15:17Could I have the ultimate avocado with egg and bacon, please?
15:21I'll have the pancakes, please, with maple and bacon.
15:24Yeah, thank you very much. Thank you.
15:27Choices made, discussion turns to bedding down.
15:30So, how did you guys sleep last night?
15:33I struggled a little bit with having the floor poster bed with a footboard.
15:36I did fit on the bed, but there's literally like half inch above my head,
15:40and half inch below your foot.
15:41And the road noise outside, it just didn't stop.
15:46You can just hit everything in that building.
15:48How about you guys?
15:49We slept very well.
15:51And our room was on the top.
15:54So, you're probably above me then?
15:55We're on the front.
15:56So, you're probably the person that keeps me awake.
15:57Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.
15:59No, unfortunately not.
16:02I thought it was a little unfair.
16:04You're in the city centre and you're gonna be amongst noise.
16:08Smoke salmon.
16:09Sleep sounded out, the dishes are delivered.
16:11Lovely.
16:13Thank you very much.
16:19Good quality, eh?
16:20Yeah, it's nice.
16:21It's really good.
16:22I think it's a really good recommendation.
16:24They do do amazing breakfast.
16:25And they've got lots of choice.
16:27It's really close to the accommodation.
16:29I enjoyed breakfast this morning.
16:31It wasn't too far to walk.
16:32The food I had was lovely.
16:33The food was great quality.
16:35Food fawned over.
16:37Mark decides to test the waters.
16:39We also have a place in the hub of the centre of a town.
16:43It's also self-check-in.
16:45And it's in a sunny seaside town of Margate.
16:48Ooh, we're going to the seaside!
16:50I arguably think it's in the best location in Margate.
16:53Is it the best location in Margate?
16:56Have you been there recently?
16:57I try not to.
17:00It's really up and coming, isn't it, Margate?
17:03That was promised to me ten years ago.
17:06Yeah, yeah, yeah.
17:07I know there's absolutely nothing wrong with our place.
17:11I can honestly say that I don't think Emma Louise will have one nice thing to say.
17:14No.
17:15Yeah, so we're off to Margate next.
17:18Probably not a location that I would pick.
17:22Plates polished off.
17:24The guests must now tackle the anonymous feedback forms.
17:27OK, let's do this.
17:29How was your host at Stone Court House?
17:33Great hosting, not our style.
17:34I think at eight.
17:35Eight?
17:37Self-checking worked OK. However, would have liked to have had that personal experience.
17:42I think it's going to have to be a six.
17:45How clean was Stone Court House?
17:48Amazing.
17:49Unfortunately, there was a few oversights, so a nine?
17:52Yes.
17:53Standards definitely lower than they should be.
17:55Multitude of issues.
17:57It's going to have to be a four.
17:58Four.
18:00How were the facilities?
18:02Amazing.
18:03Mm-hmm.
18:03Just lacking a few luxury patches.
18:06Mm-hmm.
18:07We'd have to go nine.
18:09Style over substance.
18:11Couldn't use bath.
18:13Expected higher-end products.
18:15Four?
18:16Yeah.
18:17How did you sleep?
18:19Constant noise from traffic, upstairs room, front door slamming and toilet flushing throughout the night.
18:25A four.
18:26It was a great sleep.
18:28Got to be a ten.
18:29Too much noise.
18:31Bed, not great for...
18:33Tall people.
18:35Yeah.
18:35Five.
18:37How was breakfast?
18:38Good recommendation.
18:39Got to be a ten.
18:41So, here we go.
18:43Would you stay here again?
18:45Emphatic, yes.
18:46Big, yes.
18:48Yes.
18:48Given the fact that we didn't sleep very well and the bathroom really doesn't work for us,
18:52I think it'd have to be a no.
18:54No.
18:55Would you stay here again?
18:57No.
19:01Now the guests must pay what they think their stay was worth.
19:04Happy with that?
19:05I think so. Seems fair.
19:07The cash will be kept under wraps until the end of the competition.
19:11But for now, Charbon can see if his guests had cause to grouse at Stone Court House.
19:16So, let's see how we did.
19:19How clean was Stone Court House?
19:21A nine.
19:22I'm happy with that.
19:23It was great.
19:24Unfortunately, there was a few oversights.
19:27Yes, definitely.
19:28There's room for improvement.
19:29How were the facilities?
19:31A nine.
19:32Happy with that.
19:33Amazing.
19:35Lacking a few luxury touches?
19:36Yes, I definitely will take that as good criticism and we can improve on.
19:40How did you sleep?
19:42A ten.
19:42Fantastic.
19:43It was a great sleep.
19:45Very happy with that.
19:46How was breakfast?
19:47Ten.
19:48Fantastic.
19:49Good recommendation.
19:50Brilliant.
19:53Let's find out if they will stay again.
19:56Yes, I'm happy with that.
19:59On to the next.
20:02How was your host at Stone Court House?
20:04An eight.
20:05I think that was a little bit harsh, personally.
20:07Great hosting, not our style.
20:10Guests who do want to see me know I'm contactable.
20:13How were the facilities?
20:15A four.
20:16I'm much better than a four.
20:17Style over substance.
20:20Couldn't use bath.
20:21I don't think there's any problems with the bath.
20:24Expected higher-end products.
20:27Everything's quite luxurious.
20:29The person who wrote this is obviously very competitive and wants to win.
20:33How did you sleep?
20:34A five.
20:35Really disappointing.
20:37Too much noise.
20:38Bed not great for tall people.
20:40That must be Mark and Amy.
20:42Unfortunately, they don't make longer beds.
20:45It's a shame.
20:46It's spiteful.
20:49Let's find out if they'll stay again.
20:52No.
20:53Disappointing.
20:55Two down.
20:56On to the last.
20:58How was your host at Stone Court House?
21:00A six.
21:01Hurtful and spiteful.
21:03Self-check-in worked okay.
21:05However, would have liked that personal experience.
21:10Obviously, they got in okay.
21:11But their preference was obviously to meet someone.
21:14And they had the opportunity if they wanted to.
21:16It's obviously Emma Louise.
21:17How clean was Stone Court House?
21:20A four.
21:21A four.
21:23Standard.
21:24Definitely lower than they should be.
21:26Multitude of issues.
21:29There's nothing there that I've learnt to how I can improve.
21:33So, just bile.
21:36How did you sleep a four?
21:38Disappointing.
21:40Wasn't the best.
21:41Constant noise from traffic.
21:43It's just, you know, a little bit of background noise traffic.
21:45And you could wear your earplugs as well.
21:47Upstairs room, front door slamming.
21:50And toilet flushing throughout the night.
21:53People do go to the toilet, but it's very quiet in this house.
21:58Let's see if they'll stay again.
22:01No.
22:02Not surprising.
22:05I think they've been very harsh.
22:07There are some questions to be answered on payment day.
22:10And I'm going to ask them.
22:12Next time when Mark and Danny host.
22:14I'm here on my own.
22:15I'm going to have both.
22:17Guests tot up.
22:18We've been on a mini cruise for that price before.
22:21And feedback flummoxes.
22:23No.
22:36Here on in post.
22:36So here.
22:42Staygrained.
22:44One morning.
22:45Yeah.
22:50Bye dándole, man.
22:51Bye.
22:51Bye.
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