There is no better time for a year in review, than the last day of the year. This was an important year for us, the year that came with wins and losses, with important lessons and many challenges. So, here’s what we learned, in hope it makes you think – and maybe brings a smile to your face.
1. Things can always go wrong.
Last year was a bit like Murphy’s law in practice: things that CAN go wrong will MOST DEFINITIVELY go wrong. After challenges in 2020, we kind of hoped 2021 will be easier on all of us. In some ways it was – in many ways it wasn’t. But, when we joke about Murphy’s law and the idea that some things are bound to be difficult, we forget that the same is true for good things: things that can go right most definitively will. So, there is hardship, but there is also hope. We guess that’s just life.
2. You can never prepare for everything that awaits.
There is an old curse that says may you live in an interesting time. Interesting time brings unique challenges, and you cannot be truly prepared for those. But, you prepare nonetheless, and in time you get the hang of things. Yes, everything is changing, everything is in motion, you have no readymade answers to challenges presented to you, but you keep going, you keep working, and you keep changing, and you grow.
3. Authenticity is important…
We have built our business on being authentic, and true to ourselves. We didn’t want to be a copy-paste business, we didn’t want to be a local copy of global corporation. We wanted to be recognized as people in love with our little paradise, and of people dedicated to true beauty and true luxury of travel. And this year, again, so many people recognized us as such. For a small company, that’s a huge success.
4. …friendship and personal support is equally important.
Villas Hvar is a small team, but we have a large network of people and businesses we work with. Some of those are our friends, some are just business associates, but every single one of those relationships is built on trust and mutual respect. Without those connections and support, we wouldn’t make it as far as we have.
5. Being thankful can actually get you far…
This year we have a lot to be thankful for. Our guests have returned – and they left Hvar happy and content. Our guests have chosen us, a small company, over big, global names. Our partners and cooperators were here to help and provide the best possible service. So there is a lot to be thankful for – and this is the feeling with which we’re entering 2022. Be it good or hard, we’re thankful for the opportunity to learn and to grow.
6. …and saying "enough is enough" can get you the rest of the way.
Well, yes, there are people, ideas, projects, collabs… you name it, that you just have to cut out of your life. Or your business.
7. There is always something to amaze you.
We’re in business of providing a luxury, tailor-made vacation. We have seen more high-end, luxury villas than you can imagine. Interior design, beautiful views, some stylish details, we’ve seen it all. But still, after years in this business, there are new villas that are just stunning, new views we’ve never seen before, new approaches… So the search continues. And will continue, for as long as we’re doing this.
8. There is always a chance to see something with new eyes.
We know this island as the palm of our hand. We’ve seen it all. And yet, every year we have this one guest (sometimes more, but one is enough) who just pushes us to see the world around with new eyes, in a new way. And every year, we’re enforced in the idea that we live in the most perfect world.
9. And there is always a chance to reinvent yourself.
Every year we add something new. A new service, or an addition to an existing service. Every year we reinvent ourselves a bit. We did so this year – and it hit us: we’ve been doing so forever, we just didn’t realize it.
10. Beauty is the key.
It’s easy to forget, especially in the hardest of times, that beauty heals. It may not provide the answers we need (like, when is this going to end?), but it heals. Luckily, we don’t have to search far and wide for beauty: we live on Hvar, after all. Beauty is all around.
Have a good year everyone. Don’t forget to kiss someone at midnight, and don’t forget to make a wish for days to come. We hope for you the same we hope for ourselves: we hope that 2022 will bring us laughter. We hope to have less of never-before-had challenges. Old and boring challenges will suffice, thank you. We hope to laugh a lot, to meet great people, to see beauty in everyday life. And above all, to see you all in Hvar this year.
Majda & Dalibor
* photos in this blog are part of a private collection from Majda's mobile phone
