Inspired by a round-the-world trip and a desire to create something for backpackers, our original plan was to set up permanently in London. After two years of searching for a suitable site, and the loss of a team member along the way, we were close to giving up. Instead, we decided to have a last try with Edinburgh and the Fringe festival which we'd heard of but never been. Almost immediately, we found a plot willing to take a chance on us, which was a huge surprise after our experiences in London.

Starting on a very tight budget and a very basic set up, we grew the business from 48 beds in 2014 with poor reviews to 130 beds across 21 shipping containers by 2019 and often people telling us it was the best hostel experience they'd had.

It was an incredible experience and great fun. We paused during COVID-19 when the Fringe was cancelled, waited for it to return in full, but life moved on, and in the end, we never returned.

Other businesses we started but never quite got off the ground:

• Shetux – A company selling dinner jackets to lesbians for their big day, inspired by the legalisation of same-sex marriage. We bought some tuxedos and created the brand design, but the idea fizzled out before it went anywhere.
• Boss Tours – A minibus tour company that would of collected guests from London hostels and drive them to destinations like Stonehenge, with a party on the return journey. Bryn passed his minibus management course, but Nick struggled with his driving test. After the third attempt, we ran out of time and money, and the idea was shelved.
  
• Burma Black Tea – After trekking through tea plantations in northern Myanmar, we thought it would be great to export the tea. We created a brand, built a website, and even made a few sales, but motivation ran out before it could grow further.
  
• Burmese Umbrellas – Struck by the stunning decorative umbrellas we saw around the country (and bought for the hotel, see below), we were convinced they would sell in the UK. We invested $1,000 in stock and set about exporting them, but shipping complications and missing stock killed the venture before it really started. In the end, we brought two umbrellas home, where they now adorn our gardens!
  

Taking a huge leap of faith, and placing a lot of trust in some new friends, we took on a lease at Lover View Pool Bar & Bungalows, renaming it Lover View Pool Bar & Bungalows. The location was a remote village on the west coast; at the time, there was no grid electricity and no ATMs.

The early years were fantastic. Following the country’s first truly democratic elections, Myanmar was being heralded as the 'next Thailand,' and we expanded by taking over another hotel directly on the beach. Then came the challenges, the Rohingya crisis, COVID-19, and finally the 2021 military coup. Shortly after this, our lease came to an end and we chose not to renew it.

What an experience it was, one that gave us some truly unforgettable memories.     

We’ve also branched out into providing bespoke treasure hunts for accommodation providers, such as Birkhill Castle, where we run a hunt around the estate that ends with digging up buried treasure on the beach. We’re always looking to add more venues, please get in touch if you’re interested.

Whats next?

We’ll continue developing The Great Game’s products, and who knows, you might even find us running another beach hotel in the future.

Please do get in touch if you’d like to have a chat.