They say that to set yourself apart from the competition you need to find a point of difference. A unique selling point. A niche. By creating unusual B&Bs, some owners do just that.
Here are some of the more unusual guest houses and B&Bs in the UK, where owners have really found their niche!
1. Want to feel at one with nature? Maybe an overnight stay that combines South American atmosphere with llamas and views over the spectacular Cumbrian countryside is for you? The Llama’s Pyjamas B&B is just 3 miles from Penrith and offers guests the chance to trek with llamas, experience animal handling and enjoy other animal activities whilst on holiday.
2. For those looking for something a little more flamboyant, consider a stay at The Witchery By The Castle in Edinburgh. Billed as the ultimate romantic bolt hole, it has just 9 suites decorated opulently in gothic style with large oak beds and 4-posters, velvet-lined walls and lavish red and gold décor.
3. Fancy sleeping in a bus shelter? I don’t mean that dirty one on the A3, but this luscious one in Gifford, East Lothian. The Bus Stop is set on a working farm. You can enjoy panoramic views whilst soaking in the hot tub, or gaze at the stars through the glass roof as you drift off to sleep. Although, with a small kitchen, maybe it shouldn’t really join our list of unusual B&Bs?
4. Incarceration doesn’t have to be a punishment. Well, maybe it did once, but now a stay in the Old Lock Up in Derbyshire offers B&B guests something a little bit different. Previously a magistrate’s house and before that a police station, the rooms are named after their earlier functions, such as ‘The Solicitor’s Room’ where lawyers could talk to their clients in private. Don’t worry though, a private bathroom has been installed in the adjacent cell, giving The Lock Up all the mod cons you could want in a good old-fashioned English B&B.
5. There are some unusual B&Bs in the South too, such as this restored Railway Station in Petworth, just 25 minutes from Chichester, where guests can stay in Edwardian Pullman Railway Carriages and enjoy breakfast in the Booking Hall.
6. If you’re not adverse to steps, then a country-chic stay in the converted Cley windmill B&B could be just what you need to blow those cobwebs away. Spectacular views over the coast and marshes can be enjoyed from the upper rooms.
7. If you’re one of the thousands of people that find water relaxing, maybe a stay on St Hilda, a tall ship in the waters of Tobermory Bay on the isle of Mull, would be the perfect space to allow the gentle waters to rock you to sleep as they lap against the hull of one of the smallest tall ships to ever compete in a Tall Ships race.
If you’re a B&B owner and are looking for funding to develop your niche, or if you have a wonderful idea to offer B&B guests something a little different, Stewart Hindley can help you find and secure the right hospitality finance package for your B&B. If you’d like to discuss your hospitality finance requirements, give us a call today on 01488 684834.
