When Dylan and Catrin Jones bought Pantcefn Farm in the Ceredigion village of Llanarth in 2019, they began formulating ideas of how to make the most of their new farming venture.
And when Covid hit, the need to draw in an income from their newly owned farm was sped up, with wedding videographer Dylan, 33, suddenly seeing his primary source of business disappear.
It was this that spurred the couple on to pursue holiday letting, using lockdown as a chance to kickstart the project and turn part of their farm into a first-class, luxury glamping destination.
As keen travellers themselves, the couple had plenty of inspiration for their glamping accommodation project, but knew that to attract bookings they needed to make their pods as unique as possible.
Over the course of 12 months, the pair worked alongside various local tradesmen to bring their vision to life.
They wanted the farm surroundings to be a part of the pods, positioning them amongst the picturesque setting next to a natural pond, and even using the fleece from their alpacas as insulation.
To add to the luxury nature of the pods, the couple ensured no expense was spared. Both Piglet Pod and The Rusty Boathouse have hot tubs for guests to enjoy, as well as king sized beds and large Smart TVs.
Since the pods opened in 2021, they have generated 65 bookings per year on average, with 2022 generating 95 bookings alone. The money generated from the pods will help the pair extend their holiday let portfolio at Pantcefn Farm.
Dylan and Catrin already have planning permission for a further three pods and the farm also has existing cottages and buildings that are now derelict, which the couple plan to redevelop in the future.
Catrin commented: “Starting and growing our holiday letting portfolio has been a dream come true for us and it has been amazing to share our beautiful setting with so many guests. We have loved meeting likeminded people who love exploring the UK through unique staycations.
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“I would really encourage anyone thinking about diversifying their farmland to introduce holiday lets to just go for it, but my one piece of advice is to really make sure your property stands out – there is no point in having the same offering as someone else close by.
“We decided to let with Sykes Holiday Cottages as we felt they had the best reach through the country for potential guests. Our local Sykes representative is so helpful, and we know that if we have any queries, they are there to support us.”
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