Despite travel returning to somewhat relative normality, it appears our appetite for holidays on home turf remains strong. Especially when it comes to group bookings.
Demand for holiday homes sleeping eight-plus is on the up, with the ability to stay ‘local’ with friends or family for celebrations proving a big hit.
Jemma Stennett loves welcoming these groups to her property, The Bailiff’s House – based on the family’s 300-acre farm estate in rural Suffolk.
Renovating the five-bedroom, four-bathroom building alongside an interior designer friend has given her no end of pleasure. Nor has the move back to the county from Norfolk. She is, she says, a Suffolk girl at heart, and pined to be back here.
Farm life is what she dreamed of. It’s how she grew up, and she always envisioned her children (she has three boys) having the same adventures as she did in her youth.
Jemma and her sister inherited and sold their family farm. But she was on the look-out in the back of her mind for a new home for some time.
“When this opportunity came up, I jumped at it,” she says, adding that the plan was for the family to live in The Bailiff’s House, and rent the larger of the two properties on the estate. “But with lockdown, we thought it would be sensible to move into the bigger house.”
In a stroke of luck, Jemma had all her tradespeople (who were like gold dust in lockdown) signed up before the work began, and in just a few months managed to transform the holiday let, which boasts a library, dining/living room, fully-equipped kitchen, Finnish sauna, library and outdoor hot tub.
There’s access to the family’s tennis court and swimming pool (in high season), as well as a games room a short walk away.
A fitness instructor can be called in to help guests make best use of the on-site full gym. And a beautician is also available to book for in-house treatments.
The whole aesthetic is country chic.
“We’ve put a lot of love and energy into making it very beautiful,” Jemma says. “It’s our own furniture, and our own artwork in the house.”
Her favourite part?
“I love the mezzanine bedroom, which is really fun. You go up some windy stairs to get to it. It’s almost like a secret bedroom. The sauna is a good ‘mummy hiding place’ away from small people. And we’re really lucky that there’s an enclosed garden.
“There’s a Victorian water tower just outside of it which is a really nice feature. And you can get a lovely view of the 100-year-old oak avenue when you’re sitting in the hot tub.”
Privacy, she adds, is key.
“That’s one of the things that, I think, makes it special – especially if you’re in the hot tub. We have some low lights in the garden which make the trees shine at night, but you can still see all the stars in the sky because we’re so rural.”
A naughty-but-nice feature is the separate ‘gin palace’, with its unusually wonky brick chimney.
“It seemed like a fun idea! We’ve got a chandelier in there. And we put in some gin, tonic and lemons and limes as a welcome for guests.”
There’s much to explore nearby...if you can bear to drag yourself away from the bar.
“Suffolk is my favourite place,” says Jemma. “The local pub (The Tuddenham Fountain) is so close you can walk to it from a footpath on the farm without going on the roads. And I like The Dog (Grundisburgh). Easton Farm Park is a short drive away and brilliant. And Framlingham is close. It’s pretty much the perfect location.”
The Bailiff’s House sleeps 10 and is dog friendly. A weekend break begins at £2,500 (£250 per person). Book via bighouseexperience.com
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