It’s no news that we pride ourselves on bringing you the most distinctive homes that the UK has on offer, but what exactly comprises a unique homestay? Well, as style icon Coco Chanel once so famously said, “In order to be irreplaceable, one must always be different.” A quote that couldn’t ring more true for each one-of-a-kind home that graces our portfolio. So with that in mind, we’ve compiled a list to let you in on a few little secrets of what makes us tick here at Unique HQ…
Firstly, we love inspiring and Instagrammable interiors which reflect the owners’ colourful and endearingly eccentric personalities. We go weak at the knees for beautiful storytelling through design; old wax chandeliers, bespoke wallpaper, out-there artwork, interesting family heirlooms and quirky pieces of furniture such as hand-carved doors salvaged from ancient French chateaux… these are just a few of our favourite things! If it has a story to its stone work or a narrative woven between its wooden beams, we love nothing more than hearing how these homes started life and what they saw along the way.
We’re constantly hunting out the most sought-after postcodes in the country. Or better yet, homes so remote and under-the-radar, they have no postcode at all! Perhaps it’s a hidden woodcutter’s cabin buried deep in majestic woodland off-the-beaten track. Perfect. Or a contemporary cliff-topper with jaw-dropping views and nothing to be heard other than whispers from the salty sea breeze. Even better. The more magical and mystical the location, the more we’re going to love it.
Now, we appreciate not every unique homestay will have been designed by the likes of Gaudi and Michelangelo themselves, but we’re suckers for architecturally interesting and historical buildings. Whether the property has sleek glass frontage, contemporary Nordic cladding, fairy-tale-like turrets or an ancient bell tower, every quirky element makes them just so.
We’re a bunch of eco warriors here at Unique Homestays. Chelsea Flower Show is marked boldly on the calendar each year, along with local flower fairs and country house garden openings, and the Unique Homestays office even has an eco-natural swimming pond as well as reclaimed wooden interiors. Browse the Unique Homestays portfolio and you’ll see it blooms with perfectly pruned topiary, neat croquet lawns, acres of lush verdant gardens and pretty meadows awash with wildflowers. Homes which boast gardens that are a labour of love win our hearts every time.
Buildings that ooze with character and speak to you as soon as you walk in the front door are hard to find, take it from us – we’ve seen a fair few over the last fifteen years! That’s why when our team are travelling the country searching for undiscovered homes, it’s important they take note of the properties personalities so we can bring them to life in all their glory on the website. It won’t be a surprise to learn that one thing all the team love is getting the chance to stay and relay our stories. There’s nothing more magical than experiencing these special homes first-hand and it’s easy to get quite attached. When you leave it can be a little like waving goodbye to your new BFF at the end of summer camp.
Lastly? A Unique Homestay is a home that many can only dream of owning. These wow-worthy homes that have magic sprinkled in every nook and cranny are simply extraordinary. Staying in each outstanding property offers a chance to step into somebody else’s shoes for the week... and by shoes, we mean Jimmy Choos.
