We people like to travel. A long time ago, only the happy few got to do it and even longer ago, travel just stood for business. No pleasure. Yet now that all of us happily jump in the car, on the train, or in a plane, the accommodation options keep on broadening. Because not only do we want to spend some time away from home, we also want to make it worth our while. We want to see everything, eat as much as we can and sleep in a place that’s more than “just another hotel room”.
One look on a booking website suffices to see there’s something for everyone. Whether it’s a fancy schmancy hotel room, a treehouse, a dungeon, a safari tent, or a Hobbit’s house: the options are endless, with some of them being pretty strange.
1. Stable Stay
If you’re a horse person – a pretty intense one that is – we might have found your next holiday rental. You’ll be heading towards Cartmel in the Lake District. There, you’ll find the Greenbank Farm, covering about 28 hectares and offering what they call the Stable Stay. The name reveals pretty much what you’ll get: a stay in a stable, including its hairy inhabitant, a beautiful Friesian. A horse whit whom you shall share the night and a room, as only part of the bunk bed is separated from where the horse is standing.
Greenbank Farm’s owner, Tracey Alexander, owns no less than fourteen Friesians. She gives guests the chance to ride some of them but it’s also possible to take a carriage ride, to groom them or – as we said before – to sleep with them. “I’m keen to educate people about these beautiful animals and being here is a complete break from city life”, she tells Metro UK. A stable stay can be booked for 250 pounds a night and you’ll have room for maximum of three people.
2. Adopt a horse
If you’re attracted by the idea of spending some time at the farm, being surrounded by horses, but you don’t want to sleep with them, don’t worry. It’s also possible to rent the seven-bedroom farmhouse, including magnificent views, a hot tub, and private woodland. Oh and if you really fall in love with one of the horses, it’s even possible to “adopt” them by making a yearly donation. You’ll get inside information about the farm and updates about how your horse is doing – a great gift for your horse-loving friends.
