LOVE LOCAL
A Cup of Tea With... Val Woodhouse discusses the cottage holiday’s enduring appeal
Cambridge Edition: How did your Welcome Escapes business begin? Val Woodhouse: I started renovating my first holiday cottage about 15 years ago and, combined with my experience as a qualified surveyor, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed creating cottages that feel like real homes away from home. Since then, we’ve continued to expand our range of beautiful holiday cottages in North Norfolk, adding two on the west coast of Scotland and another near the Spain-Portugal border. CE: What services do you offer? VW: After renovating Green Cottage in North Norfolk, we found that guests were inspired by its great location – just a short walk to the beach, in a village setting, close to a pub and restaurant. This motivated us to look for similarly located cottages. CE: How would you explain the enduring appeal of a cottage holiday? VW: Our cottage holidays offer a private, spacious retreat with all the amenities to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. These offer excellent value for families and friends, allowing them to come together, entertain and cook (cookbooks provided!), enjoy barbecues or sample locally sourced food at nearby restaurants. The beauty of a
holiday home lies in the freedom to create your own schedule, and the comfort of relaxing in a home at the end of a busy day. CE: What is it that makes your Norfolk cottages special? VW: Each cottage has its own personality, bright decor and stunning surroundings. Beachcomber is a spacious, oversized beach hut-style property with stunning sea views, while Creek and Green Cottages are traditional fishermen’s flint houses that have been converted into charming homes. Special features include tastefully decorated living areas, lovely bedrooms and bed linens, as well as relaxing gardens and patios. All cottages are less than five minutes from the beach, and only a short walk from a pub, cafe or restaurant. They’re an ideal base for exploring the local area. CE: What are your Scottish and Spanish properties like? VW: Kathleen’s Croft and The Birdhouse – both on the west coast of the Scottish Highlands – incorporate local fabrics, stone and wood into their decor. The Birdhouse has a quirky bird theme running through it, with owl boxes and a canopy of fairy light-adorned branches hanging over the king-sized bed! Casa Verde, on the other
QUIRKY AND CREATIVE Val enjoys renovating her holiday cottages to be welcoming and homely
hand, is a white-painted Spanish property inspired by southern Spain and Morocco. It features wooden beams, traditional tiles throughout and stunning river views. CE: What little luxuries can people expect to find in your cottage lets? VW: Guests can enjoy fresh flowers in North Norfolk, Molton Brown toiletries in Spain, well-equipped kitchens, Wi-Fi, books, games and gardens for relaxing or dining. Each stay also includes a bottle of wine and tasty treats. A touch of character is added through quirky decor, such as our bespoke lamps and signature ducks in the bathrooms to delight younger guests. The bedrooms feature soft cotton bed linens in stylish designs, and you won’t find a bunk bed in sight! A team member will visit at the beginning of every guest’s stay to offer helpful advice and tips so that they can make the most of their holiday. To book your stay at any of the Welcome Escapes cottages, call 01263 768440 or visit welcomeescapes.co.uk
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