An innovative layout for an ultimate luxury glamping pod experience
Bella Brodie reports
YourRereats are well known for their lovely lodges, and we were thrilled to see them launch the first of their residential park homes at Stoneleigh World of Park & Leisure Homes this year. They are fast becoming a go-to manufacturer of choice for many parks.
Their offering is diverse, with pods, cabins, holiday lodges, residential homes and bespoke structures all built to BS 3632 living standards, eco-friendly, energy efficient and using SIP panel construction standards, enabling use at any time of year. To extend our coverage of their range a bit further, we thought we’d take a look at their Heptapod Before we start, we should recap their story of origin as it is particularly relevant for this model.
When Founder Sam Greaves had a vision of creating a boutique retreat on his family’s farm in Lancashire, he was disappointed that the lodges he was looking at in the marketplace didn’t align with his vision or meet his exacting standards. He began looking at building his own, fine-tuning his vision, when he was joined by Andrew Hardman, who shared the same vision of doing things differently. It was clear that their design ambitions were in sync. They have gone from strength to strength ever since, and their 93% occupancy levels on that location alone demonstrate that.
Their styling is contemporary and minimalist, with an architectural vibe and Scandinavian design principles, and that works as well in smaller spaces as in larger builds, as the Heptapod demonstrates. The cosy living space in this model caught our eye immediately, so like others we have covered, it will have strong visual appeal for booking engines. The genius of this model is the use of ground space, though – it lends itself to two smaller experiential spaces within one footprint, so guests can enjoy their outside space as much as the internal accommodation.
OUR VERDICT
In a genre hotting up as parks look to offer a diverse range of accommodation on their parks, the Heptapod shines brightly as a boutique offering perfect for solo travellers or couples. What we love most is that is still feels like YourRetreats – both the interior and exterior are striking, practical and well thought through, both from an experiential viewpoint and as a commercial proposition.
KEY FEATURES
- 30 x 13ft and 390 sq ft
- Unique external design with wood-framed front fins
- Feature LED lighting and mood controls throughout
- Large ceiling windows
- Full-glass frontage
- Luxurious appointment
- EV wall-charging port
- Hive remote heating system
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
www.yourretreats.co.uk