Nominee Summary
The Hideaway Experience is an adult-only agritourism business located in the Angus Countryside. £1Million has been invested over the past twenty-years developing five 5* accredited self-catering holiday lets. The properties have been designed to provide the feel of a penthouse hotel suite within a rural farm setting. The business specialises in providing memorable stays for celebratory occasions and recently have adapted its core offering to also welcome other types of adult breaks, with a focus on wellness. It hosts 1200guests per annum, bringing people to the area who in turn spend their money in the local rural economy.
What makes your nominee stand out?
The Hideaway Experience is celebrating 20 years in business this summer and has grown 5-fold in that time. From the owner solely looking after the original converted farm bothy and its guests in 2005, to an additional four new-build eco Hideaways and a full team of employees in 2025. The business has prioritised reinvesting its profits into business development and creating a strong brand identity. Innovative design has been an important element in the success of the business, and we pride ourselves on offering not only luxury facilities but high-quality bespoke customer service. The self-catering market is typically seen as a “self-service” type of sector with very little in the way of guest-employee interaction but at The Hideaway Experience we use service to differentiate ourselves within the market. We maintain regular pro-active communications with guests from the moment they book. This flow of communication allows us to retain and build strong relationships with valued guests. We listen, take note, and offer individual touches to their stay which often results in repeat customers. Our loyalty program, The Platinum Club, has over 6K subscribes, makes up 40% of our annual guest occupancy and getting to know each return guest personally is what really sets us apart in a competitive marketplace. A key part of making guests feel valued is our traditional farm hospitality, warm personal welcome within 15minutes of arrival and being on hand 24/7 should anyone require anything during their stay.
Changes that have been implemented
We have created a detailed digital guidebook with local recommendations which includes a variety of good quality businesses in the area we suggest guests visit during their stay. We also developed seasonal collaboration packages with our recommended local businesses. For example, our Summer-Holiday-Package offers a 7-night stay at The Hideaway Experience and includes a day trip to The Barrie Box for hot drinks, ice cream and punnets of fruit. Together the guidebook and seasonal collaboration packages not only adds value to our guests but showcases and supports other rural businesses in the area. Retaining 5star accreditation is achieved by regular and consistent evaluation of our properties and facilities and a commitment to training all staff to possess reliable high attention to detail. We have continued to keep up our quality standards by reinvesting into the properties to ensure they are never looking dated or tired. In 2023 we re-invested profits of over £100K to upgrade our Dreamers & Honeymooners Hideaway: - Eco-air source heat pump - New bathroom and Sauna - Upgraded Kitchen - New Tiled Flooring - New Furniture In 2024 we applied for and obtained AngusCLV grant to scope out future development – Our vision is to grow the operations on our farm with a new type of tourism and leisure offering for both our existing guests and the local community focused on wellness. We used the funding to have a design led masterplan and full costed feasibility study undertaken which we are in the process of evaluating.
Overcoming challenges
The initial access to borrowing funds to start the business was a huge challenge. This was because we did not have any assets to use as security for a loan. As The Hideaway Experience grew, it was necessary to invest in human resources to help with the daily-operations and develop the business further. Having the right team members is vital to the success of our service-focused business. Our rural location has meant it has been a struggle to obtain good staff as it is essential they drive and have access to a vehicle (the bus route which stops near the farm is not well serviced). This has meant we have focused on providing a “benefits package” to try and attract and retain excellent employees. We offer employees flexible working and at least the Living Wage. Our staff benefits have a clear focus on improving and maintaining positive mental health and wellbeing:
•Green Space – located within a working farm with beautiful views. There is an option to work in the garden in summertime. There are walking routes around the farm for taking a break.
•Personal Trainer – once a week during office hours we offer 1-2-1 physical training to staff. •Accommodation Stays – staff get offered a few overnight stays a year to unwind and relax using all spa-facilities.
•Team Building – along with seasonal dinners, there are opportunities to go on walks or participate in charity fundraisers.
•Opportunities to attend learning journeys to Tuscany to visit other tourism businesses.
