Farmers’ livestock barn conversion at The Suffolk Escape, Hintlesham, takes holiday luxury to the next level

A home cinema at Sheepyard Barn atThe Suffolk Escape, at Hintlesham, a farm diversification which was launched five years ago and has recently expanded with this fifth accommodation unit. Picture: MIKE FLETCHER (Image: Mike Fletcher)

Andrew and Sarah Bryce, of Northlands Farm, Hintlesham, near Ipswich, launched The Suffolk Escape five years ago with four luxury log cabins set around a newly-created lake.

Now they’ve added a new barn conversion, Sheepyard Barn, which sleeps up to 12 guests, to the holiday accommodation business on their 280 acre farm.

An indoor pool equipped with a counter-current machine, a pizza oven, a sunken trampoline and hot tub are among the holiday luxuries guests can enjoy.

“It has really excited alot of people as it is quite different to normal barns in the region, plus we designed and built it ourselves,” said Andrew.

A bunkroom at the new Sheepyard Barn atThe Suffolk Escape, at Hintlesham, a farm diversification which was launched five years ago and has recently expanded. Picture: MIKE FLETCHER (Image: Mike Fletcher)

The site is the “perfect” setting for family holidays, enabling children to run free in the countryside, he said.

“It is equally ideal for a large group of friends looking for a relaxing escape. The barn sleeps up to 12 guests and features a large, open plan living space with stunning views over rolling hills.

“There is a huge kitchen, home cinema system, wood fired pizza oven, outdoor lounge, separate kids play/TV room, hot tub and a private indoor swimming pool just for the barn.”

The child-free cabins, meanwhile, target the adult market, and this has turned out to be a hugely successful combination, said Andrew.

A trampoline with views of crop fields at The Suffolk Escape, at Hintlesham, is a farm diversification which was launched five years ago and has recently expanded with a fifth accommodation unit. Picture: MIKE FLETCHER (Image: Mike Fletcher)

“The business has annual occupancy over 90% and over half of the guests being returning guests or via word of mouth. The business is very unique in that it has all but one 5/5 scores with Trip Advisor feedback from past guests. We have heard that this is one of the few business in the UK with this incredible level of feedback.”

Andrew, who grew up on the family farm and studied tourism at university, began his expansion of the Suffolk Escape last year after deciding to convert an old livestock barn. He looked at hundreds of other properties and tried to pull all the best elements he saw to put into one “truly unique” property, he said.

He spent 10 years travelling the world creating motivation and incentive programmes for large UK organisations before returning to his Suffolk roots and reinstating rare breed pigs, cattle and sheep on the farm.

A swimming pool at The Suffolk Escape, at Hintlesham, a farm diversification which was launched five years ago and has recently expanded with a fifth accommodation unit. Picture: MIKE FLETCHER (Image: Mike Fletcher)

The Suffolk Escape, at Hintlesham, is a farm diversification which was launched five years ago and has recently expanded with a fifth accommodation unit, Sheepyard Barn, pictured. Picture: MIKE FLETCHER (Image: Mike Fletcher)

An outside view of one of four log cabins built five years ago atThe Suffolk Escape, at Hintlesham, a farm diversification which was launched five years ago and has recently expanded with a fifth accommodation unit. Picture: MIKE FLETCHER (Image: Mike Fletcher)

A log cabin. one of four built five years ago atThe Suffolk Escape, at Hintlesham, a farm diversification which was launched five years ago and has recently expanded with a fifth accommodation unit. Picture: MIKE FLETCHER (Image: Mike Fletcher)