What?
- Eight romantic Holiday ‘Cottages’ in Suffolk
- The perfect couples break
- Each property has a fully enclosed garden and we welcome up to 3 dogs in each
- Private Hot Tubs with 7 of the properties
When?
- 2 or 3 night weekends from Fridays
- 4 night midweek breaks from Mondays
- 5 night midweek breaks from Sundays
- Full weeks or fortnights from any of those days
Why?
- Fully enclosed 2 acre meadow for your dogs
- Hundreds of Five Star TripAdvisor and Facebook reviews
- Seven of the properties have Private Hot Tubs
- Visit England Gold Awards all round
Woodfarm Barns the Movie
An actual two and a half minute video showing you every one of our dog-friendly holiday cottages.
We have lots of video footage of each cottage
We also have an Amazing Virtual Tour. This tour allows you to look around every room of every cottage from the comfort of your armchair.
£50 off your first stay
What you’ll get:
£50 off your first stay
Exclusive offers
Competitions to win free holidays
Fast news on cancellations
We won’t bombard you with emails and you can opt out at any time.
Fill in this form to get your £50 discount voucher
Or for something completely different….
We also have two awesome Dutch Barges, moored in Suffolk! Both have featured in ‘The Times’ and offer a truly unique stay! They’re static so think of them as floating holiday cottages with views!
Just click to have a look at our other website Woodfarm Barges – Choose between one for couples on the River Deben in Woodbridge, and one for families or friends on the River Alde at Snape Maltings.
Eight Gold-Award winning luxury holiday cottages in Suffolk.
“Created with you in mind. Modern comforts with rural charm, all within easy reach of so many fabulous and interesting places such as the stunning heritage coast and so many beautiful Suffolk villages.
All our Suffolk Holiday Cottages are dog-friendly, with enclosed gardens and we have hundreds of Five Star TripAdvisor, Facebook and Google reviews. We have also earned the Visit England Gold Standard Award for all of our properties.
Book and plan your next holiday or short-break at Woodfarm Barns and make it your home from home”
Stay. Relax. Share. Repeat.
Explore every cottage with our Google Virtual Tour
You can start here or click on the menu to choose a Cottage to look around. PLEASE NOTE: Seven of the properties have their own Private Hot Tub for the ultimate Luxury Break.
Click on the buttons below to see our awards and reviews
Hundreds of Five Star Trip Advisor, Facebook and Google Reviews
I've got a new friend helping me get the Barns ready for guests
He asked me to remind you that we are going to try again to do our last Quiz tonight! 6.30pm right here on Bookface!
Cleared the diary and already turned off the phone
Yes - we’ll be there..... 🤞 for you and your internet connection!!
Jiminy! He’s about early!
Just been studying this fabulously detailed photo....amazing isn't he? I look forward to the quiz tonight
now that's just not cricket
Fingers & everything crossed for quiz night 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
Hoping to be back in time from my second vaccine appointment (no I’m not old I need it for work!) but will join in when I can if I miss the start. Fingers crossed you get connected ok this time 🤞🤞🤞
Looking forward to it x
As we prepare to open once more, I’d like to share something with you that some of you might find interesting. I find it very rewarding, and simultaneously mind-blowing.
As many of you know, I (rightly or wrongly) like to be open with you. I like to share what I’m thinking, how I approach what I do, and I do tend to make my business more transparent than most. Some people find that odd as it isn’t conventional, but then I’m not conventional so 🤷
A friend asked me in passing the other day what our level of repeat business is and I answered that it was typically just over 15%.
It was. ie, 15% of our bookings are from guests returning for more of what we do.
I did some analysis over Easter though (yeah I’m a barrel of laughs) and something very crucial struck me that I thought you’d find interesting. If you don’t, then I apologise as this is already a minute of your life that you’ll never get back. Soz.
These are the levels of repeat business for Woodfarm Barns bookings for the following calendar years. 2016 to 2020 are obviously historic and 2021 onwards are the repeat booking percentages we have from April 12th going forward;
2016 - 12%
2017 - 13%
2018 - 14%
2019 - 17%
2020 - 25%
2021 - 32%
2022 - 33%
I’ll come to Woodfarm Barges in a mo, but these are my observations;
* As we built our brand and loyalty, our levels of repeat business increased year on year. In the figures above everything up and including 2020 are firm as they are all in the past as I said. They cannot change.
* 2021 and 2022 will change because they are in the future. They are what we have booked as of right now but the percentage of repeat bookings will change up or down as time progresses.
* These figures tell me that typically we were building a growing loyal guest base year on year up to and including COVID.
* The most interesting thing then is that they went through the roof when COVID hit as you can see from the 2020 result. This can only be because we have a trusted, safe brand. This is our loyal base saying “yes, we need to get away and we know exactly where we can do that safely and securely”. We are very fortunate to have naturally 'socially distanced' Barges and Barns. When coupled with our stringent virucidal cleaning regime, it gives those who know us a level of comfort.
That is the bit that blows my mind. Our previous guests are clambering over themselves as they know what we are about and they like it.
We have lots of bookings from first time guests too of course, and I fully expect the percentage to swing that way as the year progresses. New guests will discover us, whereas a lot of our brand loyal guests have already voted with their feet and booked.
With regards to Woodfarm Barges, the figures are also interesting and follow the exact same pattern. We didn’t launch the brand until 2018 and we had repeat business in our first year;
2018 - 3%
2019 - 4%
2020 - 5%
2021 - 19%
2022 - 25%
The first few years were low of course as we were building the brand, but still growing. Interestingly the Barges tend to book well in advance, evidenced by the 2020 figure, which is still low on the repeat percentage, even in the year of COVID, because the majority were booked well in advance. But then it shoots up again for the same reasons as above.
I am so proud of this little business. Of the team we have and the loyal customer base that proves to me that we are doing something very right. We don’t get it right every time for every person, but we try to, and that’s the difference.
I see so many businesses not giving a hoot (use your own four letter word if you prefer) about what they do. Business doesn’t just come in because you open your doors. You have to earn it. And I take these stats as a message from our guests, saying “Yup”.
I just figured you might find this interesting. If I was wrong, sorry. But you made it all the way to here and I probably owe you five minutes of your life by now.
Enjoy the rest of your week x
Staycation Stay Safely
That is brilliant...we will be new customers in May and hope to become repeat customers after that!!
We will be repeat customers in a few weeks. You were the only company that sprang to mind when looking for a staycation venue. I think it's your honesty, transparency and your down to earth connection with your customers / potential customers which wins the hearts of us all. Keep doing what you're doing and one day in the not so distant future I'm hoping to enjoy Tuscany too.
Can't be doing much wrong then Carl... After our first visit ..we thought wow ..we have to return...and we have a few times .would be more (thanks Covid 😡) You can't beat it for a safe staycation Just maybe make a residents bar with Adnams on Draught.😜🍺
Definitely intend to visit at some point
The figures are a credit to you, your team & your glorious properties. Congratulations! 🤩 x
Like Darth Vader, I feel your presence. You’ve maintained your connection to your loyal customers throughout the pandemic engaging us with humour, empathy and your raw desire to do the best for your customers and company. You’re phenomenal in your branding and customer engagement and I’m sure we all want to travel with you as Woodfarm reopens. I’m looking forward to booking a barge, barn and Tuscany over the next few years. You really are an inspiration.
Brilliant - it says a lot about the man you are x
Well I think a lot of us knew you were the good guys, all you have done is prove it, well done you, congratulations, just goes to prove if you have a good plan and work at it, which you do, you cannot help but succeed, that's exactly what you have done. OK can I stop creeping now Carl. I just hope some of those new bookings have come from my leaving your brochures strategically placed all over the county and in Yorkshire, where I have family and friends good luck Carl and thank you for keeping us sane 😊💞 x
Not surprised by these percentages at all. We knew on our first visit that we’d return again & again - often booking our next visit while we’re still there! The dog loves it too ! Got 3 stays already booked - 2 this year & 1 next year. I tell all my friends about you ( & often I also tell any dog walkers I meet out & about!) The only thing that will stop us coming is if I can’t drive any more to get there. Best self catering place we’ve ever stayed in . Well done Carl & your wonderful team. 👍👍👍xxx
From someone who has stayed in most of your Barns and one of the barges these figures don’t surprise me at all. Still got one barge to sample but hopefully that will be in the not too distant future. Good luck going forward. You deserve all the luck in the world. You work really hard at your business and that pays off and is reflected in how popular they are. Keep doing what you do Carl. Hope to see you again soon. Stay safe xx
Think that next week will be our 5th visit (lost count a bit!!) but feel quite important to be a percentage statistic 😂😂!! When we find somewhere that ticks all our boxes then we go back - simples! The feeling of belonging to a community is so nice too. Keep up the good work and see you on the 16th then xx
I really can not understand why you were surprised with these results. You know our history of going holidays, we found these barges on the internet that looked interesting but weren’t sure of the idea of 2 staffies on a boat. We realised that the same guy owned some holiday cottages and as they say the rest is history. Yes they may not be the be everyone’s cup of mint beverage, they may not be the cheapest, but we know what we are getting so why risk going elsewhere to possibly be disappointed. The guy that runs it seems a pleasant enough guy, even though he seems to have a strange drinking habit. (Chocolate Beer). You have created a brand that you should be proud of and the fact that you get so much repeat business as you do stand testament to all of your hard work. However the reverse of this is that you are stuck with us whether you like it or not. Will have to try and get to see you again sometime 😜
We visited just prior to lockdown last year. Had an amazing break, haven't been able to book a return visit just yet, but rest assured we will.x
As a Woodentop who hasn’t visited and is unlikely to visit unless life brings me some nice surprises, I applaud your ethics, attitude and marketing expertise. And you make me laugh. Lucky guests.
BEST NEWS EVER!!!
So pleased for you x
Yay 😁 almost there 👏🏼 xx
Brilliant news.❤️
See you in june...
Great news for you!
As I said before will try to fit you in some time
🥳🥳
I’m pleased for you and your guests👍
See you in September xx
Yayyyyy about time, you've been closed far too long, time to get used to getting up early and going to work, yipppppeeeeee, just so long as the temperature is a bit better than today brrrrrrrr, sooooo cold 💙❄❄⛄ x
About bleeding time....
Great news Very pleased for you matey Roll on 5 weeks 🍺🍺
So pleased for you and all of us! Can't wait for my second stay in August 😎🌞 Good luck next week! 🍀 X
So pleased for you and all small businesses that can re open next week xx
Fantastic news for you. I hope to visit sometime (but am not Covid-confident just yet!).
Brilliant - see you Friday week 👍💕!!
Think I saw you out and about over the weekend! 😂
Did someone say we can go back to Woodfarm Barns?
Sorry our Pub Quiz got 'Frozen' last night
Apparently the tech gremlins stole the interweb in the area. I had internet, just not much of it!
Anyway, we are going to hold our last (for now) Quiz this coming Wednesday at 6.30pm so save the date!
It started on a Wednesday, so it seems appropriate to finish it on one too.
*** Weds 7th April ***
As bonkers as ever 😂 Happy Easter Carlos ! Xx
In the diary! 😁
Fingers crossed 🤞🏻x
Whose your mate? 😂 x
Yay 🥳🥳🥳🤞🤞🤞xxx
In my diary x
Olaf! ❤️❄️❤️❄️
See you then
Oh bugger....I'm at work
We'll be there, on the upside Jacob was missing last night so hopefully he'll be around. Always a silver lining xx
On the calendar..... can’t miss the last one especially as my answer sheet is already prepped 😂😂🤣🤣!!
Alison Smith
It was disappointing but soooo pleased it's happening on Wednesday & we won't miss out! Well done Carl x
I’m looking forward to it. And, in case I forget, thank you for making lockdown(s) more bearable. x
Will be late as taking the grandkids home. Will log on when home. Xx
MC Hammock busy prepping for the quiz
McHammock, the Caledonian quizmaster?
Are you feet saying “you can’t touch this”?! 😉
It feels good to have the sun on your skin again doesn’t it? Good Vitamin D top up 👍
Make the most of it Carl - try in a day or so & you’ll get frostbite!! See you at the quiz xx
Looks more like sunbathing Carl!
Reminds me of the time a colleague was dreading going to a French themed fancy dress party. I suggested that he just roll his trousers up and go as the Pyrenees. 🙂
Happy Easter 🐣
Ewwwww feet, ackky, no-one should have feet, get them cut off at birth and just have stubs, I do so hate feet yukky 😞👣
Me too🤢
I think you have to be able to laugh at yourself in life and I am now just about to prove it more than I ever have before...
I was a bit stressed yesterday getting everything ready for opening up again next week, then Woodfarm Barge maintenance man Pete did this with a photo of mine and sent it to me. I was howling with laughter, so please turn your volume up and press play! He did YMCA as well but I'm not showing you that one!
If you want to do this to your own photos go to wombo in the app store. There's loads of free options
Have a lovely Easter Sunday and keep smiling. I'll see you down the Woodfarm Arms tonight at 6.30pm
Another new career beckons xx
Ha ha ha ...........oh dear, words fail me 😂😂😂😂 x
Disturbing 🙈
The Quiz, I'd forgotten, best Easter present Ever!!!
Brilliant 👍🏻x
Not at all weird 🤪
That is slightly weird 😂
Very disturbing!!
Too much choccamocha beer again?? See you tonight Carl
I'm glad someone else did it for you or I really would think you'd lost the plot 🤣🤣🤣 x
Strangely hypnotic
Brilliant
Already know I will get loads of points. Happy Easter 🐣.
Well done. 🎶However did you remember the words?😀
Sitting here sulking because the coffee machine has broken 😢☕ so that was a much needed chuckle even if it is a bit weird 🤔😉. Thank you 😊
Just what IS in that peppermint tea you drink? 🤔🤪🤪🤪xx
Sunset over Onderneming
Hopefully lots of guests will be seeing this over the coming months
Beautiful
Ailsa Sheldon Karen Walsh Debbi N Lola roll on September
Aww luffly, was too cloudy today for us to see the sunrise, did see red sky over Ipswich, which was beautiful, shame about the location 😉😏 x
Sunset over Woodfarm house sometime in April will be acceptable.
Cant wait!
HAPPY EASTER FOLKS!
Our rather direct Giant Easter Bunny wants to know if you're hanging out with us at the Pub Quiz on Sunday night? 6.30pm on Facebook Live.
It's going to be the last one I'm afraid 😳
For a while anyway...
It's been a whole year that we've been getting together to have some fun and answer some questions. Things are looking a bit busy for the foreseeable so I've decided to end on a high note and quit whilst I'm ahead.
It's been unbelievable how many of you have joined in with the shenanigans, and for that I'm very grateful. We've had hundreds dip in and out every time, often over 1,000, and we have consistently had around 50 or 60 of you stick with it for the whole hour or so. I've no idea how it started really, but it kinda snowballed immediately, with us doing it every week during lockdown 1.0, and then every month since then.
It kept me going back then purely because I had something to focus on, and I had a sense of duty to look after you lot! 🤣
Anyway, I think it's appropriate that to mark the first anniversary of the Woodfarm Arms 8/10 Dogs Not Pub Quiz, that we bring it to a close. To be honest with you, I hope we are on the verge of a new beginning, with the numbers coming down, the vaccine rollout going well, and the year starting to look a bit brighter. So I think I'd like to put the Quiz to bed for now and for us all to look ahead. Whether all that happens or not remains to be seen, and we'll just have keep our fingers crossed.
However....... you don't get away that lightly. There's no way I could really just stop it is there? No. So what we are going to do is just wheel it out of the cupboard every now and then, and all get together for some Quizzy fun. We'll probably do it every few months but I will give you plenty of warning. I'm likely to combine it with our old Happy Hour Hangout and just have a laugh if that's ok with you? I kept it going as the numbers were so high, and am happy to do it again from time to time as people seem to like it.
My huge thanks to Neill Brinklow who kindly provided me with a topical round every time, to my colleague Andrew from Team Woodfarm for giving up his time posting the questions and answers for you as we go along. And for sorting out my tech issues when I've had computer meltdowns. But my thanks of course belong mostly to you 'orrible lot for joining in and just being there. You supported me, and each other. You are all legends and this won't be the end of the Quiz, I just have a business that needs my time and attention now.
Thank you, Happy Easter, and I'll see you on Sunday at 6.30pm. Don't be late or I'll send the intimidating Giant Easter Bunny round to sort you out.
x
#happyeaster #alwayslookonthebrightsideoflife
Happy Easter to you too Carl. Hopefully upwards and onwards from now on 🐰🐰
Happy Easter nutcase, if it wasn't for you, there would be lots more people needing therapy, you kept us all sane, (well most of us) at your expense, as now you have the mentality exactly the same as the rest of us, totally bonkers.............and don't you just love it. Thank you Carl and long may you prosper 😘 By the way if you send me a few more brochures, I'll throw them at people as they go past me 😂😂 (not as many as before... OK) 👍👍 x
Happy Easter Carl. I’m off to see my Dad on Sunday for the first time since last summer 👏👏👏 but I’m sure we’ll be able to join in from the car on the journey home. Can’t miss the last one seeing as we’ve been down the pub with you on every other occasion during lockdown!!! Enjoy the weekend - it’s going to pretty busy for you in the next week or so. Stay safe xx
It's been a hoot joining the quiz & something that kept lots of us sane in the early days. So a big thank you to you and here's hoping for more shenanigans down the pub when you have time. Oh and Happy Easter! X
Ok who has stolen my 'Top fan' status, had it for over a year, now someone has stolen it.............not amused 😔
Looking forward to it Carl. I can honestly say I don't think I'd have survived shielding this last year with out your zaniness (is that even a word), happy hour and quiz. Thank you xx
I’ll be there 🤗- sad it’s the last one 🙁xx
The search is on for stolen top fan statuses 👮👮
Happy Easter Carl and all the Woodentops.🐣🐣
Happy Easter Carl and Woddentops everywhere. We’ll be there, we’ve done every other one so we’re not going to miss this one 🐣🍫🥚🐰💝
We will be there, never missed one. We were even lucky enough to be In the crowd for the one time the quiz went on the road. The one thing that came out of the get together was your ability not the drink much. Will have to find a pint of something suitable for the last question as we wipe a tear from the eye
We’ll be there - I will wear my oversized “quizzy” T Shirt in honour of the occasion 😂! It’s the only garment that I possess that actually makes me feel slim 😂😂🤣🤣! Will miss the quiz but, as you say, we should look forward to the summer in hope of better things to come and quizzes are winter activities anyway... hint, hint!! Happy Easter and see you 2 weeks today 🤞🤞🤞🤞xx
Happy Easter all I will be there..please don't send this bad bunny around My too fan has gone as well.....mmmmm
Happy Easter C. Scott!! 🐰🐣🐇🐤🐥🥚 I hope this year is going to be super successful for you... I have a feeling it will be!!!! Have a great day! xx
Here's my version of the Easter Bunny to wish you and all the Woodentops a happy Easter. Will hopefully be able to join the quiz on Sunday x
Happy 🐣 Easter Carl. Will definitely be there and have not missed one yet 😀... xx
Thanks for the quiz & all you’ve done to keep us entertained this past year. Happy Easter x
You bet we'll be there! Joined in on every other one apart from last month - Malcolm unfortunately picked that day to have to be taken to A&E at the hospital 😔. Still under investigation & abstaining from alcohol but providing he doesn't get too excited all should be good!!! Happy Easter to you Carl & all the Woodentops 🐇
Sarah Jane McFall
We will be there as usual. Looking forward to only getting 1 pount in the lyrics round.😎😎🍷🍷
Ahead of opening up on April 12th I would just like to draw your attention to one of our rules regarding Hot Tub use..
Under no circumstances are guests permitted to allow their kangaroos in the Hot Tubs
Thank you in advance for your understanding
That's it then, I will have to think about booking unless you can recommend a good boarding place for my kangaroos?
Wot a spoilsport...🦘 How about sloths? 🦥
Well I'm not coming then!!
I assume it’s still ok for the camels, if not I will take the hump
What about koalas lol
So it’s still ok for the dog to have a swim then 😂
What am I supposed to do with my unicorn? 🤣
That’s a relief - I didn’t know where I was going to find a kangaroo 🦘 to bring .....!
Yes Carl - of COURSE you don’t drink much!!!🤪
Whats that Skippy? You’re not welcome at Woodfarm....I don’t believe it!
Skippy won't be impressed....
Is that your last marble rolling away? Quick, run, catch it - you never know when you might need it!!
I will have to take legal action regarding your discrimination against marsupials. In fact I'm taking it to court. What sort of court you say?....
