Have you ever dreamed about staying in a wombat burrow? Until recently I hadn't either but Compare the Market has shown me what I was missing.
The quirky 'B&Burrow' can be found nestled in the Mendip Hills, set against the stunning Somerset landscape.
Compare the Market has transformed the whimsical Little Shire - every Lord of the Rings fan's fantasy - into a cosy wombat warren in celebration of its mishap-prone character Carl the Wombat.
Take a tour of Compare the Market's B&Burrow
@uktoday_ Take a tour of @Compare the Market B&Burrow in #somerset with us ( can you believe the hot tub?!) #ukstaycation #staycations #quirkystays ♬ Me and My Pet - Eitan Epstein Music
In August, the price comparison website gave some lucky holidaymakers the chance to win a three-night stay in the marsupial-inspired digs - all they had to do was share one of their hilarious travel mishaps.
In the end, Amanda Willis, 48, from Exeter, wowed the judges with a spectacular packing blunder which saw her jet off on holiday with a suitcase full of her nan's knitted blankets, instead of her own clothes.
Amanda was joined by her daughters, partner and son-in-law, as the first guests in the unique subterranean hideaway.
She confessed: "I had a suitcase of knitted blankets belonging to my late nan in my hallway.
“As she’d recently passed away, I was going to take them to a charity shop.
“That very same winter, I excitedly headed off on a trip to Tenerife with my then boyfriend.
“When I arrived, I eagerly unzipped my luggage only to discover that I had mistakenly taken the wrong bag.
“Instead of holiday clothes, all I found was a suitcase packed to the brim with woollen blankets.
“In despair, I had to rush out and purchase an entirely new holiday wardrobe on the very first day of our trip.
“I was also left roaming the island with an unruly and frizzy perm, as my hairdryer, mousse, and hairspray were all lovingly waiting for me back home in the hallway.”
Armed with a few travel mishaps of my own (there's something about me and Italian trains!), I took my sister and my best friend on a trip from Scotland to check out Compare the Market's wombat burrow for myself.
I live in beautiful historic Edinburgh - a city that has recently played host to thousands of tourists during the Fringe festival - so it's safe to say that a country escape is exactly what I needed.
It's about a half an hour drive from Bristol Airport but it felt like a whimsical world away.
The B&Burrow itself sleeps six and has the quirkiest tunnel-style entrance (which kids and kidults like me will adore).
The entire burrow is fitted with Down Under decor and other thoughtful touches.
You'll find toilet paper with fun facts about Wombats - so you learn as you flush and there's even a distinctive cube-shaped loo which is a playful homage to wombats being the only species in the world which produce square-shaped poo.
There's plenty of space to lounge about in with a cosy sitting area, a well kitted-out kitchen as well as three bedrooms to choose from.
We spent the majority of our time outside since we were blessed with the Somerset sunshine and it really just capped off the whole experience.
The outdoor space is very secluded and features a large dining table and a wooden BBQ which would be perfect for summer nights amongst family or friends.
Behind the burrow, just out of sight, there are two other tunnel-less retreats which accommodate two and four people respectively as well as climbing frame (ideal if you were bringing the kids).
But a highlight for me (and I confidently speak for my guests here too) was lounging in the luxurious hot tub until the temperature dropped with a bottle of bubbly.
It was only won out by waking up to a quiet sunrise, streaming in through the burrow window.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules here