Latest news with #luxuryretreat
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Business
- Associated Press
North Star Nature Suites™ Introduces a Design-Forward Luxury Retreat in the Tennessee Mountains
Eight architecturally stunning suites offer five-star comfort, panoramic views and immersive nature just 90 minutes from Nashville, Chattanooga and Knoxville. SPARTA, TN, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2025 / / -- A new destination has emerged in the Tennessee Highlands, offering a rare fusion of modern design, five-star amenities, and pristine nature. North Star Nature Suites™, a boutique, adults-only mountain retreat, features eight architecturally designed suites on 55 secluded acres surrounded by over 60,000 acres of protected land near Scott's Gulf State Park. Located just 90 minutes from three major Tennessee cities—and 30 minutes from Upper Cumberland Regional Airport for private aircraft—North Star offers a secluded escape without sacrificing luxury. Each freestanding 400-square-foot Nature Suite™ is intentionally designed for privacy, serenity and sensory luxury. Floor-to-ceiling windows reveal uninterrupted mountain views. Spa-inspired bathrooms include heated floors, rain showers, smart toilets, and signature bath products. Kitchens are fully equipped, and the living area includes a king-size bed with Brooklinen bedding, a fireplace, and a 55' smart TV. Every suite features a private outdoor oasis, including: ● A private hot tub ● Fire pit, grill, Solo Stove pizza oven ● Heated chairs, hammock, and dining area ● 1 Gig lightning-fast Wi-Fi for both unplugging and remote work On-site experiences include complimentary UTVs, 2+ miles of hiking trails and a guided UTV tour to nearby Lost Creek Falls. Signature weekends offer wine tastings, guest chefs, acoustic music, yoga retreats, and more. Personalized celebration packages are available forhoneymoons, proposals, anniversaries, babymoons, and birthdays. Corporate and small group property buyouts are also available. Founded by Kevin and Amalia Logan, the retreat is owner-operated and infused with decades of experience in luxury hospitality and high-end interior design. 'We created North Star Nature SuitesTM as a place where guests can pause, reconnect, and rediscover their sense of direction,' say the founders. 'The North Star represents clarity and purpose—and that's what we hope to offer here.' Open year-round, North Star Nature Suites™ transforms with the seasons—from springwildflowers and waterfall hikes to cozy winter nights in front of the fire. Whether for romantic getaways, restorative retreats, or inspiring remote work stays, the property offers a reimagined way to experience nature without compromise. For journalists, the story spans multiple angles: the rise of micro resorts, luxury in unexpected places, design that draws from nature, and the resurgence of Tennessee as a travel destination. Media Contact 📧 [email protected] 📞 (931) 316-4624 🌐 📱 @northstarnaturesuites North Star Nature SuitesTM | Sparta, TN | Luxury • Nature • Clarity Kevin and Amalia Logan North Star Nature Suites +1 931-316-4624 [email protected] Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram TikTok Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Telegraph
5 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
‘I can earn £200k more a year': why landlords are switching to short-term lets, and how to join them
When Jay Allen secured the winning bid on Otherton Hall at auction, he had no idea how he was going to turn the 8,500 sq ft derelict farmhouse into a profitable business. Set on green belt land in the Staffordshire countryside town of Penkridge, the Grade II-listed property surrounded by protected wildlife species cost Jay £355,000. 'When I bought it, I didn't have a clue of what we were going to do with it,' says Allen, 42. 'I liked it, and I thought that some idea would develop.' Luckily for Allen, one did. He has since turned Otherton Hall into a luxury countryside retreat that can be let as a whole to holiday makers for block bookings. Short-term lets have the potential to generate much higher earnings than single buy-to-lets, says Allen, although planning permission was required to convert the property into eight suites, with a new-build extension on the side to house a swimming pool. This took a year to be granted, given the extra hoops to jump through with the presence of species such as the great crested newts and European long eared bats on the grounds. It took a further year for the conversion to complete. As the owner of a construction company and other investment properties, Allen had the resources and know-how to transform the building into a high-end holiday home – with a basement bar and games room that caters for up 16 people in a single stay. 'Rents are a lot higher on short-term lets compared to an AST [assured shorthold tenancy],' says Allen, who lives with his wife Anoushka, 41, and their two children in nearby Cannock. 'For the Christmas week we can get around £12,000. Although it sounds like a lot, when it's split between 16 guests per night it's not as bad as it sounds.' Over 12 months, Allen earns around £250,000 to £280,000 in gross income from the property, and spends around £120,000 a year to cover finance and running costs. If he had split the building into four apartments to rent out instead, he estimates he would collect a maximum of £60,000 a year. How to turn your property into a holiday let If you're considering converting a property into short-stay accommodation, rather than a traditional buy-to-let, you'll need to weigh up the pros and cons. This Telegraph Money guide will cover: Steps to consider 1. Research the market First, you'll need to think about location. Where you start searching could be dictated by the type of occupants you want to attract, and the letting model you plan to adopt. A traditional holiday let is rented out for one to two weeks to holiday makers in rural or coastal settings. Demand for these properties is high, says Jorden Abbs, chief executive of Commercial Trust: 'Since the pandemic, the number of people holidaying in the UK grew significantly and even after travel restrictions eased, the public had been exposed to how great it is to holiday across the UK and the holiday let sector has remained in strong demand.' Alternatively, you might consider providing serviced accommodation, which is often let for just a couple of nights to companies for their employees, and tends to be city-based. 2. Weigh up the finances If you own a buy-to-let property that you are considering converting to short-stay accommodation, do the sums to make sure it's a worthwhile venture. While holiday lets typically generate more income than a buy-to-let, it isn't guaranteed. Plus, you must factor in higher conversion and running costs, which will eat into your profits. Andrew Soye, director and founder of Holiday Cottage Mortgages, said: 'Yes, it's true you can earn a much greater income from a holiday let, but it must be the right property, with the right features in the right location. 'Investors use a rule of thumb that says if you can purchase a property where the rent divided the purchase price is around 10pc, then your holiday let stands a good chance of being a success.' 3. Factor in mortgage costs If you need to borrow money to buy the property, the type of short-stay accommodation you plan to run will impact the availability and cost of your mortgage. Holiday let lending has grown over time, says Mr Abbs, but some lenders will not accept serviced accommodation where the property is offered for a number of days, rather than week-long bookings common with traditional holiday lets. Getting the mortgage can be a complex process, so it can be a good idea to ask a mortgage adviser to help you. 4. Check out planning permission The introduction of a new use class for holiday lets in England has been discussed, but no action has yet been taken. If it were introduced, this would mean that planning permission would be needed even if no structural changes had been made. London, however, has its own rules. If you plan on letting out a residential property on a short-let basis for more than 90 days you will need to apply for planning permission first. In Wales, local authorities have the power to insist planning permission is sought using the same powers councils have to restrict the conversion of homes into a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO). Gwynedd council is the only local authority to take this step so far. In addition, owners of leasehold flats in England or Wales must always check if the freeholder has any restrictions in place that stop you letting the property as a holiday or short-term let. Anyone making structural alterations to a property should seek advice on planning permission before going ahead. Advantages of short-term lets You can increase your earning potential The main advantage of short-term lets is the increased earning potential, when compared to traditional buy-to-lets. It's the reason why property investor Ben Smith* decided to pay thousands to convert his latest investment to short-stay apartments. With the potential to earn 300pc more a month from two serviced apartments let to business travellers and holidaymakers, compared to renting out the property as a three-bedroom home, for him the short stay route was the obvious choice. Living in Brighton with his soon-to-be-wife and their three children, Smith employed sourcing agents to scour cities and towns such as Birmingham, Leeds, Stoke and Crewe to find off-market investment opportunities with good earning potential. When presented with a three-bed house in poor condition available below market value in Crewe, Cheshire, Smith 'ran the numbers'. Their decision to buy in Crewe – which is not a typical holiday destination – was strategic. Having a property here allows Smith to cash in on not just weekend stays, but business travellers throughout the week. He calculated that the conversion costs to transform the rundown house into high spec apartments would be around £80,000, double that of a straightforward refurbishment to let the property as a home. The income the apartments could generate made it a risk he and his wife were prepared to take – but they'll still need to wait a few years until these costs are covered. Smith said: 'Because of the amount of money we've put in to converting them into flats, if we sell them both now we wouldn't have made a penny on the refurbishment. 'But what it's allowed us to achieve in monthly gains over and above what we would have done as a residential house, over the course of a few years it will more than pay us back – and that's where the benefit is.' Renters rights do not apply Unlike with buy-to-let properties, occupiers of holiday lets or serviced accommodation do not have a right to reside there. Mr Soye said: 'With holiday lets, the legal basis of occupation is called a 'licence to occupy', which means guests effectively have no rights. If they refuse to leave, you can call the police.' With more stringent regulations in the form of the Renters Rights Bill on the way, which will make it harder for landlords to evict tenants, this could be a welcome benefit for some investors. However, it doesn't mean holiday lets are rule-free. Depending on where your holiday let is based, you may be subject to a licensing scheme to make sure you abide by certain standards. This is already set up in Scotland, while Wales is moving towards the same goal. The development of a digital short-term let registration scheme in England is underway, and testing is planned to start in the next 12 months. You can enjoy your investment Many investors choose this route as the owners of holiday lets can stay in their own accommodation whenever it's not being let out. Of course, the more time you spend there the less money you'll earn from your property. Drawbacks of short-term lets Higher conversion and running costs While there is potential to make more money from renting out a holiday let, the conversion to get the property ready could be pricey – and the upkeep can be more expensive than what you'd expect to pay for a buy-to-let. Allen spent £1.65m on the conversion of Otherton Hall and spends around £10,000 for expenses like the mortgage, cleaning and ongoing maintenance. 'Everything needs to be immaculate if you want great reviews,' he says. 'It's not a set and forget kind of business that keeps bringing you in money every month, it's more hands on than that.' He added: 'Just to do the laundry after each changeover costs £400.' While an eight-bedroom farmhouse is an extreme example of how high running costs can be, all holiday let owners are responsible for utility bills and council tax, where applicable, or business rates – costs that landlords do not need to shoulder. And housekeeping is entirely the responsibility of the owner, a cost borne by the tenant when there is a traditional tenancy in place. Success hangs on location It's important to bear in mind that not every property that is converted from an owner-occupied home or buy-to-let into short-stay accommodation will be a success. It will likely hinge on whether there is demand for your property from holiday makers, or business travellers who need to be close to transport links and major cities. This is why the market research step is so important. No longer preferential tax treatment Until April 5, owners of furnished holiday lets who bought the property in their personal name could deduct their mortgage interest from their rental income before calculating their tax liability. This right has now been removed and replaced with a 20pc tax credit, putting them on an equal footing with other buy-to-let landlords. However, owners who buy properties within a limited company do still have this right. If you decide to move your properties from your personal name into a limited company, you must pay stamp duty as you are effectively selling the property to your limited company – so take tax advice first. This was just one of the changes made when the furnished holiday lettings tax regime was abolished this April. Others include the removal of beneficial capital allowances. *Names have been changed
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Dreamworld founder's Hinterland retreat hits the market
A luxury retreat built by Dreamworld founder John Longhurst has been listed in a Hinterland hotspot favoured by crypto traders. The striking A-frame home at 105 Wongawallan Rd, Tamborine Mountain was designed as a holiday retreat for the late Gold Coast theme park creator and remains the suburb's highest recorded residential sale. It last sold sight-unseen for $5.025m in 2021 to a crypto-trading family from New Zealand. Sprawled over 7.11ha, the property is marketed by Ivy Realty agents, Ivy Wu and Aidan Knox, and goes to auction on June 1. It includes five bedrooms, five bathrooms, a self-contained guest suite, and a triple garage. There's also a huge shed, a caretaker's cottage, dams, a horse facility, and a fully irrigated food forest packed with fruit trees and climbing grapevines. A lift connects the home's three levels, with floor-to-ceiling glass framing coastal and Hinterland views. The interiors feature quirky touches like an elk antler chandelier, while the master bedroom suite is housed in a dramatic wing that juts into the forest canopy, complete with a marble spa ensuite. Mr Knox said the rare estate had drawn unexpected levels of inquiry from overseas and interstate buyers. 'It's an awesome home and such a different lifestyle,' Mr Knox said. 'We've had calls from New Zealand, Perth, and Melbourne – all wanting that unique vibe. 'It is such a beautiful estate in a picturesque location with standout architecture.' Mr Knox said the owners had made their fortune trading digital currency, rolling profits into high-end real estate. Buyer of $12m mansion plans to give it away It's a trend reflecting the broader national interest in cryptocurrency, with new data revealing 57 per cent of Australian coin holders have reported profits over the past year. The 2025 Independent Reserve Cryptocurrency Index shows 31 per cent of Aussies now own some digital coin. While 25 to 34-year-olds are the largest cohort of investors at 53 per cent, Baby Boomers are increasingly buying in, with 8 per cent of all owners now aged over 65 — up from 2 per cent five years ago. Sydel Sierra, dubbed the Gold Coast's 'crypto queen', is another cashed-up trader calling Tamborine Mountain home. Ms Sierra also churned Bitcoin profits into bricks and mortar, splashing $4.63m on a luxury retreat in the Hinterland suburb in December 2021. She views real estate as a strategic way to 'lock in profits from crypto's volatile cycles'. 'I like to say, it's time in the market and timing the market,' she said. 'The [Cryptocurrency Index] shows 73.5 per cent of all Australian investors made a profit if they stayed in the game for six to 10 years. 'Bitcoin has had an average annualised return of 86 per cent over the past 10 years — how do you argue with that?' Mr Knox said his clients had put the home on the market as they contemplated their next international move. M. Longhurst, who died in 2022 aged 90, purchased the site for $2.3m in 2010 from former Gold Coast councillor Eddy Sarroff and reportedly spent $5m redeveloping the estate. PropTrack data shows the median house price in Tamborine Mountain is $1.015m.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Inside the sleepy fishing village that's turned into the new Hamptons as thousands of wealthy Texans invade
A once-sleepy fishing village on the Texas Gulf Coast has quietly transformed into a luxury retreat for wealthy weekenders — and has so far avoided the second-home crash causing panic across the US. Port Aransas, tucked away on Mustang Island, was long known for its beat-up fishing boats, ramshackle cottages, and some of the best shrimp in the state. Locals compare it to the Hamptons — the once-quiet beachside getaway at the eastern end of Long Island that became a second-home haven for wealthy New Yorkers. Luxury developments like Palmilla Beach, Sunflower Beach, and Cinnamon Shore now dot the shoreline. But locals insist the town hasn't lost its charm — just evolved. 'We're the closest beach to both Austin and San Antonio. Those are our bread and butter markets,' local realtor and former Port Aransas mayor Keith McMullin tells 'It's mainly locals with second homes who drive in for the weekend or summer.' With that surge in demand, prices have exploded. In just 10 years, real estate prices have shot up 155 percent, according to Redfin. In the last year alone they are up by more than half. The average home now costs $850,000, and buyers are shelling out around $470 per square foot. The average home now costs a whopping $850,000 up from just one year ago 'Many years ago we were a sleepy fishing village,' McMullin says. 'Now we have areas like Palm Beach and Sunflower Beach where the architecture and design remain like the village but now we've got everything from luxury properties those communities to condos and everything in between.' Wealthy Texans and a few out-of-state beach lovers began moving in to 'Port A' about 15 years ago, citing its small town charm and stunning shores. McMullin says that while Galveston and South Padre Island remain popular as beach destinations, the allure of Port Aransas has to do with the its remote feel. 'When you're here you're thinking about some New England town maybe closer to the Boston area,' he says. 'It's just a little bit more of an authentic fishing town.' Residents, like McMullin, who has lived in Port A for 25 years, say flip-flops and golf carts are a way of life. The gulf waters are a clear turquoise, neighbors meet for campfires on the beach, and one-third of the island is a state park with a meticulously maintained nature preserve. Beautiful boardwalks line the shores of Port Aransas and some of the best seafood in the country can be found there. 'We cater to tourism. It's our largest industry, so we've got far more restaurants than a regular small town would be able to sustain,' McMullin says. 'There's great seafood, shrimp, and fresh gulf fish. We're a foodie destination for seafood lovers.' While most buyers hail from the Lone Star State, the area is becoming known throughout the US, McMullin says, with some affluent Midwesterners buying on the island. Despite Post A being a paradise accessible only by ferry, there is a downside. The island is extremely vulnerable to hurricanes and flooding — which makes expensive weather insurance an absolute must. But for those with deep pockets and a love of beach life, that's usually not a problem. 'It's a laid-back and tropical, it's very hot in the summer,' McMullin says. At just a three and a half hour drive from Austin, the area is a popular getaway from the city But at just a three and a half hour drive from Austin, it can't be beat. 'What makes it so popular is that families in Austin, San Antonio or Houston or Dallas can load the family in the car and go to the coast and have a great beach weekend and you don't have to get on a plane or go to an airport.' Meanwhile, as Port A thrives, much of the rest of the US is bracing for a housing crash. For example, in Miami the market is on a knife-edge as spiraling numbers of homebuyers pull out of deals at the last second. It's the latest area in the Sunshine State at risk of a crash. Inventory is flooding the market, prices are being slashed, and sales are stalling —as the impact of President Donald Trump's tariffs raise fears of a recession. 'April pending sales are way down and it will be even worse next month,' says local Florida realtor Jeff Lichtenstein. Across the rest of the country home sales lowered more than expected in March — and dropped to their slowest pace since 2009.
The Independent
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Virgin Island star cries minutes into show at experts' act in front of her
A Virgin Island participant was visibly emotional as she witnessed the show's experts demonstrate an intimate act in front of the group. Channel 4 's new show centres on 12 adults who have never had sex enter a luxury sex therapy retreat on a Croatian island. The participants will take part in exercises to overcome their intimacy issues and have sex for the first time. Emma, 23, appeared uncomfortable as sex and relationship coach Dr Danielle Harel with surrogate partner therapist Andre Lazarus closely embraced. She later candidly opened up about her insecurities over her physical appearance, describing them as a "never-ending cycle."
