Holiday Amongst History
PROMOTIONAL FEATURE
The Holiday Property Bond (HPB) provides its Bondholders with the opportunity to stay in historic locations right across the UK and Europe, ranging from a Franciscan friary to a Queen Anne Grade II listed country house.
By becoming a Bondholder for just a few thousand pounds, you can holiday in history time and time again. Not only that, but you’ll discover a refreshing new approach to the way you plan and enjoy your breaks... And you’ll be in good company, as you’ll be joining more than 40,000 holidaymakers already doing just that.
Escape to Merlewood
You’ll find the handsome Victorian mansion of Merlewood tucked away in beautiful Cumbria, within easy reach of the Lake District. With over 150 years of history etched into the house, from the stones themselves to the beautiful décor, a stay here really is like taking a step into the past.
Merlewood’s 55 apartments and cottages are exclusively available to Holiday Property Bondholders, providing an elegant, relaxing place to stay. Nestled among secluded woodland and rolling pastures, this glorious retreat is perfectly placed for exploring both the magnificent Lake District, the bustling city of Lancaster and everything in between.
View MerlewoodCLAIM A 5% BONUS ON YOUR HOLIDAY ENTITLEMENT
From a unique, restored collection of Scottish farm buildings to a Queen Anne manor in Cornwall, joining the Holiday Property Bond allows you to enjoy year after year of exclusive holidays in historic buildings. In fact, with over 1,500 superb holiday homes in 32 European locations to choose from, you’ll always have somewhere new to discover.
As an English Heritage member, you can receive a 5% bonus on your holiday entitlement when you become a Bondholder, meaning even more opportunities to enjoy HPB’s wonderful locations and accommodation.
Request a brochureSpotlight on Merlewood
FROM RESEARCHERS TO HOLIDAYMAKERS
With the first stone laid way back in 1853, Merlewood was originally the brainchild of Alfred and Lucy Binyon, whose grandson was the poet Lawrence Binyon. But it didn’t stay in their hands for long - building work was completed in 1855, after which the magnificent estate was purchased and passed down through the Miller and Pitt-Miller families until 1930. Following this, it became a hotel and, for a time during WW2, was even used by the War Office for training purposes.
Over the subsequent decades, Merlewood stepped into more scientific territory. As a research centre, the estate became a workplace for eminent scientists, keeping them comfortable as they completed crucial research on soil, vegetation, and the environment. Sadly, this work was eventually relocated to Lancaster University, and the buildings fell into disrepair.
The Holiday Property Bond purchased Merlewood in 2006. Over the next five years, HPB revived and refurbished the beautiful main house, which was back to its former glory and ready for the first guests in March 2011. By November 2012, phases two of the project was completed, adding blocks of comfortable apartments and cottages to the site – the same ones which are still delighting Bondholders today.
Find out moreBecoming a Bondholder with HPB means you’ll be able to use your holiday allowance to stay at exclusive properties across Europe and the UK, including Merlewood in Cumbria.
You’ll find hints of Merlewood’s long and varied past throughout the house, from the family crests etched into the stone on the west tower, to the delicate stained-glass windows at the main entrance – both harking back to when the property was a proud family home.
Another gem is the fireplace in the drawing room, which includes some exquisite tiled panels. After a similar pair were featured on the BBC’s Antiques Roadshow, it came to light that they are likely to have been made around 1843, so were likely to have been installed when the house was newly built.
Of course, this is just the start of the glimpses into the past you can find at Merlewood. Keep your eyes open during your stay, chat to the staff and other Bondholders, and who knows what you might discover…
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EXCLUSIVE HOLIDAYS FOR LIFE
An initial payment from £5,000 and a quarterly fee of under £38 (around £150 a year), which can increase in line with but not exceed the Retail Price Index Excluding Mortgage Interest (RPIX), gives you access to all HPB’s holiday homes. For each HPB holiday, you will pay a no-profit user charge covering only property running and maintenance costs and use of on-site facilities. The average charge is the same throughout the year, and for a studio is around £360 a week and £540 for a two-bedroom property. Larger properties are also available. After an initial charge of 25% your money is invested in a fund of holiday properties and securities. The fund itself meets annual charges of 2.5% of its net assets at cost, calculated monthly. Your investment return is purely in the form of holidays and, as with most investments, your capital is at risk. You can surrender your investment to the company after two years or more (subject to deferral in exceptional circumstances) but you will get back less than you invested because of the charges referred to above, as well as other overheads and changes in the value of the fund’s properties and securities.
This advertisement is issued by HPB Management Limited (HPBM), the main UK agent and the property manager for HPB, authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, registered at HPB House, Newmarket, Suffolk, CB8 8EH. HPB is available exclusively through HPBM. HPB is issued by HPB Assurance Limited (HPBA) registered in the Isle of Man and authorised by the Financial Services Authority there. HPBM promotes only HPB and is not independent of HPBA. Holders of policies issued by HPBA will not be protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme if the company becomes unable to meet its liabilities to them but Isle of Man compensation arrangements apply to new policies.
