A holiday farmhouse has become East Ayrshire’s first Five Star self-catering business following a grading from VisitScotland.
Pant Farmhouse, located within Pant Farm near Mauchline, received the award from the national tourism organisation’s Quality Assurance (QA) Scheme in recognition of its exceptional services. The QA Scheme is a benchmark for quality across the tourism industry and operates across accommodation, visitor attractions and food sectors.
Owned by Sara Jane William Galbraith, it becomes the fifth business in East Ayrshire to receive a Five Star grading and the ninth self-catering business across North, South and East Ayrshire to receive the accolade. The business is also part of VisitScotland’s iKnow Partner programme and Pets, Walkers and Cyclists Welcome Schemes.
Formerly part of the Barskimming Estate, the history of Pant Farm goes back to the 14th Century. It was a beef farm until the late 1990s and had a pedigree herd of Aberdeen Angus cows but since 2000 has been mainly a sheep farm.
Over the years, the farmhouse had fallen into a state of disrepair. However, it received a complete rebuild and renovation, opening as a self-catering accommodation in October 2017.
Using a wind turbine to provide its electricity the property is eco-friendly and has a Silver Green Tourism award.
Sara Jane said: ‘We are delighted to receive this award from VisitScotland. At Pant Farmhouse we do our best to ensure guests have the best stay possible so it’s fantastic to get this recognition.’
Gordon Smith, VisitScotland regional director, said: ‘Congratulations to Sara Jane and William on this exceptional achievement. Pant Farmhouse is a fantastic property in the heart of Ayrshire and it’s great to know that visitors can expect the very best experience when they stay here.
‘Our Quality Assurance Scheme is world-leading and provides a trusted, independent and impartial source of information for visitors. It is about much more than just a star rating – it is about the entire visitor experience and investing in the business to make it as economically sustainable, and profitable, as it can be.’
To learn more about Pant Farmhouse, go to www.pantfarmhouse.com
For more information about VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance and Welcome Schemes, as well as the iKnow Partner programme, go to www.visitscotland.org
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