Two Powys holiday cottages named among best in the UK

Ty’r Orsaf in Builth Wells and 1 Sarnwen Cottages in Four Crosses were named winners in Sykes Holiday Cottages’ Sykes Stars programme after receiving glowing guest feedback.   

Ian and Sara Poulson first purchased Ty’r Orsaf in Builth Wells back in 2019. Both had prior experience in hospitality, including running a country house and working as a chef, with Ian taking three months off work to renovate the property himself.   

Sara Paulson, owner of Ty’r Orsaf, said: “Ian and I were so taken aback when we found out we’d been recognised as Sykes Stars. We’ve worked hard on Ty’r Orsaf from day one and really try to give our guests the best experience possible, so the recognition is super rewarding.” 

Ty’r Orsaf in Builth Wells  (Image: Sykes)

Backing onto Builth Road station, the two-bedroom converted railway house is a big hit with railway enthusiasts and guests can wave at passengers as they pass by.

The cottage also boasts “expansive views of the Welsh countryside”.  

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Meanwhile, 1 Sarnwen Cottages is a semi-detached holiday home in Four Crosses.

The property has been a success ever since owner Kath Comerford first started offering it to holidaymakers in 2021. 

1 Sarnwen Cottages in Four Crosses (Image: Sykes)

Guests praise its picturesque location and well-equipped interior, with the cottage home to a woodburning stove and patio area which is ideal for dining al fresco in the summer months. 

“It’s a big responsibility when people choose to spend their precious time off at your holiday home and I always want things to be perfect for my guests,” said Kath. “This makes being named a Sykes Star really encouraging and I look forward to welcoming many more guests for years to come.”  

1 Sarnwen Cottages in Four Crosses (Image: Sykes)

The Sykes Stars programme aims to recognise holiday homeowners from across the UK that have achieved perfect feedback scores from guests consistently in the last year – with these two being named amongst 30 other businesses in the UK.

James Shaw, Managing Director of Sykes Holiday Cottages, said: “We love to showcase the incredible mix of holiday lets available in the UK and those that feature on our Sykes Stars are some of the very best.  

“We know just how committed these owners are to providing fantastic breaks for their guests and it’s great to be able to recognise this. 

 “Our winners make an invaluable contribution to the UK holiday let market and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for them in the future, especially as Wales continues to be a thriving staycation hotspot.”