Fancy a night in a wombat’s burrow? A quirky B&B is opening for Brits who have accidentally dug themselves into a travel hole over the summer.
People who confess to their silliest holiday blunders could be in with a chance of getting to stay at this cosy crib.
The “B&Burrow”, designed to resemble a wombat’s warren, is nestled among the dramatic landscape and ancient woodlands of the Mendip Hills in Somerset, one of the UK’s areas of outstanding natural beauty.
The unique subterranean hideaway is characterised by snug tunnel-style living chambers, with design imagery showing a crawl-through kid’s entrance and bathroom with plush fluffy dressing gowns.
It was created by Compare the Market to celebrate its characters, including mishap-prone Carl the Wombat, after research found 46 per cent of adults have made an accidental travel mistake – from booking tickets on the wrong date, to missing flights entirely.
The poll of 2,000 adults who have been on holiday at least once, found 33 per cent have got on public transport going in the wrong direction.
And six per cent have even turned up at the airport on the wrong date. A quarter (26 per cent) also made the mistake of missing a turning while driving, meaning they were late.
Ursula Gibbs, director at the price comparison website, said: “If you’ve had what we’ve affectionately coined a ‘wombat moment’ – our B&Burrow is a unique retreat to soothe hapless holidaymakers, who’ve accidentally made a mishap while travelling.
“Our research shows a lot of us can relate on some level, from accidentally getting on the wrong bus to forgetting our passports for an international flight. At the end of the day, life is about learning from our mishaps and making great decisions for ourselves.”
When it comes to travel blunders, the research found 47 per cent of those who have made a mishap found themselves out of pocket as a result.
On average, this costs consumers £143 each time, although some unlucky travellers had to stump up £1,000 or more.
The burrow also features a distinctive cube-shaped loo, as a nod to wombats being the only species in the world which produce square-shaped poo, while there are plenty of places to bask in the sun. Illustrations also show a characterful home decorating mishap – a clock that’s been restored by drawing the missing numbers on paper and sticking it to the wall. Visitors will also be greeted with a welcome drink upon arrival and a grazing tasting board with treats.
For a chance to secure a three-night stay for up to six in the signature ‘B&Burrow’ - complete with tunnel entrance - participants go to and submit details of an “innocent travel mishap” before midnight on August 27th.
Top 10 travel mishaps
- Got on public transport going in the wrong direction (33 per cent)
- Missed the turning and had to drive for longer which meant you were late (26 per cent)
- Not paying attention to the directions and going the wrong way (23 per cent)
- Went to the wrong train platform and missed the train (20 per cent)
- Not checking the weather forecast and packing the wrong items e.g. summery items for a cold trip (17 per cent)
- Not leaving enough time and missing the connecting journey (16 per cent)
- Boarded a train or bus and realised it was going to a different destination with a similar name (15 per cent)
- Drove to the wrong location after entering wrong address into the satnav (12 per cent)
- Believed you knew better than your phone’s directions but then went completely the wrong way (12 per cent)
- Didn’t check the traffic alerts before leaving and missed a connection as a result of traffic jams (10 per cent)
