A “Lewis Carroll nerd” spent £130k transforming two homes into Alice in Wonderland themed rentals - fit with costumes, teacup stools and a Cheshire cat stained glass window. Jacqueline Sinclair, 45, bought the oldest house in Brighton, Sussex, for £230k after getting fed up of juggling her corporate job in business travel and being a mum.
The mum-of-three knew she needed a unique feature to make it stand out as a holiday property in the popular seaside destination. She decided to use her passion for Lewis Carroll and transform the cottage into an Alice and Wonderland inspired stay – fit with teaspoon handles, teacup chandeliers and playing card wallpaper.
Despite being told it was a “terrible idea”, bookings started flying in and Jaqueline decided to redecorate a regency house she had previously been letting out to students and turn it into a unique holiday let. Jacqueline splashed out £100k creating rooms with bespoke furniture such as bunk beds as playing cards and teapot taps.
The Looking Glass cottage sleeps up to eight guests and prices range from £203 to £430 per night. The single mum now earns enough from her quirky rentals to support her family and spend time with her kids - Louis, 13, Bobo, nine, and Coco, eight.
Jacqueline, a property host, from Brighton, East Sussex, said: “My big passion is Victorian Alice and Wonderland. I’m a Lewis Carroll nerd. Everybody told me it was a terrible idea. It was high risk but now who’s laughing. It worked so well.”
Jacqueline bought ‘the looking glass cottage’ in 2011 for £230k after struggling to manage a 10-hour working week alongside being a mum. Her idea was to rent out the property to allow her to have some extra income to go part-time.
But after realising she needed to do something unique to stand out in the busy holiday let market, she decided to decorate the cottage in a whimsical Alice and Wonderland theme. Jacqueline spent four months decking out the property before becoming inundated with bookings – which allowed her to quit her job in 2011.
A year later she decided to make a student property she already owned into another storybook inspired rental. She said: “I had a regency house I previously owned as a student rental. It needed £70k spent on it anyway so I decided to also do it up as an Alice and Wonderland theme.”
Jacqueline spent £100k getting creative in the five-storey house fit with six bedrooms a lounge, dining room, two kitchens, three shower rooms and a toilet. She said: “There is a magic table that twinkles and changes colour.
“Nothing beats the enchanted dining room. It’s a place that takes a second and third look to find hidden things.”
Jacqueline named the regency house ‘the Wonderland House’ – which sleeps up to 24 guests - and ranges from £600 to £1,600 per night. The house also has costumes and holds hen parties for the “bride mad about Alice and Wonderland”.
Jacqueline said she visits and stays in the houses all the time with her kids who “love” the theme. She hopes to expand and bring her Alice and Wonderland unique stays to other towns across the UK.
