A £180,000 loan from the Development Bank of Wales has helped bring a new eco-friendly tourism development to life overlooking the River Teifi in Cardigan.

Fronteifi Nature Lodges, created by husband-and-wife team Tim and Julia Percival, opened this autumn and offers high-quality, accessible and environmentally responsible accommodation designed to support the local visitor economy.

Having moved to Cardigan in January 2022, Tim, a retired architect, and Julia, who continues to work in social housing, set out to transform their 2.5-acre site into a small-scale, nature-led destination inspired by the surrounding Teifi Marshes.

Following full planning consent in 2023, the couple developed two five-star timber-framed lodges, alongside a garage with loft apartment, landscaped grounds, guest pathways and new drainage infrastructure. While most of the construction was self-funded, the £180,000 loan from the Development Bank’s Wales Tourism Fund supported completion of the Seren loft apartment and the final phase of hard landscaping and guest facilities.

The project has been delivered with a strong emphasis on sustainability and social value. Local tradespeople and specialist contractors were used throughout, while independent businesses from the surrounding area supplied furnishings, artwork, tree planting, ecological consultancy and guest services.

A wide range of low-carbon technologies has been incorporated, including photovoltaic panels, EV charging points, air-source heat pumps, sheep’s wool insulation, ground-screw foundations, eco stoves and sedum (green) roofs. Materials from existing buildings on site were reused wherever possible, and more than 35 new trees have been planted to enhance biodiversity and carbon capture.

The development aligns with sustainable tourism priorities set by Ceredigion County Council and has also benefited from a £50,000 Cynnal y Cardi grant, supported through the Shared Prosperity Fund.

Accessibility has been central to the design. The Tir and Afon lodges offer level access throughout, step-free entrances, level-access showers, and clear orientation features for guests with mobility or visual needs. Wheelchair-friendly pathways lead to a riverside deck and a purpose-built bird hide, Bwthyn Adar, overlooking the Teifi and its wildlife.

Fronteifi Nature Lodges can accommodate up to 12 guests across the two lodges and the Seren loft apartment, targeting visitors seeking modern, luxurious and sustainable accommodation in west Wales.

Each lodge features open-plan living areas, adjustable beds, digital access, luxury bathrooms, outdoor kitchens, hot tubs and welcome hampers showcasing seasonal local produce. The business also holds fishing rights on the Teifi and is listed with Canopy and Stars, connecting the site to audiences seeking high-end, nature-focused stays.

Julia Percival, co-founder of Fronteifi Nature Lodges, said: “The support from the Development Bank has enabled us to complete the final phase of the project while staying true to our environmental and community principles. We’re proud to have worked with so many local businesses and to offer guests the chance to experience the natural beauty of the Teifi Valley.”

David Knight, investment executive at the Development Bank of Wales, added: “Fronteifi Nature Lodges is a great example of a locally driven tourism project that combines sustainability, accessibility and community benefit. It aligns closely with the aims of the Wales Tourism Fund in supporting distinctive, high-quality destinations across Wales.”

The Wales Tourism Investment Fund is a £50 million fund, financed by the Welsh Government, offering loans between £100,000 and £5 million to support standout tourism projects that demonstrate innovation, sustainability and a commitment to the Economic Contract.

Kilgetty destination takes top honours at national Hoseasons awards

FOLLY FARM HOLIDAY PARK has been crowned the Best Small Lodge Resort in Britain at Hoseasons’ 19th annual awards ceremony.

The Kilgetty-based park picked up the top national title after receiving some of the highest scores in independent guest satisfaction surveys throughout the 2025 season. It was also named Best Small Lodge Escape destination in Wales.

The awards were presented at the Hilton Metropole in Brighton in front of more than 600 operators, suppliers and members of the Hoseasons team.

Chris Ebbsworth, Director at Folly Farm Holiday Park, said: “We are very proud of these awards. Our team always goes above and beyond to make sure our guests have a fantastic break when they stay with us, so it’s brilliant to see that hard work recognised in this way.”

Folly Farm Holiday Park is part of Hoseasons’ Evermore collection of luxury lodge locations aimed at families and groups looking to unwind in countryside and coastal settings.

Presenting the award, Neil Davies, Hoseasons’ Director of Commercial and Business Development, said: “The team at Folly Farm Holiday Park really are incredibly worthy winners. They always go the extra mile to delight our customers – something clearly reflected in their excellent review scores. We are grateful for their continuing partnership and wish them all the very best for another great year in 2026.”

More information about Folly Farm Holiday Park and other Hoseasons holidays is available at hoseasons.co.uk.

Pictured:

Members of the Folly Farm Holiday Park team — Chris Ebbsworth, Sarah Mattick, Zoe Wright and Jamie Ebsworth — receiving their award from Neil Davies (far right).

AIRBNB has warned property owners could check out of the Welsh tourism market for good over “rushed” licensing rules which could cost hosts up to an estimated £15m.

The tech company gave evidence to the Senedd economy committee on Thursday November 20 on the Welsh Government’s plans to license self-contained, self-catering accommodation.

Carl Thomson, UK public policy manager for Airbnb, described licensing plans as a “blunt and unnecessary tool” that is disproportionate to any risks that might be faced by guests.

“In our view, there’s no evidence that a licensing regime is needed in Wales,” he said. “Or that it will do anything other than cause immense harm to local accommodation providers, reduce consumer choice and push up costs for guests.”

In written evidence, Airbnb estimated the bill could cost Welsh hosts between £4.5m and £15m in reduced income, with “immeasurable” impacts on the wider Welsh economy.

Mr Thomson told the committee experience of short-term letting regulation from around the world shows licensing schemes do not solve the problem they are intended to fix.

He said: “Of course, safety matters but it’s important to remember that problems are exceptionally rare. Our data… tells us accommodation in Wales actually has a much stronger safety record compared with other parts of the UK and internationally.”

Mr Thomson explained that of the hundreds of thousands of inbound trips booked to Wales through Airbnb in 2024/25 – only 39 safety incidents were reported, equating to 0.004%.

He added that none of the incidents related to carbon monoxide, fire safety nor electrical safety, with only a single reported gas-related concern.

He told Senedd Members: “If the purpose of this legislation is to ensure the health, safety and quality of the sector, there’s real questions about whether it’s necessary or needed.”

Fiona MacConnacher, head of public affairs for the UK and Ireland at Booking.com, supported proportionate regulation but suggested the bill had been rushed through.

Warning of unintended consequences, she said: “We’re talking about Welsh businesses here and if we affect those businesses, we don’t just affect those self-catering businesses: we affect the restaurants, the pubs, the shops.”

Barbara Griffiths, who runs North Wales Holiday Cottages, warned government officials have told her they have not had time to add sectors beyond self-contained, self-catering lets.

“It’s rushed and I feel it should be delayed,” she said.

Ms Griffiths argued the bill would not create a level-playing field, as claimed by ministers, because it does not cover other types of visitor accommodation.

Mr Thomson warned booking intermediaries would become legally liable for the accuracy of registration numbers provided by accommodation providers under the bill. He told the committee the first Airbnb learned about this aspect was when the bill was published.

He said: “That approach is inconsistent with established practice elsewhere in the UK and around the world. There’s real technical problems with how that could work in practice.”

Mr Thomson added: “We strongly disagree with the suggestion that criminal liability should be placed on platforms, and the senior officers of those companies, for actions which they’ve not participated in, for which they have no control and for which they’re unaware.”

He called for amendments to ensure liability rests with the accommodation provider.

He argued registration plans previously passed by the Senedd can achieve all of the same aims without the cost, friction and bureaucracy that layering licensing on top brings.

Ms MacConnacher emphasised that most providers are micro-businesses rather than “large corporate machines”, with a majority of hosts aged over 50 and female.

She echoed Mr Thomson’s warning about a cumulative pressure on operators who face a tourism tax, registration, business rates changes and now a licensing scheme. “Rightly or wrongly, they might feel as if they are not welcome to run their business,” she warned.

Mr Thomson said: “There’s real potential for this to make Wales an outlier, not only in terms of being overly regulated but harming its attractiveness and competitiveness.”

Airbnb criticised the proposed “apply-and-wait” model where yearly applications for licenses are manually checked, calling it “outdated” and warning it would leave businesses in limbo.

Calling for renewals to take place every three to five years to provide certainty for the sector, Mr Thomson advocated a more automatic “apply-and-go” system.