A buyer assessing a purchase who is looking to open the property as a business case and maximize its potential will wish to consider these assets beyond the land and property themselves.

None of the following have been realized given our current life plan (moving abroad) is to finish building and sell, and not to operate any business:

Expansion of Accommodation

There are two further flattened areas where other houses could be built - one at the Temascal (Mayan steam bath) and another below the bee hives.

 

There are also many natural features and areas where one could build interesting accommodation spaces where the topography lends itself to creative builds (most of the neighboring area’s remaining land parcels for sale have steeper degree angle of relief which is dangerous to build on if the land is stable, but n this area due to the soil type and landslide potential its foolish to consider building or extremely expensive to do so properly).

 

 

Restaurant

 

A fully operational restaurant (industrial) kitchen and terrace have been built to seat up to 12 people (the number that can be accommodated in the houses if all should want breakfast!). This could be arranged and seat up to 30 people depending on style/desired layout. There is also a further area next to the terrace ideal for expansion, should a restaurant be established and expansion necessary. This could more than double the capacity and very little cost if the theme were to remain relatively rustic and open.

The kitchen and terrace are currently used for processing farm produce, batch-cooking frozen meals for the shop and owners, and for guest breakfasts where ordered.

There is potential to start a full-service restaurant open to public walk-ins which could be extremely successful. From the terrace, you have direct views of some of the most amazing volcanic eruptions and sweeping valley views.

The offer of a full restaurant service would also increase accommodation bookings, as people consistently ask / seek the facility regardless of all of the accommodations having their own kitchenette.

 

Parking

Within the farm boundary, there is concreted secure parking for two cars and many motor and push bikes at the immediate property entrance, plus a further unimproved area that could hold one car and many bikes.

There is paid parking in a neighboring public parking lot at the entrance to Finca El Tambor next door, for up to 30 cars.

 

Organic Farming

We have had land rental inquiries from small organic vegetable growers, due to the organic nature of the land (no chemicals used)

Shop

We have recently created a space for a shop which is for accommodation visitors only and self-service via a key (they checkout online as they go). The majority of guests use the shop! A farm shop could be open to the public and catch passing traffic too.

 

Bar / Tap Room

There is a market trend for tap room concepts and there is the possibility to create one along the farm’s entrance road. The house's flat roof at the immediate entrance is currently used for owner parking but could be set up as a tap-room or cafe (there isn’t a cafe or bakery in the village at the moment). This has a direct volcano view (as do all the other homes/buildings).

 

Honey

There are 10 working bee hives that can continue to multiply in number thanks to the abundant wildflowers in the property and neighboring farms. Our brand Highland Honey is not for sale as we (the owners) intend to move it to a different site, however, if a new owner wishes to bee-keep, the hives and brand could be purchased separately and the full bee-keeping schedule and contracted beekeeper maintained (if an agreement on the hives is reached, we can include all operational details in the handover manual/period).

 

Passing Traffic

Earth Lodge is located 400 meters below Finca El Tambor (their entrance is via a legally agreed right of way down the Finca El Tambor entrance road. Earth Lodge enjoys an extremely high occupancy rate throughout the year and is a very well-established business. Further, they run Sunday live music and have day visitors to their lodge. Additionally, ALL of the 4x4 quad bike tours in Antigua park in the village and walk down the entrance path to visit Earth Lodge. A restaurant or Tap Room at Finca El Tambor has the potential to capture all of this tourist and local market traffic.

Note: Earth Lodge and Finca El Tambor have agreed to keep it as a foot right of way only to maintain the character of the destination. The right of way for Earth Lodge visitors is a footpath only.

There is also in the high season an enormous amount of traffic passing through the village up to Hobbitenango and Altamira. A purposeful tourist attraction such as a tap room, cafe, restaurant, or ice cream spot at Finca El Tambor is likely to capture big traffic. The traffic would divert off the center of the village for 600 meters - signage and a Google maps / Waze pin are how people are now discovering places and Finca El Tambor is no exception.

 

Spa & Upsells

We contact a local spa to deliver massages to clients - these are very popular in high season. There is also demand for local hikes during high season (unfortunately the contractor we used became too successful and was not reliably available so we cut this but a new owner could consider this). Guests are not interested in city tours - they are not coming into nature for that. Volcano hikes are popular but so cheap that there is no margin so we direct people to a local travel agent. Birdwatching tours are another exploitable upsell activity we have explored recently and promise great potential.