Why Hank’s Ranch Stood Out on Four in a Bed: A Truly Unique Norfolk Glamping Experience
When Hank’s Ranch appeared on Channel 4’s Four in a Bed, it was a pretty surreal moment for us.
We’ve spent years building Hank’s Ranch from the ground up, creating something that feels like more than somewhere to stay. So seeing our little Wild West town in Norfolk on television — and watching guests explore the cabins, the meadow and everything we’ve created — was something we’ll never forget.
And yes… we definitely watched it with a mixture of excitement, nerves and the occasional “I can’t believe they’ve just said that!” 😂
From Three Cabins to a Wild West Town
When we first started Hank’s Ranch, it was all about three very different cabins: The Jail, The General Store and The Church. Each one was designed to feel like you’d stepped through a doorway and landed somewhere in an 1850s American frontier town. Since filming Four in a Bed, we’ve continued developing that idea, and the ranch has now grown into something even bigger. Our Saloon has joined the town, creating another space for guests to explore, play cards, relax and soak up the atmosphere. It’s still the same Hank’s Ranch — peaceful, private and surrounded by Norfolk countryside — but now there’s an even stronger sense that you’ve stepped into a little Wild West settlement of your own. That’s something we really felt came across during filming.
What Was It Like Filming Four in a Bed?
For Hank and Sarah, the whole experience was a real mixture of excitement, nerves, laughter and a fair amount of waiting around!
Having cameras around the ranch was certainly different. Suddenly things that we do every day felt like a much bigger deal, and there was something quite strange about seeing our cabins through someone else’s eyes. But overall, we genuinely enjoyed the experience. We met some interesting people, had plenty of laughs and got to see Hank’s Ranch brought to life on screen in a way we were really pleased with. And we have to admit, we particularly loved the shoot-out scene! It was completely bonkers, very much in keeping with the Wild West theme, and probably one of our favourite moments of the whole experience.
Although, if we’re being completely honest, we would have quite liked to have shot at least two of the contestants…
We’re only joking, of course. 😉
Did We Agree With Everything?
Probably not — and we don’t think Four in a Bed would be much of a programme if everyone simply sat around agreeing with each other!
We received some genuinely useful feedback from the experience, and we’ve taken some of that advice on board. Like any small business, we’re always looking at ways to improve what we do, and sometimes it takes someone from outside the business to point something out that you simply don’t see yourself. But there were also moments when we felt that some of the feedback was more about playing the Four in a Bed game than giving a genuine reflection of the guest experience.
And that’s part of the format.
When there’s a competition involved, everyone has their own strategy — and sometimes it seemed that the only way to get one over on another contestant was to find something, anything, to mark down! We had a good laugh about some of it afterwards. At the end of the day, we know what Hank’s Ranch is, why we created it and, most importantly, what our guests tell us about their stays.
The Experience We Wanted to Share
One of the things we were happiest about was how well we felt the programme showed the character of Hank’s Ranch.
This isn’t simply three cabins sitting in a field. Every building has been designed to tell a story. The Jail has its bars, wanted posters, sheriff’s details and frontier character. The General Store is packed with quirky period-inspired details. The Church has its own atmosphere, high ceilings and handcrafted features.
And now there’s the Saloon too.
The whole idea has always been to create somewhere where guests can forget about everyday life for a while.
There are no televisions or Wi-Fi to distract you. Instead, there are rocking chairs on the porches, fire pits, playing cards, walks through the countryside, the sound of the birds and the occasional appearance from Pistol Pete the cat.
It’s a chance to slow down.
And Then There’s the Bath House…
The Bath House is another part of the experience that we think really adds to the story of the ranch.
Our wood-fired hot tub is housed inside its own rustic frontier-style bathhouse, complete with timber, tin and lantern-style lighting. It’s designed to feel like something that belongs in our Wild West town rather than a modern hot tub dropped into a field. When you book the hot tub you have exclusive use, we supply the robes and sliders, wood for the first two nights and a lesson on lighting and managing the wood-fired tub.
Then it’s simply a case of climbing in, looking up at the Norfolk sky and forgetting about the outside world for a while.
More Than Glamping
Perhaps the biggest thing Four in a Bed reminded us of is exactly why we started Hank’s Ranch in the first place.
We didn’t want to create somewhere that simply looked good in photographs. We wanted to create somewhere that felt different. Somewhere couples could celebrate a birthday or anniversary. Somewhere you could bring your dog and spend the evening around a fire. Somewhere you could sit on a porch with a cup of coffee in the morning and watch the meadow wake up. Somewhere that makes you feel as though you’ve gone away without having to travel halfway across the country.
And from the messages, reviews and comments we receive from guests, that seems to be the part that stays with people.
What Happens Next for Hank’s Ranch?
Filming Four in a Bed was a fantastic experience, and seeing the ranch on screen was something we were incredibly proud of.
But we’re not standing still.
Since filming, we’ve continued adding to the Wild West town, with The Saloon being the biggest addition so far. There are always ideas being discussed, things being built and little details being added. Because that’s the fun of Hank’s Ranch. It’s something we’ve created ourselves, and it’s still evolving. So if you watched us on Four in a Bed and thought, “That looks like somewhere I’d love to stay,” — we’d love to welcome you. And if you’re wondering whether the ranch really looks like it did on television…
Come and see for yourself.
The fires are waiting, the rocking chairs are ready, and there’s a whole Wild West town tucked away in the Norfolk countryside.
Your Hank’s Ranch adventure starts the moment you arrive.
Want to watch the episode for yourself?
Series 21 Episode 29