Lay your head on a bed of hay

Times are hard and the staycation" is becoming more and more popular as consumers try to be less extravagant in their spending.

And to ease these troubled times, our European neighbours in Germany, Switzerland and Austria have come up with a novel way to make the most of their farms and barns.

Holidaymakers can bed down for a long weekend in a converted barn - sleeping on a bed of freshly raked hay.

Heuhotels ('heu' is German for hay) offer exactly what their name suggests. A cheap alternative to a hotel and very eco-friendly, couples, friends and families can snug up in a fresh bale of hay for the night in open lofts or feed stalls furnished with wooden platforms.

While some Heuhotels have privacy curtains and bottles of wine to take to 'bed,' most still require that guests bring their own sleeping bag and towels, so if you are looking for the romantic getaway this might not be for you!

And its certainly not an ideal place to go if you suffer from hayfever... achoo! But still if you want that alternative, eco-friendly holiday then book yourself in!