This Must Be The Place
A Bold New Boutique Stay Arrives on the River Ayr
Ari Pournaras
A fresh, cinematic aesthetic has landed on the banks of the River Ayr. This Must Be The Place Ayr, a vibrant new boutique stay on South Harbour Street, blends bold design, vintage charm and sweeping water views to offer visitors a delightfully non-generic place to lay their head.
The apartment is the latest project from local couple Ari and Annika, the duo behind This Must Be The Place Stays. Their journey began in 2020, after purchasing their first holiday property in Lamlash on the Isle of Arran. When the iconic Talking Heads track played on the car radio as they drove to pick up the keys, the venture found both its soundtrack and its name.
After expanding to Carbost on the Isle of Skye, the couple decided to bring their signature style home to Ayrshire.
Overlooking the river, harbour and coastline, the spacious one-bedroom apartment sits just minutes from both Ayr Beach and the town centre. Inside, however, you won’t find the usual monochrome palette of the standard holiday rental. Annika took the design lead, drawing visual inspiration from Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch. The space pairs rich, unexpected colour combinations with vintage finds, creating a playful interior where design is very much part of the experience.
The transformation was no small undertaking. The couple took a tired, rundown flat and stripped it right back to the brickwork. Walls came down, the layout was reconfigured and the old interior was completely removed. From there, they rebuilt the space from scratch, turning a forgotten property into an open, bespoke retreat designed around those standout river views.
Thoughtfully equipped for slow, restful evenings, the apartment includes:
Living & leisure: A cosy wood-burning stove, a curated collection of vinyl records and a selection of books.
Kitchen & media: A fully equipped kitchen for relaxed dining, alongside a dedicated media area.
The views: Uninterrupted river and coastal views from every window.
“We didn’t want to create another generic grey holiday apartment,” explains Ari. “We wanted somewhere that felt memorable and where the design was part of the experience.”
Beyond the apartment doors, the location makes an ideal base for exploring Ayrshire. Guests can discover local highlights, head for a round of world-class golf at Royal Troon or Turnberry, or venture further along the coast to explore Culzean Castle.
With three distinct properties now under their belt, Ari and Annika remain focused on their original goal: creating characterful stays in prime locations that guests genuinely remember.
For their newest chapter, Ayr is undeniably the place.
Book your stay here:
www.thismustbetheplacestays.com
