Get adventurous with holiday cottages in the UK
Whether it’s a family escape to the wild Scottish fells or a salt-washed surf trip with your mates to Cornwall, a cottage rental could fit the bill perfectly. Self-catering facilities mingle with charming design features, while a touch of luxury comes with hot tubs and swimming pools. Of course, that’s just a taster of what’s on offer. Read on for more inspiring destination suggestions and information on those homes away from home in the UK.
The different types of holiday cottages in the UK
An incredible range of options is open to those who are chasing a cottage holiday with the crew. Discover the place that fits your needs with the helpful pointers below.
Find pet-friendly cottages in the UK
Share adventures on the wave-lashed Welsh coastal paths and gurgling Norfolk Broads with your 4-legged buddy by seeking out a cottage stay that welcomes pets. Policies vary, but it’s common for cottages to cater to at least 1 dog. Features such as enclosed gardens and designated sleeping quarters are what await.
Luxury holiday cottages in the UK
From Scottish castles to proud Anglo manor houses, there’s a medley of cottages in the UK that take opulence to new heights. You’ll need to fork out a little more for these upscale properties, but the pay-off comes in the form of steaming hot tubs, marble-clad bathrooms, big deck spaces and period features that date as far back as the Middle Ages.
Family cottages in the UK
For a birthday weekend you’ll remember or a special Christmas away from home, plenty of cottages offer enough room for the whole family, plus extras. Many lettings have multiple bedrooms, making use of bunks for the little ones and single beds for the twins. On top of that come large-scale kitchens with cooking and dining facilities so you can all share dinners and breakfasts together.
Coastal cottage rental in the UK
Fill your lungs with the fresh ocean airs of Cornwall or wander the wooded coast of Wales, all with a cottage rental that puts you right on British shores.
Rent a UK cottage in Wales
The Welsh coast is often compared to Spanish Galicia, thanks to its rugged, windswept inlets and high cliffs. However, there’s no need to hop on a flight to make the most of this corner of the UK. Staycations in Wales could mean cottages along the Pembroke Coast Path, between Barafundle Bay and the cathedral of St Davids. Or, they could mean a home by the sands of Gower, where surf and bracing headland walks dominate.
Look to Cornwall for coastal cottages
There’s a chocolate box of different coastal rentals in Cornwall. Looe in the south is great for families keen to munch ice creams while lazing on a deck chair by the English Channel. Padstow has the bobbing fishing boats and the fish restaurants to match. And then there’s St Ives, brimming with intriguing modern art galleries and chic seaside cafés.
Cottages by the sea in Dorset
Dorset’s UNESCO-attested Jurassic Coast is famed all over the world. You only need to walk a couple of minutes down the shore outside of Lyme Regis and you could find yourself surrounded by pre-historic animals encased in stone. Fossil hunting isn’t all there is to do, though. Chesil Beach is just begging to be walked hand-in-hand, while Corfe Castle beckons history buffs a little inland.
Rural cottages in the UK
It’s often the seclusion of cottages that keeps so many travellers coming back to these sorts of stays, year on year. Here’s just a taster of some of the isolated, rural locations you can expect to find across the UK.
A cottage rental in Scotland
Hardy and strong, the cottages of Scotland can be found from the lochs of Inverness – keep your eyes peeled for Nessie there – to the hulking ridges of the Southern Uplands. Hikers often flock to Fort William at the entrance to the Great Glen. Waterfalls crash over the mountains there, while Ben Nevis and its superlative summit beckon overhead.
Choose cottages in the Lake District
Romance flows through the tight-knit lanes of Ambleside and Hawkshead. If you’re on a mission to trek high massifs and get a slice of English heritage in the same trip, either town is a top pick. At the very heart of the Lake District National Park, they’re riddled with trailheads that shoot out to the Great Langdale Valley – where you can find Scafell Pike – and the historic homes of poets such as William Wordsworth.
Charming cottages in the Cotswolds
The soft hills of the Cotswolds are celebrated as one of England’s most iconic natural landscapes. When it comes to evoking that old world feel, there are few places that can match the tea-clinking cafés of Stow-on-the-Wold or the honey-coloured bridges of Bourton-on-the-Water. Cottages in these parts often come clad in the vernacular Cotswolds stone, giving them a tint of cinnamon and a style that’s truly enchanting.