Creative destinations and tips for luxury cottages in the UK

Everyone likes an escape to the country. To make yours more special than ever, consider our range of luxury cottages in the UK, which crank up the cosy factor or offer a plush pad somewhere exciting and new. From families to romantic couples, they can suit all sorts of travellers. What’s more, they’re in a whole medley of different environments, from the rock-ribbed Scottish Highlands to the salt-scented beach towns of the West Country.

A traditional English thatched cottage

What type of trips are luxury cottages in the UK for?

The cream of the UK cottage scene isn’t only there for the occasional jet setter. These opulent home rentals are perfect for a whole host of various travellers. Here are just 3 suggestions of the sorts of holidays they suit.

An escape to the country with the dog in tow

There’s certainly no shortage of dog-friendly 5-star cottages out there. From cosy Northumbrian dwellings buried in the Cheviot Hill to handsome Kentish manors by the rolling downs of the south, you’ll find even the plushest of pads often allow 4-legged guests. You may need to pay a small extra surcharge, though, which is typically calculated per pup, per stay.

Restful and relaxing retreats

There’s a whole sub-category of luxury cottages in the UK with a hot tub on site. They are a top choice if you’re looking to be pampered when you get out of the city. Many even have their steamy spas located outside, so you can take in vistas of the Yorkshire dales or the babbling Norfolk Broads as you recline and unwind.

Romantic escapes for 2

Imagine snuggling up in your very own bolthole as the wild Cumbrian winds lash the fells outside. Or, you can take long walks on lonely heaths in Dartmoor with just your other half as company. Alternatively, luxury cottages for that refined minimoon can put you in stylish resorts like Padstow and Sandbanks, where fine-dining fish restaurants mingle with chic cocktail bars.

Where to seek out luxury cottages by the sea

With counties like Dorset and Devon up its sleeve, not to mention whole countries ringed by wild coast, it’s hardly a surprise that Old Blighty manages to pack in plenty of deluxe stays right by the water.

Wales has 5-star cottages

Wherever you are in Wales, you can rest assured that the salt-filled airs of the coast are never too far away. But if you really want a bout of chic living on Celtic shores, consider making for the region of Pembrokeshire. Towns like Tenby herald a whole load of elegant, home-grown fashion boutiques, while there are creative kitchens serving cutting-edge surf and turf, infused by the ancient Welsh kitchen and the fresh flavours of the Irish Sea.

The South West is great for luxury cottages by the sea

Ranging from Cornwall to Somerset, the whole stretch of the South West is a wonderland of coastline and bays and beaches. Bagging a luxury pad means you’ll really fit in with the A-listers who frequent St Ives’s prestigious Tate Gallery, and the foodies that talk fish in Rick Stein’s Padstow flagship. It could also mean getting something sumptuous to return to after surfing the icy swells of Bude and Saunton Sands.

Choose Northumberland for coastal 5-star luxury cottages

The enchanting village of Seahouses is the place to look for your luxury pad by coast of Northumbria. It’s the anchor of a stunning area of outstanding natural beauty that encompasses the breath-stealing Bamburgh Castle and the wide, blustery dunes of Beadnell Bay. And it’s famed for its smoked kippers and the rich, mysterious history of the Farne Islands.

The raw natural landscapes of Scotland

Find your 5-star cottage inland

Sticking to the coast is just one option that’s open to luxury-seeking cottage goers in the UK. Heading away from the waves is another, into England’s pastoral landscapes of farms and mountains, Wales’s primeval summits or Scotland’s bagpipe-echoing glens.

A slice of high-life in the Lake District

Few areas of England can tug on the heart strings like the Lake District. This is the land that inspired the Romantic verses of William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, home to misty mountains and shimmering waters where old paddleboats drift this way and that. If you’re looking for an escape with your other half, this could be the perfect backdrop to a luxury cottage in the UK.

Return to real comfort in Snowdonia

You might just need a little pampering after conquering 1,085-metre-high Snowdon. The highest peak in Wales, it’s a challenging trek to the top if you don’t take the chugging narrow-gauge railway that also heads to the summit. Luxury rentals hide in the hearty villages below, of which Beddgelert stands out for its legendary past and pretty pubs.

Treat yourself on that Scottish adventure

Your luxury retreat to Scotland can be whatever you want it to be. Feeling adventurous? Ben Nevis looms high over the cottages of Fort William. Want history? Stirling Castle and Edinburgh Castle, the UNESCO-tagged streets of the capital and the puffing Jacobean railway all await.