An octagonal, stone-built toll house shaded by trees.

Book Self-Catering Holidays in Quirky Holiday Cottages

Fancy a self-catering holiday in a quirky and unusual holiday property? Who wouldn’t say no to a holiday with friends in a luxury lighthouse or a beautifully restored Napoleonic Fort?

Search here to find an architecturally unique holiday cottage for a more than usually memorable holiday with family or friends. The UK has a splendid choice of distinctive and unusual character cottages appealing to those looking for something slightly different from a traditional house. 

While quirky cottages are not the ‘everyday’ holiday property, they still offer the same standards, facilities, and amenities you would expect to find in any decent holiday property worth its salt. Types of out-of-the-ordinary holiday lets include (but are not limited to):

  • Lighthouses
  • Windmills
  • Restored railway stations and carriages
  • Castles and Forts.
  • Shepherds Huts
  • Narrow Boats
  • Tree-houses
  • Signal boxes
  •  Follies 

View this collection of distinctive holiday properties to find one with that ‘must-stay’ funky factor for a long holiday or just a weekend break.

A large house with floor-to-ceiling windows surrounded by a large garden in the countryside.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Converted from a Victorian chapel, Chapel House in Anglesey is a large, purpose-built luxury holiday cottage in a pleasant rural location. It lies about a country mile outside the village of Llanddeusant in the hamlet of Elim on the Island’s west coast. The pet-friendly cottage sleeps 12.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
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  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
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Exterior of a grand 3-storey Highland hunting lodge and gardens.
Sleeps
18
Bedrooms
11

Glencarron is a beautiful Victorian shooting lodge near Strathcarron, sleeping up to 18 in 11 bedrooms. This lovely large holiday home in Inverness-shire enjoys breathtaking views of the Glencarron Estate, covering over 12,000 acres of the Scottish Highlands. Pets welcome.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Waterside Cottages
A grand 3-storey Georgian country house in the Cornish countryside partly surrounded by trees.
Sleeps
16
Bedrooms
8

The Vean is a large Georgian country house near St Austell, nestled among woodland, boasting refinement and luxury, abundant grounds, and an open fire. The luxury holiday cottage on Caerhays Estate is ideal for special occasions and just moments from Cornwall's coastline.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
The ivy-clad exterior of a stone holiday cottage in Hawkshead, Cumbria, with a lawn to the front.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Bibby Lot is a quaint, dog-friendly, 3-bedroom traditional Lake District holiday cottage with Wi-Fi near Windermere on the Graythwaite Estate. Guests have access to a communal indoor heated swimming pool, games room, children's play area, fitness suite, and trout fishing lake.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
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  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Gable end of an old bothy converted to a holiday cottage with a large lawned garden.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Old Bothy makes the perfect romantic retreat for couples on holiday, situated at the edge of the Cotswolds in the historic 11th-century village of Halford, Warwickshire, a small countryside cottage boasting a courtyard garden, an electric wood-burner, and an en-suite double bedroom.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
3

Nuffies Cottage is a gorgeous converted barn with panoramic views of rolling green hills. The rural cottage boasts stone walls and is situated on a working farm near Winster in the Peak District and Derbyshire Dales. Exposed beams and country charm combine with modern comforts to ensure relaxation.

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A ground-floor countryside cottage with a central gable extension overlooks a large courtyard.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

6 Yarmouth Cottages is a sophisticated coastal cottage on the Isle of Wight set on vast grounds in Norton Green. The pet-friendly cottage sleeps 4, enjoys fresh air and expansive views, and boasts abundant natural light, contemporary chic, open-plan design, and a sun-drenched, furnished patio.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Coastal Cottages
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  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
13
Bedrooms
6

Live in luxury at Gitcombe House, a large holiday rental in Cornworthy, your ideal South Devon holiday home with a pool. This Georgian manor farmhouse boasts six bedrooms, classic furnishings, and an AGA-equipped kitchen. Enjoy grand dining, relax by the open fire, and explore the extensive grounds with shared pools. Experience elegance and comfort – book your unforgettable holiday in South Devon now.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
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  • Short Breaks
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Doves Barn Suffolk
Sleeps
20
Bedrooms
8

This spacious Suffolk Barn conversion, Bradley, sits on 2 acres of land and provides well-furnished accommodation with stunning views of the countryside. Guests can also enjoy a hot tub.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Car Chargers
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Eco Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Cottage Discounts
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays