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 red brick Herefordshire holiday cottage with a ground floor extension is surrounded by a low tone wall
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Point Cottage is a gorgeous 18th-century stone-built cottage full of rustic charm. The pet-friendly, 2-bedroom village holiday cottage near Hereford features a wood burner, exposed wood beams, wall timbers and floors, plus lovely grounds with views.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A 3-storey, brick-built, Dorset Mill House overlooks a cobbled courtyard.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Mill House is a large Dorset holiday home in Maiden Newton, Dorset, which makes an ideal holiday retreat for large families and groups of friends, a Grade II listed child-friendly cottage featuring stylish décor, a games room, six spacious bedrooms, and a large enclosed garden with patio and barbecue.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Hearthstone East Cottage is a large, thatched holiday cottage in Brixham, a popular seaside resort in Torbay. Set in idyllic surroundings, the pet-friendly cottage boasts stone walls, exposed beams, tiled floors and antique furnishings, plus a log fire, a lovely sunny garden and proximity to sandy beaches.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A semi-detached cottage overlooks a stone-walled front garden.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The quaint Grade-II listed Croft Head Cottage boasts exposed beamed ceilings, flagged floors and a wood-burning stove in a converted coaching inn close to the village of Wrelton in the North York Moors. The pet-free property welcomes families with two bedrooms and cast-iron furnishings.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Small Cottages
Sleeps
14
Bedrooms
5

Castle View is a large Victorian townhouse in Scarborough, restored to delight the most discerning guests booking a self-catering holiday in this premier North Yorkshire seaside resort. Castle View sleeps 14 in an elegant crescent in the heart of the town, a 10-minute walk to the beach.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
An oak beamed lounge with woodburner, wide-screen TV and a comfy sofa.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
4

The Lofthouse is a spacious Somerset holiday apartment within striking distance of the beach in Minehead. The apartment retains exposed beams, stone walls and other original features and blends this with chic coastal décor and light-filled spaces. Enjoy easy access to the best of Minehead, Exmoor and the Somerset coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Pendeen lighthouse holiday cottages in a clifftop location
Sleeps
3
Bedrooms
2

Argus Cottage is a unique coastal cottage set inside Pendeen Lighthouse atop the cliffs of Pendeen. The pet-friendly cottage boasts stunning ocean views and an abundance of wildlife, as well as a generously sized, furnished garden, contemporary design features, a sea breeze and access to the Cornwall coast and South West Coast Path.

  • Active Holidays
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  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
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  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Exterior of a double-fronted stone holiday cottage in Dunster nestling into a steep wooded hillside.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

An award-winning luxury cottage in the heart of the beautiful Exmoor village of Dunster. The cosy yet spacious three-bedroom Exmoor holiday cottage boasts cruck beams, oak screens, a stunning four-poster bed, a wood burning stove, a patio and a deck. Two reserved parking spaces. Dogs welcome. Sleeps 6.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Apple Tree Cottage is a picturesque chocolate box cottage in the heart of Burton Bradstock in Dorset. The pet-friendly cottage sleeps four and boasts a thatched roof and proximity to beautiful beaches, a furnished cottage garden, exposed beams, elegant furnishings, natural light and charm.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays