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.

Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

A unique Scandinavian-style eco-friendly cottage with a swimming pool blessed with timber finishes and surrounded by lawned gardens in a tranquil Isle of Wight coastal setting. Furnished to a very high standard, romance and relaxation are assured in this child and pet-free luxury getaway near Ryde.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Eco Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A single-storey wooden brick path crosses a lawn to the front door of wooden barn conversion
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

This outstanding period barn conversion with a hot tub is in the East Yorkshire village of Leven and can sleep six people in three bedrooms.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A modern cross-timbered gable overlooking a drive, lawn and a spacious parking area
Sleeps
16
Bedrooms
6

Celebrate a momentous occasion at Arden Hill Farm House, a refined country house near Stratford-upon-Avon with stunning views, an elegant interior, spacious gardens and a hot tub. The rural cottage offers a traditional exterior, access to many walking and cycling paths, and tranquillity.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A stone-built Exmoor holiday cottage overlooks a lawn with a hot tub.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Hartford Cottage is a beautiful romantic Exmoor holiday home in a moorland village near South Molton in Devon. The pet-friendly cottage with a hot tub enjoys tranquillity, far-reaching views, a generous sunroom, traditional character and access to a tennis court, games room and Exmoor.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The Coach House offers sophisticated coast and country accommodation for four in the North Yorkshire village of Levisham. It boasts subtle elegance with a stone exterior, a contemporary interior, and a delightful garden and open-plan design, all in the heart of the North York Moors and Coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Set amongst mature waterside gardens in a gorgeous secluded location, Bratton Mill Cottage, near the medieval village of Bratton Fleming in Devon, is a pet-friendly 17th-century cottage. It has been recently redecorated yet retains much of the character and charm of the original mill.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A wood and stone eco lodge with a massive 1st floor balcony enjoys rural views.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Escape the hustle and bustle of life and relax in the serenity of Lodge 56, a cozy, pet-friendly retreat nestled in rural North Cornwall near Callington. The lodge features modern amenities, including a fireplace for chilly evenings, and offers stunning rural views. With three bedrooms, it's perfect for families or groups of friends. Take time to explore the beauty of North Cornwall's coast and countryside during your stay. Don't miss out on this opportunity to experience peace and tranquility. Book your stay at Lodge 56 now.

  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Eco Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Buckinghamshire holiday cottages in a converted stable  block with a large clock tower
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Botanist’s Clock is an architecturally stylish romantic cottage at the heart of a grand 100-acre estate near Hedsor in the Home Counties. The sophisticated rural cottage offers manicured gardens, an elegant interior with vibrant and playful colours, garden views and urban chic.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a thatched 2-storey village holiday cottage in the Cotswolds.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Mrs Daffodil is a romantic thatched rural cottage in the Cotswolds with a honeystone exterior. The pet-friendly holiday home in Kemble enjoys serenity and countryside views and promises original features such as oak beams, flagstone floors, vaulted ceilings, an inglenook fireplace, and real fire.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays