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 cosy stone-built cottage in Danby on a sunny day with a garden bench and patio.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Daffodil Cottage offers couples on self-catering holidays in North Yorkshire spectacular rural views and cosy accommodation in the remote hamlet of Houlsyke, near Danby. This romantic cottage for couples exudes warmth and character, a perfect rural retreat for weekends and walking holidays on the North York Moors.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Large, thatched Dorset Farmhouse overlooking a courtyard.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Manor Farmhouse is a thatched and beautifully presented country cottage near Maiden Newton, sleeping eight in four bedrooms with expansive rural views and river frontage, situated in a peaceful and idyllic location.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Flushing holiday cottages line the Fal Estuary at high tide.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Grade II listed 18th Century Riverside House near Falmouth is a pet-friendly Cornish holiday cottage offering spectacular sea views. It is newly refurbished, providing the ultimate luxury seaside accommodation with three double bedrooms and three bathrooms, reserved parking and a beautiful waterside courtyard.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Doiuble-fronted exterior of a stone holiday cottage in Cumbria surrounded by mature trees.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

A thoughtful barn conversion, one of four cottages located by the River Lune in a beautifully remote location near Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria. The Old Stables is a countryside cottage on the western edge of Yorkshire Dales National Park, featuring exposed beams, upside-down accommodation and under-floor heating.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A single storey barn conversion stands on the edge of a paved courtyard.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Cow Cott is a stunning stone barn conversion located in a small rural village. This charming holiday cottage, ideal for couples near Peterchurch, perfectly blends rustic charm with modern style. With its exposed beams, stone walls, and wooden fittings, this property offers a contemporary and cosy atmosphere for a romantic getaway. You can also enjoy the spacious garden and breathtaking views of the beautiful Herefordshire countryside.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Barn conversions in a courtyard overlook a raised flower bed in its centre
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
2

Tucked in near the Great Fryup Dale in the heart of North York Moors National Park, The Byre in the civil parish of Danby, North Yorkshire, sits on a working organic farm, a two-storey countryside cottage featuring exposed beams, vaulted ceiling, and ground floor underfloor heating.

  • Accessible Cottages
  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A country cottage on the edge of a wood surrounded by well-kept lawns and flower beds.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

A pretty stone-built cosy coastal cottage near Kirkcudbright with sea views, Cutlar's Cottage is set in its own fully enclosed garden overlooking a wildflower meadow. It's a glorious walk to the seashore and a 2-3 minute amble to the landscaped loch and pavilion.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Seaspray is the perfect Dorset coastal destination for walkers, families and beach lovers! Seaspray offers a taste of life by the beach in the pretty village of Eype. The beach at Eype welcomes dogs all year round, and the property is dog-friendly.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Exterior of a stone-built Exmoor Holiday Cottage surrounded by spacious lawns.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Located in a peaceful corner amidst the unspoiled beauty of Exmoor, Kiri Cottage offers an ideal getaway that is just a stone's throw away from the renowned Tarr Steps. The cottage is situated within the pristine grounds of West Hollowcombe Farm and offers a spacious 3-bedroom rural retreat in Hawkridge. It boasts breathtaking south-facing moorland views that will leave you spellbound. Here, you can experience nature at its very best and embark on your own Exmoor adventure.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays