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
15
Bedrooms
7

Bearwood House and Cottage are half-timbered rural holiday cottages in Leominster. Sleeping 15 people, the pet-friendly cottages in Herefordshire boast undeniable charm, beautiful views, indoor and outdoor games, a hot tub, loggia, a sunken garden, an arboretum, log fires and a tennis court.

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

The Stables is a lovely two-bedroom, two-bathroom holiday cottage in Beverley, rated 5-star. Set on our farmstead in 19 acres of grass and woodland two miles from historic Beverley. Free wifi - arrive any day - ground floor bedroom and wetroom. SEE OUR VIRTUAL TOUR ON OUR WEBSITE.

  • Active Holidays
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a thatched  cottage overlooking a quiet village street.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Pilgrim Corner, an exquisite Minehead holiday cottage for up to eight guests, offers a luxurious retreat in the heart of the old town. This Tudor house boasts a large hot tub, an enchanting garden, and a lavish interior with a cosy log-burner,  Aga and oak beams, earning it a Visit England Five Star Gold rating. Enjoy the rustic-styled, well-equipped kitchen, unwind by the log fire, and explore three unique upstairs bedrooms. With ample free roadside parking, this historic haven invites you to experience a luxury holiday on the West Somerset coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A stone-built Exmoor barn conversion in open countryside.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

A stunning farming estate in the heart of rural North Devon, Barn Cottage lies in a scenic valley in the parish of Bishop's Nympton, near South Molton on the edge of Exmoor National Park. This farm cottage allows access to Devon's coastline, beaches, and other attractions.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Car Chargers
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Independent Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior or a stone-built barn conversion surrounded by a flower-filled garden
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
3

Escape to the picturesque village of Brayford, located on the western edge of Exmoor National Park, for a rejuvenating self-catering holiday. Experience the charm of Barn Cottage, a beautiful three-bedroom cottage with stunning views of the surrounding countryside, covered in wildflowers. This pet-friendly cottage is located in a small rural North Devon village, perfect for a peaceful getaway.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Planters filled with shrubs stand outside a cottage overlooking an empty lane.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Ruffles Cottage abounds in character. The pet-friendly cottage in the centre of Dunster promises a perfect family holiday with its carefully selected décor, wood-burning stove and endless contemporary comfort. Guests can explore footpaths on Exmoor, explore Dunster and its beach, ride steam trains on the West Somerset railway or relax in the cottage.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of asemi-detached restored fisherman's cottage with a paved courtyard in Appledore.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The Retreat is a charming North Devon holiday cottage in Appledore. The pet-friendly cottage offers an enviable waterside location, a spacious garden, exposed beams and sash windows, and a fantastic base for memorable seaside holidays.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Aerial photo of a Loch in the Scottish Highlands with a holiday cottage in the foreground.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Enjoy a unique holiday with a stay at Port na Mine, a large and child-friendly cottage near the Scottish village of Taynuilt, Argyll and Bute. The luxury cottage affords picturesque views of Loch Etive and Glencoe, featuring six bedrooms, a wood effect electric fire, and a fully enclosed garden. Enjoy a unique holiday with a stay at Port na Mine, a large and child-friendly cottage near the Scottish village of Taynuilt, Argyll and Bute. The luxury cottage affords picturesque views of Loch Etive and Glencoe, featuring six bedrooms, a wood effect electric fire, and a fully enclosed garden.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Waterside Cottages
A nicely refurbished two-storey, terraced town house with a small front garden.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Escape to the seaside! Colours Borrowed from the Sea is a sophisticated coastal cottage just moments from the beaches of Marske-by-the-Sea in Yorkshire. The pet-friendly cottage boasts coastal chic with light and airy spaces and a pleasant outdoor area that catches the sea breeze and the sun.

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