Holidays in Devon, Self-Catering Cottages and Apartments

For many visitors, renting holiday cottages in Devon is the most enjoyable way to experience this charming County. Here are beach apartments overlooking wide sandy bays from Woolacombe in North Devon to Slapton Sands in South Devon. Discover thatched cottages in quaint coves such as Beer, Lee Bay, Blackpool Sands and Ladram Bay, with clear waters backed by lush green Devon countryside. 

Stay in a thatched Devon holiday cottage in the heart of the countryside to explore deep flower-filled lanes or the wild moorland landscapes of Exmoor and Dartmoor. The many picturesque and historic towns and villages from Clovelly to Budleigh Salterton scattered across Devon offer a fine choice of self-catering accommodation. 

Find quaint thatched cottages in sleepy villages, stylish barn conversions on working Devon farms or waterside apartments in converted fishing lofts and harbourside warehouses on the South Devon coast. Devon's mild climate makes the County a popular choice for self-catering cottage holidays all year round, as Christmas Day surfers on the North Devon beaches at Croyde and Saunton will testify. At the same time, wild daffodils and primroses appear in the hedgerows as early as February, adding colour to winter and early spring walks in the countryside. Looking for a relaxing staycation or active holiday? Click here to explore our full North Devon Holiday Cottages Listings.

A contemporary wooden holiday lodge in Est Devon overlooking a large walled lawn.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Urban chic meets traditional charm at The Shippen, a delightful East Devon country cottage in Membury with beautiful views of an AONB. The pet-friendly cottage offers a generous, sun-lit, open-plan living space, a wood burner, double-height bedrooms, beautiful gardens and access to the coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Small Cottages
A thatched country cottage on Dartmoor overlooks its front hedge
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Thorn Cottage, a secluded Chagford holiday let in Dartmoor, beckons with charm. Nestled in a tranquil hamlet, this pet-friendly country cottage features a captivating granite fireplace and a wood-burning stove. Three cosy bedrooms under the thatch offer countryside views. A fenced paddock with a summerhouse adds allure. Chagford's vibrant village, with shops and dining, is nearby. Explore this inviting retreat—your ideal pet-friendly getaway for a truly secluded Dartmoor holiday.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Sleeps 10
  • Bedrooms 4

Timbers is an elegant coastal cottage in an enviable waterside location above the tidal creek. This large holiday cottage in Newton Ferrers boasts ample grounds, beautiful gardens, light-filled rooms & its own private tidal slipway. Enjoy peace and seclusion in style just moments from the South Devon coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A contemporary wood and glass bungalow with a wrap-around deck overlooks a shrub-filled garden.
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 4

Unique four-bedroom coastal property near Dartmouth in South Devon, sleeping up to eight guests. Suitable for large groups or extended families, including an outside hot tub and covered sauna.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A stone-built North Devon barn conversion overlooks a paved courtyard.
  • Sleeps 9
  • Bedrooms 3

Escape to the tranquillity of West Bowden Farm, a charming Exmoor farm cottage near Knowstone. This spacious retreat, part of a 17th-century farmhouse, offers a peaceful self-catering holiday for up to six guests. Enjoy far-reaching rural views from the inviting sitting room. Explore the farm fields and sleep peacefully in well-appointed bedrooms. Modern amenities and a pet-friendly policy make it the perfect base for exploring Exmoor's beauty. Discover the authentic charm of Exmoor country at this idyllic rural retreat.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a two-storey Devon holiday cottage with rendered walls and a slate roof overlooking a lawn.
  • Sleeps 7
  • Bedrooms 3

Overlooking a peaceful country lane with a handful of other pretty cottages and the neighbouring parish church, this beautifully updated chocolate box detached Dartmoor holiday cottage in Mary Tavy is a 4-bedroom home from home for families, friends and family pets looking for a base in the Devon countryside to explore and unwind.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterrior of an eco lodge with a  covered deck and hot-tub.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

A luxury lodge in the peaceful Devon countryside outside Exeter. With a huge wooden deck and sunken hot tub, this home has two en-suite bedrooms and a log burner in the spacious living room. Within just a short drive of Exeter, you can enjoy the city's vibrancy and the quiet of a lakeside setting.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
  • Sleeps 2
  • Bedrooms 1

Wisteria Cottage is a thoroughly modern detached cottage in an ideal location in Exmouth. The romantic cottage boasts spacious rooms and a lovely patio, plus views of the Exe estuary, allowing couples to relax and unwind after fun-filled days exploring the East Devon coast and countryside.

  • Active Holidays
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a stone-built Dartmoor holiday cottage tucked into a fold in the surrounding Devon countryside
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 4

Woodstone Barn: A Spacious Dartmoor Holiday Cottage for Eight in Devon

Resting on a gentle slope above the West Devon Way, Woodstone offers a serene rural retreat just one and a half miles from the majestic Dartmoor National Park. With the capacity to comfortably accommodate eight guests, Woodstone Barn is the ideal large holiday home in Devon for those seeking a peaceful retreat.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Spacious seaside apartment lounge with sofa, coffee table and sideboard.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Fun in the sun is assured at 16 Woolacombe, a luxurious coastal apartment in Woolacombe Bay, Devon. The apartment bathes in natural light and carries an effortless coastal chic throughout. It also offers a swimming pool, sauna, treatment room, and modern comfort just minutes from the beach.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of an East Devon coastal cottage with a patio and a well-kept garden.
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Orchid Cottage is a spacious 19th-century coastal cottage in picturesque Axmouth village, next to the River Axe. This family-friendly East Devon cottage is just one mile from the harbour and fascinating Jurassic coast, making it ideal for exploring the Devon and Dorset coasts.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
A  restored country cottage overlooks a shaded courtyard.
  • Sleeps 6
  • Bedrooms 3

Squirrelled away in the North Devon countryside, less than half an hour from the coast. Somers Hiscott-6 is beautifully spacious and sits right in the middle of the private estate (40 acres). There will be more than enough room for you to spill out and make this home your own – inside and out!

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A terraced row of well-maintained Victorian Houses with small low-walled front garden.
  • Sleeps 4
  • Bedrooms 2

Escape to Exmouth in this beautifully presented penthouse holiday apartment overlooking the Exe estuary. With two bedrooms sleeping four, this home is just a short stroll from Exmouth’s long, sandy beach and is the perfect retreat for a seaside holiday in one of Britain’s oldest and prettiest coastal towns.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
An outdoor swimming pool overlooked by a stone-built holiday cottage in North Devon
  • Sleeps 8
  • Bedrooms 2

With two bedrooms accommodating up to 8 guests, The Annexe is the ideal choice for families or friends seeking a memorable North Devon holiday. However, this versatile coastal cottage also appeals to couples looking to escape for a romantic, relaxing break. This pet-friendly haven boasts a private hot tub, a heated swimming pool, a tennis court, and even table tennis for hours of family fun. From the cottage, you can soak in panoramic views of the coast and revel in breathtaking sunsets.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Decked entrance, outdoor dining area and meadow setting.
  • Sleeps 2
  • Bedrooms 1

A private lodge for couples only. Just a 5-minute drive from North Devon surf beaches and SW coast path. This immaculate, one-bedroom luxury lodge has a king-size bed and a gorgeous bathroom. Well-appointed kitchenette. South-facing outdoor decking, set in a pretty meadow. A calm and relaxing retreat.

  • Active Holidays
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays

Why Stay in a Holiday Cottage in Devon?

  • Devon has something for everyone. There are plenty of coastal, countryside and moorland Holiday Cottages in Devon to choose from. Enjoy bustling market towns, quiet villages and varied coastal settings.
  • Devon has something for everyone. Families will enjoy the beaches and adventure parks. Hikers will love the coast paths and moors. Surfers will be able to enjoy well known surf spots, while birdwatchers and nature lovers will have an array of places to visit.
  • For many visitors, renting holiday cottages in Devon is the most enjoyable way to experience this charming County. Here are beach apartments overlooking wide sandy bays from Woolacombe in North Devon to Slapton Sands in the South Hams. Discover thatched cottages in quaint coves such as Beer, Lee Bay, Blackpool Sands and Ladram Bay, with clear waters backed by lush green Devon countryside.
  • Stay in a thatched Devon holiday cottage in the heart of the countryside to explore deep flower-filled lanes or the wild moorland landscapes of Exmoor and Dartmoor. The many picturesque and historic towns and villages from Clovelly to Budleigh Salterton scattered across Devon offer a fine choice of self-catering accommodation.
  • Find quaint thatched cottages in sleepy villages, stylish barn conversions on working Devon farms or waterside apartments in converted fishing lofts and harbourside warehouses on the South Devon coast. Devon's mild climate makes the County a popular choice for self-catering cottage holidays all year round, as Christmas Day surfers on the North Devon beaches at Croyde and Saunton will testify. At the same time, wild daffodils and primroses appear in the hedgerows as early as February, adding colour to winter and early spring walks in the countryside.
  • Devon's centre is the wonderful Dartmoor National Park - offering picturesque wild walks and drives across the moors. Visit Widecombe and Princetown - the latter now earning a reputation as an artistic centre as well as being the location of the famous prison. Above all, find and climb a tor - there are hundreds from which visitors can choose. Dartmoor is also home to England's 'newest castle' Castle Drogo which is now wonderfully restored by the National Trust.

 

What Can You Do and Where Can You Visit From Your Devon Holiday Home?

  • To the south of the County are the bustling Victorian seaside resorts of Torquay, Paignton, Exmouth and Teignmouth, these days offering much more than a traditional bucket and spade holiday (although buckets and spades are still essential holiday must-haves). It's a haven for superb family theme parks such as Diggerland, an adventure theme park with a real emphasis on DIGGERS! An invigorating construction experience for adults & children. It is highly recommended!
  • To the southeast corner of Devon are the charming and genteel Edwardian resorts and villages of Sidmouth, Beer, Branscombe and Budleigh Salterton. Here, a perfect day can be spent chuntering around Lyme Bay in a self-hire boat, and catching mackerel to BBQ back at your holiday cottage in the evening. For delightful views of the River Ax estuary - and the chance of a Devonshire Cream Tea in Colyton, enjoy a sedate ride on restored trams at The Seaton Tramway that runs from Seaton along the estuary to Colyton.
  • North Devon is much wilder and quieter than the south but just as welcoming to visitors. Here are the extensive sandy surfing beaches of Croyde, Woolacombe, Westward Ho! and Saunton Sands (perfect for beach cricket and sandcastle building when the tide is out).
  • Tiny coast-hugging villages such as Lee Bay or Clovellyin North Devon will delight visitors at any time of the year.
  • The main North Devon coastal towns of Barnstaple and Bideford provide all the services and supplies you need to enjoy a self-catering holiday in a rural or seaside holiday cottage.
  • North Devon also has the occasional geographical claim to fame, such as the biggest village in England (Braunton) and the longest High Street in England (Combe Martin). For visiting walkers and cyclists, the superb Tarka Trail offers more than 40 miles of level cycling on old North Devon railway lines that follow the river valleys and estuaries of the Taw and Torridge. There are plenty of bike hire shops along its route if you don't have space to bring your bikes.
  • In North Devon, visit The Gnome Reserve, where over a thousand gnomes add colour and enchantment to a woodland walk. The Reserve was once nominated for a Turner Prize. If not Gnomes, they try sheep: The Big Sheep in Bideford has everything from baby lambs to feed to roller coaster rides - all year round! It is no wonder that many of Devon's self-catering holiday cottages and seaside apartments welcome the same visitors year after year!

 

Find Cottages in Dartmoor and the Heart of Devon

Inland Devon is equally inviting to visitors. Quiet thatched villages such as Broadhembury, Coleford, Sampford Courtenay or Chittlehampton can be found at the end of slow drives down deep Devon lanes (all replete with excellent pubs and idyllic holiday cottages). Exeter's city centre is well worth at least one day's visit to see the magnificent Cathedral (picnic on Cathedral Green) followed by a trip down to Exeter Quay on the River Exe, full of craft shops, bars and restaurants. Hire a bike and follow the ship canal towpath through Starcross to the coast. Make it past the enticing pubs such as the Twin Locks, and you'll find yourselves collecting sea shells and nibbling seaside candy floss on the beach at Dawlish Warren before a leisurely ride home to your holiday accommodation.

 

South Devon Coast and Countryside Cottages

Devon's maritime heritage and traditions can be discovered in the south coast ports of Dartmouth. Taking an Edwardian paddle steamer upriver to Dittisham past Greenaway, Agatha Christie's house, is now open to the public. Discover more of Devon's scenic heritage by water at Salcombe or Plymouth, where a boat trip visiting all the historic maritime naval yards along Plymouth Sound will provide an entertaining history lesson.

For steam train lovers, occasional mainline rail excursions to and from Exeter, steam a-plenty can be found within an easy drive of many holiday cottages. In the popular (and idyllic) South Hams region in Devon's southern corner, ride the South Devon Railway from Buckfastleigh to Totnes or from Paignton to Kingswear (and then by ferry to Dartmouth). In North Devon, discover the Lynton & Barnstaple Railway, which operates a mile or so of scenic track from Woody Bay Station - combine this with a clifftop walk along the South West Coast Path between Woody Bay and Martinhoe and you have the perfect day out!