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 lighthouse complex in a clifftop location with the sea in the background.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Perched on the clifftop at Start Bay, Beacon Cottage boasts unparalleled ocean views and a wonderful sitting-out area. The coastal cottage adjoins the lighthouse near Kingsbridge in Devon and offers a unique holiday escape with contemporary elegance, modern comforts and access to sandy beaches.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A tall lighthouse stands on a headland overlooking the ocean.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Ariel is a stylish coastal cottage offering a unique getaway in Nash Point Lighthouse near Marcross on the South Wales Coast. The pet-friendly cottage sleeps 5. It provides uninterrupted ocean views and a sea breeze, lovely grounds with furnished spaces and an interior boasting contemporary chic, natural light and comfort.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Aerial view of a tall, brick-built, twin-towered, Victorian folly in a rural location.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Ultimate Romantic Bolthole for Couples in the Shropshire Countryside.

The Summer House is a Grade II listed octagonal tower and summer house built around 1607 near the Shropshire village of Eyton-on-Severn. The memorable, romantic rural retreat will entice couples with its spiral staircase, original features, elegance, magnificent rural views, and a wood-burning stove in the bedroom

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A lighthouse and buildings now converted to holiday cottages gleams in the summer sun in Broadstairs.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Lodesman Cottage enjoys sweeping ocean views from its position within the North Foreland Lighthouse above the beaches of Broadstairs. The unique coastal holiday cottage in Kent sleeps 4 and offers sophisticated light and airy accommodation plus spacious grounds for relaxing in the sun and the light sea breeze.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Exterior of a Cotswold honey-stone cottage overlooking a small lawn and patio with a dining table.
Sleeps
3
Bedrooms
2

Laburnum Cottage is a charming and well-maintained country cottage in the picturesque Worcestershire village of Broadway. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, this lovely Cotswold holiday home boasts a mature private garden and can accommodate up to three guests in two double bedrooms. It's an ideal choice for anyone looking to escape to the tranquil countryside for a relaxing break. The property also features private parking and is dog-friendly, perfect for guests who want to bring their furry friends along on their holiday.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Aerial view of a Cornish Lighthouse complex overlooking the sea.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Brook Cottage is a sophisticated coastal cottage set above the cliffs within Trevose Head Lighthouse near Padstow. The pet-friendly cottage enjoys spectacular ocean views and a sea breeze. It offers enclosed lawned gardens with furnished spaces, coastal chic and proximity to the many delights and attractions on the North Cornwall coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a 3-storey, farmhouse in Derbyshire.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Built in 1560, Scargill Castle epitomises country charm. The pet-friendly romantic cottage in Scargill, Yorkshire, emerges from the ruins of an old castle and features exposed beams, oak floors, a wood-burning stove, period furnishings and modern comforts, and seclusion and countryside views.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
30
Bedrooms
12

North End Farm is a delightful property near Bridport and the Jurassic Coast in Dorset. It offers ample furnished grounds, rustic charm, lovely views & stunning sunsets. Surrounded by rolling green hills, the farm offers pet-friendly holiday cottages and cabins for couples, small families and large groups.

  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a lighthouse holiday cottage and small tower on a grassy clifftop
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Panoramic ocean views stretch before The Link, a romantic cottage set in Cromer Lighthouse beside the golf course on the Norfolk coast. White walls and luxurious contemporary décor complement the setting, while the enclosed garden offers another space to enjoy the views and the clean sea air.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages