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 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
6
Bedrooms
3

Holiday in comfort and style with a stay at The Wain House, a brick-built barn conversion on the owner’s 250-acre working farm just outside the village of Westhope, Shropshire, a pet-friendly cottage that features a private patio with a hot tub, as well as access to a games room and gym.

  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Farm Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A semi-detached house with a shrub-filled front garden and privet hedge.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Old Malthouse is a sophisticated rural cottage in Monksilver, Somerset, which blends tradition and modernity. Replete with exposed beams and a wood burner, the pet-friendly property once supplied malt to the region and is an ideal place to enjoy a local cider or an ale after a day exploring Exmoor.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a large, 3-storey, Wye Valley holiday home.
Sleeps
24
Bedrooms
12

River Wye Lodge is a spacious holiday cottage in the Forest of Dean overlooking the picturesque River Wye. The cottage can accommodate up to 26 guests, and it is easily accessible. You can spend your days exploring the Forest and theWye Valley or enjoy a variety of activities on the river. Alternatively, you can relax in the cottage's hot tub, games room, or children's playground. Pets are welcome to join you on your holiday.

  • Accessible Cottages
  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Independent Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Barn Cottage, a truly romantic getaway, is a stone-built Cornish holiday cottage in Dobwalls near Liskeard. The cosy rural retreat features contemporary fittings paired with traditional features, a four-poster bed and beautiful rural views of the hills and valley beyond.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A chalet bungalow overlooks a front lawn and large parking area.
Sleeps
11
Bedrooms
5

Amidst the beauty of the Lake District is the lovely holiday cottage Hazel, part of the Woodland Cottages resort on the eastern shores of Lake Windermere near the town of Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, a child-friendly cottage featuring a hot tub, wood-burning stove and five bedrooms.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a creeper-clad brick cottage with an outdoor table and chairs on a paved courtyard.
Sleeps
3
Bedrooms
2

Set among 10 acres of natural grounds, Juliet Cottage is the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing holiday or special celebration. The rural cottage lies just moments from Stratford-upon-Avon and still promises tranquillity, as well a country charm, a hot tub, modernity and, of course, a Juliet balcony.

  • Active Holidays
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Small Cottages
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Welcome to Your Coastal Retreat in Coldingham

Discover the epitome of comfort and convenience at this splendid Coldingham holiday cottage, your ultimate coastal holiday home in Northumberland. Situated in the picturesque village of Coldingham, just north of Eyemouth, this large, spacious and meticulously maintained detached cottage offers an ideal escape for families and groups of friends yearning for a pet-friendly seaside getaway on the North East coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A 3-storey holiday home is surrounded by lawns and a spacious block paved parking area.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Discover Ley Park, an enticing large holiday cottage in North Devon, offering a captivating blend of comfort and coastal charm. It is perched half a mile from Welcombe, a hamlet just a short stroll from Welcombe Mouth Beach. This smart retreat boasts sea-view bedrooms, a cosy wood-burning stove, and a spacious dining room. Ideal for family gatherings, the enclosed garden with a patio and grassy area provides a scenic backdrop. Explore this idyllic holiday let in North Devon for an unforgettable coastal escape.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays