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.

Exterior of a stone-built single storey cottage with a slate roof overlooking an empty cobbled street.
Sleeps
Bedrooms

 

Discover Your Coastal Haven on the Scottish Borders

Embrace the tranquillity of coastal living in the Scottish Borders at 15 Bogan, an idyllic two-bedroom end-terrace Coldingham holiday cottage. Nestled in the charming Berwickshire village of Coldingham, this delightful coastal holiday home provides the perfect retreat for couples or a family of four and a furry friend or two.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a 2-storey, stone-built,  barn conversion in a rural Peak District location.
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
5

Don’t let the unassuming stone exterior of this large Peak District holiday cottage fool you. Walk inside Goldcrest, this former 17th-century farm barn in Meerbrook near Leek, Staffordshire, and admire how the interior skilfully blends the original character with contemporary styling. Sleeps 12.

  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Front exterior of a modern house with stone steps to the 1st floor overlooking a lawn
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Wootton Gray enjoys enviable ocean views from many vantage points and sits just moments from the beaches and attractions in West Cornwall. The sophisticated Mousehole holiday home offers light and airy spaces, a furnished lawned garden, contemporary design features and a wood-burning stove.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Stone-built exterior of a Dorset cottage with a shingle garden protected by an ornate iron fence.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

The Old Butcher’s Shop in Docking offers a soft palette with dashes of colour in a detached rural cottage just moments from the coast. The large and pet-friendly holiday cottage in Norfolk blends luxury with country charm and features an open fire, a games room and multiple sun-drenched spaces to relax and socialise.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A long, stone-built cottage with 3 floor-to-ceiling ground-floor windows overlooking a spacious lawn.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Enjoy the benefits of a coastal cottage situated on a working farm with a stay at Dorothy’s Cottage, located just outside the village of Alnmouth. This child-friendly holiday cottage in Northumberland offers modern, comfortable, spacious accommodation and access to a shared garden and lawn area.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
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
Behind a table set for cocktails on a balcony is a view of Brixham Harbour.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Blue Horizon is a luxurious coastal cottage boasting superb views of Brixham Harbour, Devon. The sophisticated former fisherman’s cottage sleeps four and blends chic with tradition. It features exposed beams, stone walls & antique furnishing, and a furnished balcony for basking in the sunshine.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
30
Bedrooms
10

Brookside Manor House stands in a rural Shropshire location. The list of rooms in this large and magnificent country house near Chirk reads like a Cluedo set: a library, conservatory, snooker room, drawing room, swimming pool, gym, and squash courts. Perfect for big weekend country house parties.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
A leafy courtyard with table and chairs in front of a stone-built Somerset cottage
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Yellow Gate Cottage is a gorgeous stone-built Porlock holiday cottage set in the heart of this small town on the West Somerset Coast town within Exmoor National Park. The pet-friendly property sleeps four and lies just minutes from beautiful beaches. It features exposed beams, a galley-style kitchen, an open-plan design and a delightful furnished courtyard.

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