The Cottage, Sampford Courtenay, Devon
Lovely thatched holiday cottage in Devon that accommodates six guests and features a private indoor swimming pool.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 4
Holiday Cottages
Check out our range of traditional cottages and rustic holiday properties - all have been hand-picked and are highly-rated.
Bunny Rabbit Cottage, Haworth, Yorkshire
Nestling in the picturesque village of Haworth, this charming, well-presented holiday cottage accommodates five guests and is peacefully located.
Sleeps 5,
Bedrooms 2,
Bathrooms 1
Michaelmas Cottage, Drewsteignton, Devon
Pretty holiday cottage with a thatched roof – it sleeps six and is set on the outskirts of the attractive Devon village of Drewsteignton.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 4,
Bathrooms 2
Hazelglade Cottage, Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
Hazelglade Cottage is a pet-friendly holiday cottage for four that features a hot tub and is a five minute walk from Saundersfoot beach.
Sleeps 9,
Bedrooms 4,
Bathrooms 4
Driftwood, Fowey, Cornwall
Wonderfully-appointed Fowey holiday cottage that overlooks the harbour and is within walking distance of the town centre.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 2
Lower Sketty Green Lodge, Singleton Park, Swansea
Thatched gate lodge that’s been sympathetically converted to offer stylish, cosy self catering holiday accommodation for up to three.
Sleeps 3,
Bedrooms 2,
Bathrooms 1
Yellowland Farm, Holsworthy, Devon
Set on a working farm, this lovely farmhouse sleeps up to 11 guests and offers private access to an indoor swimming pool.
Sleeps 11,
Bedrooms 4,
Bathrooms 3
Stalker’s Cottage, Torridon, Highland
Ground-floor holiday cottage for four situated on the beautiful Torridon Estate in the northwest Highlands of Scotland.
Sleeps 4,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 2
Pitt Cottage, Ringstead, Dorset
Set near Ringstead Bay in Dorset, this lovely thatched holiday cottage offers stylish self catering accommodation for up to six guests.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 2
Elworthy Cottage, Salcombe, Devon
Beautiful Grade II listed holiday cottage for four set on the outskirts of the sleepy Devonshire village of Elworthy.
Sleeps 4,
Bedrooms 2,
Bathrooms 1
Mayfly Cottage, Coln St Aldwyns, Gloucestershire
Two hundred year old former barn that’s been sympathetically converted to offer chaming, cosy holiday accommodation for two guests.
Sleeps 2,
Bedrooms 1,
Bathrooms 1
Holiday Cottages
The term ‘cottage’ is often used as a catch-all word used to describe a variety of holiday abodes, be they self catering apartments, bothies or bungalows. Technically-speaking though, a cottage is a small property that provides self catering accommodation.
Most Popular Types of Holiday Cottages
Although there are plenty of excellent modern dwellings, traditional holiday cottages are among the most sought-after holiday rentals, purely because of their charm and character. Dating back hundreds of years, many once served as modest homes for farm and mill-workers, weavers, fisherman and even the clergy.
Set mainly in rural or semi-rural settings, UK holiday cottages come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from thatched buildings to terraced coastal holiday properties.
Regional Variations
They'll often exhibit distinctive architectural styles that are closely associated to a specific region. For instance, cottages in the Yorkshire Dales are known for their distinctive limestone builds, while Cotswolds cottages often feature honey-coloured Oolite stone and thatched roofs.
Travel to the West Midlands and you’ll likely come across half-timbered cottages, many of which can be found in the ‘black and white’ villages of Shropshire and Worcestershire.
Then you’ve got the terraced fishermen’s cottages of Cornwall, Devon and Pembrokeshire – whitewashed or multi-coloured and huddled together in places like Polperro, Tenby and Port Isaac.
Bothy properties also fall under the ‘cottage’ category – found in northern locations such as Dartmoor and Scotland, these tiny stone-built properties were once used as shelters for farm and estate workers. Many now serve as self catering holiday properties.
What Can I Expect from a Holiday Cottage?
‘Cosiness’ for starters – traditional cottages were intended as modest dwellings for their original occupants so don’t expect a huge amount of space – indeed some still include two-up, two-down configurations.
Most modern abodes are small too with a lot of owners opting to apply the term ‘cottage’ to describe all manner of diminutive properties including bungalows, apartments and chalets. We’ve even seen holiday lodges described as cottages.
But as is the case with the best holiday barn conversions and thatched cottage properties, period holiday cottages usually retain most of their original features.
As a result, they tend to exude charm both inside and out, offering a truly memorable short-break holiday experience. So you can also expect a generous dollop of ‘quaintness’.
What Makes a Good Holiday Cottage?
Like any quality self catering property, a good holiday cottage will be furnished to a high standard and include at least some modern conveniences.
And for traditional cottages, the most popular ones are those that strike the right balance between classic and contemporary – while it’s nice to stay at a charming holiday cottage that’s brimming with character features, your stay isn’t going to be a happy one unless it’s suitably equipped.
Provided you stick with trusted and established providers like those listed on our site, you should be fine. All of their self catering cottages and holiday properties are inspected on a regular basis and must meet specific guidelines before they’re made available to rent.Remember to check the user reviews as well though – they can prove extremely insightful.
UK Holiday Cottages – Common Features
- Small in Size
- Thatched Roofing
- Timber-Framing
- Rural/Semi-Rural Location
- Exposed Wall/Ceiling Beams
- Exposed Stonework
- Open-Fire/Wood-Burner/Inglenook Fireplace
- Low Ceilings
