Pegs, Porthleven, Cornwall
Traditional fisherman’s cottage in Porthleven that’s brimming with character features throughout and located close to the harbour.
Sleeps 4,
Bedrooms 2,
Bathrooms 1
Holiday Cottages
Check out our range of traditional cottages and rustic holiday properties - all have been hand-picked and are highly-rated.
Minafon, Newport, Pembrokeshire
Beautiful stone holiday cottage for eight guests that’s located near Newport and the famed Pembrokeshire Coast Path.
Sleeps 8,
Bedrooms 4,
Bathrooms 3
Lake Cottage, Maenclochog, Pembrokeshire
One of five Pembrokeshire holiday cottages – beautifully presented throughout, it sleeps six and provides access to a shared games room.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 1
Haven, Porthleven, Cornwall
Set overlooking Porthleven harbour, this beautiful Edwardian holiday cottage sleeps six guests and affords some fantastic coastal views.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 1
Fisherman’s Cottage, Porthleven, Cornwall
Traditional holiday cottage near Porthleven harbour that’s been beautifully renovated to offer quality self catering holiday accommodation.
Sleeps 2,
Bedrooms 1,
Bathrooms 2
Elfin Cottage, Porthleven, Cornwall
Set near Porthleven beach, this charming holiday cottages sleeps six guests and is well-placed for exploring the Cornish coast.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 2
Chy An Mor, Porthleven, Cornwall
Offering fantastic ocean views out towards the Lizard, this wondeful holiday rental sleeps 2 and is set above Porthleven beach.
Sleeps 2,
Bedrooms 1,
Bathrooms 1
Westmorland Cottage, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
Spacious and charming mid-nineteenth century cottage for six that’s set near Grange-over-Sands on Cumbria’s picturesque coast.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 2
The Hideaway, Ottery St Mary, Devon
Stunning thatched holiday property set in a peaceful rural location on the outskirts of the historical town of Ottery St Mary, Devon.
Sleeps 2,
Bedrooms 1,
Bathrooms 1
The Snug, Cartmel, Cumbria
Terraced holiday cottage in the middle of Cartmel that offers stylish self catering holiday accommodation for two guests.
Sleeps 2,
Bedrooms 1,
Bathrooms 1
Mount Pleasant Cottage, Lindale, Cumbria
Set in an elavated position above Lindale, this attractive holiday cottage is a great base for exploring the Lake District and Cumbrian coast.
Sleeps 3,
Bedrooms 2,
Bathrooms 1
Maggie Puddle Cottage, Cartmel, Cumbria
Lovely holiday cottage for six in the centre of Cartmel and within close proximity to the picturesque coastal resort of Grange over Sands.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 4,
Bathrooms 3
Inglenook Cottage, Lindale, Cumbria
Nineteenth century stone cottage for four in the village of Lindale, some two miles from the pretty Cumbrian coastal resort of Grange-over-Sands.
Sleeps 4,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 1
Hillberry, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
Well-presented semi-detached holiday cottage that provides a great base from which to explore Grange over Sands and the Lake District.
Sleeps 8,
Bedrooms 4,
Bathrooms 3
Herdwick Cottage, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
Set in the village of Cark, this charming former mill worker’s cottage sleeps three and is brimming with character inside and out.
Sleeps 3,
Bedrooms 2,
Bathrooms 1
Coach House Bungalow, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
Well-appointed holiday property for two that’s well placed for exploring Grange over Sands as well as the dramatic splendour of the Lake District.
Sleeps 2,
Bedrooms 1,
Bathrooms 1
Chestnut Cottage, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria
Located on the fringes of Grange-over-Sands, this former fisherman’s cottage sleeps two, includes a private hot tub and offers lovely seaside views.
Sleeps 2,
Bedrooms 1,
Bathrooms 1
Violets Wonderland Cottage, Llandudno, Conwy
Quirky and historical 300 year-old holiday cottage for four guests that’s a short walk from Llandudno Pier and numerous other local attractions.
Sleeps 4,
Bedrooms 2,
Bathrooms 2
Rose Cottage, Manaccan, Cornwall
Chocolate box holiday cottage that dates from the 16th century that’s replete with character features both inside and out.
Sleeps 6,
Bedrooms 3,
Bathrooms 1
Ty Cornel Bach, Llandudno, Conwy
Detached holiday cottages for two guests that’s superbly-appointed in the middle of premier North Wales coastal resort, Llandudno.
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