he patio garden and exterior of a Gloucestershire holiday home with an outdoor dining table and a hammock strung between trees.

View Gloucestershire Holiday Cottages in the Severn Valley and The Cotswolds

Relax and enjoy self-catering holidays in the idyllic and historic County of Gloucestershire, and do so in comfort and style by renting a self-catering cottage for a weekend, a whole week, or even longer. There are many parts of Gloucestershire: the historic towns of Gloucester and Cheltenham, The Cotswold Hills, The Forest of Dean, and the valleys of the Severn and the Wye, all having their own distinctive appeal. You won't find yourself short of stunning views and memorable experiences.

You'll find castles such as those at Berkeley and Sudeley and achingly beautiful villages such as the two Upper and Lower Slaughters, Stow-on-the-Wold, Chipping Campden or Boughton on the Water, all seemingly unchanged for centuries. There's even a Roman villa at Chedworth; while just digging anywhere in the market town of Cirencester, Roman remains will be revealed. Make sure you visit the elegant Georgian spa town, Cheltenham, with its magnificent Pump Rooms, rivalling those in Bath.

A wisteria clad, semi-detached Cotswold country cottage overlooks a shingled courtyard
October Cottage
Chalford
Gloucestershire
England
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Surrounded by fields and woodland in Chalford, Gloucestershire, October Cottage promises tranquillity. The charming stone-built rural cottage in the Cotswold Hills possesses beautiful gardens and fresh air, a wood-burning stove, flagstone floors, contemporary comforts, space for pets and a blend of old and new.

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Exterior of a thatched 2-storey village holiday cottage in the Cotswolds.
Mrs Daffodil Cirencester
Cirencester
Gloucestershire
England
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Mrs Daffodil is a romantic thatched rural cottage in the Cotswolds with a honeystone exterior. The pet-friendly holiday home in Kemble enjoys serenity and countryside views and promises original features such as oak beams, flagstone floors, vaulted ceilings, an inglenook fireplace, and real fire.

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Exterior of a honey-coloured Cotswold holiday cottage with a spacious lawn with topiary.
The Little House, Bournes Green
Bournes Green
Gloucestershire
England
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Little House is a cute romantic cottage in the Cotswolds, boasting unique features. The luxury holiday cottage for couples in Stroud epitomises rustic chic. It offers a beautiful garden with a tipi, spa bath & views of the Cotswolds, while the interior features a fireplace with an open fire.

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Exterior of a terraced Cotswold holiday cottage overlooking a village street.
The Cotswold Cedar, Painswick
Painswick
Gloucestershire
England
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
1

The Cotswold Cedar is a sophisticated and romantic 2-bedroom holiday cottage near Painswick set on the grounds of a 16th-century house. The Cotswold stone cottage is gorgeously presented and offers a pleasant sun-trap garden with a furnished deck, bi-fold doors and

open-plan spaces promising total relaxation.

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Doublle-fronted exteerior of a Victorian brick-built terraced cottage.
Wards Court 2, Gloucester
Frampton-on-Severn
Gloucestershire
England
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
2

A delightful and updated 18th-century self-catering Gloucestershire apartment. Located on the Frampton on Severn village green, Wards Court 2 is a family-friendly holiday cottage with accommodations for six. The rear of the building opens to a shared, walled-in garden area with outdoor furniture.

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Visit the city of Gloucester and the 1000-year-old Norman Cathedral, whose role in history embraces the mediaeval tomb of Edward the II through to its 21st-century use as a location for Harry Potter Films (Hogwarts) and Dr Who. 

A little further up the M5 is the fine Regency Spa town of Cheltenham. Here, you’ll be spoiled for choice of restaurants and cultural experiences. Cheltenham is a festival town that hosts major UK music, literature, jazz, and folk events. To see Cheltenham from the air, a balloon flight over the city has to be one of the best ways to travel. There are festivals aplenty in Gloucestershire, attracting visitors from all over the world. In addition to the many festivals held throughout the year in Cheltenham, the Tewkesbury Medieval Festival is also a crowd-puller. It features the largest annual medieval battle in the UK - a re-enactment of the 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury. The festival is fought by thousands of people and witnessed by many more. See it! 

Many quaint traditional events, such as the Cheese Rolling every May at Coopers Hill, are worth a weekend break. Here, men, women and children take turns to run hurly-burly down a steep hill in Brockworth near Gloucester chasing a large circular cheese. You have to see it to believe it!

Talking of cheese, locally grown produce isn’t hard to find in the County with its plethora of excellent delicatessens and farmers’ markets. If you’re staying in a self-catering holiday cottage, this will ensure you feast like Royalty every evening during your holiday. You can work off dinner the following day at a choice of adrenalin-filled activity centres, such as kayaking in the Cotswold Water Park or The High Ropes Centre in the Forest of Dean. Putting food to one side, if you stop off at the Thames Head Inn, you’ll be sitting right next to the source of the River Thames.

The Forest of Dean, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty bordering the picturesque Wye Valley, is well worth visiting. It offers miles of footpaths and cycle trails through beautiful woodland. Walk the inspirational sculpture trail or view it from the carriage window of a steam train courtesy of Dean Forest Rail, whose 8 miles of track take you through the forest near Lydney. You can even travel along trails through the Forest of Dean by Segway near Parkend.

If you have a penchant for chocolate villages, tea rooms, antique shops and historic architecture, then you will love the Cotswolds. A large part of Gloucestershire is Cotswold Country, where visitors can choose beautifully restored and furnished holiday cottages. Here, there are walks a-plenty, such as the Stanton, Snowshill and Edge Walk – 6 miles over hills and down wooded dales with three ’chocolate box’ villages and a choice of tea rooms.

Spend a day or two enjoying the activities at The Cotswold Country Park & Beach near Cirencester – a water park with swimming, water zorbing, adventure playgrounds, kayaking and lovely lakeside walks. A string of cosy villages and small towns hug the banks of The River Severn, such as Tewkesbury, where the ancient Tewkesbury Abbey is open to the public, and Upton-on-Severn hosts some notable music festivals during the summer. 

The River Severn offers excellent opportunities for fishermen and those happy to spend an hour or so on the water by hiring a boat. While on the watery theme, visitors will enjoy a day at the Slimbridge Wild Life Water Park, a UK Visitor Attraction of the Year. Lakes, pools, and ponds bristle with a spectacular variety of wetland birds: ducks, geese, swans and even flamingos. Some are resident all year round, while others arrive for the summer or winter. Walk around or take a canoe safari.

As you can see, a short break or more extended self-catering holiday in Gloucestershire will give you, your friends and your family a memorable and relaxing experience, whichever part of the County you choose to call your home during your stay.

Gloucestershire Destinations