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.

Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Bar Harbour is a spacious coastal cottage with a generous lawned garden and contemporary open-plan spaces just moments from the beach in Northumberland. This large Beadnell holiday cottage enjoys natural light and offers an enclosed garden with a furnished area, plus the chance to enjoy a sea breeze.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A large slate-roofed house house backed by tall trees overlooks a large lawn.
Sleeps
18
Bedrooms
8

Nestled in the heart of the Snowdonia National Park, Plas Gwynfryn is a large, luxury North Wales holiday home on the coast near Harlech. This grand, pet-friendly Edwardian house sleeps 18 in 8 bedrooms with six bathrooms and stands on an 8-acre estate.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
Sleeps
17
Bedrooms
9

This delightful pair of Shropshire Holiday Cottages in Bishop's Castle can be let independently or together. Between them, The Old School House and Cottage sleep 17 in 9 bedrooms. Comprising a large Georgian house with an adjacent detached cottage and hot tub offering large and characterful accommodation.

  • Accessible Cottages
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A stone Penrith holiday home with a 1st floor Juliet Balcony overlook a paved courtyard.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Get swallowed up in the beauty of the remote North West Cumbrian countryside at the quieter end of The Lake District with a stay at the secluded Swallow’s Nest, a cosy, family-friendly, 5-Star Gold, barn conversion in Catterlen, near Penrith.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A thatched Cotswold Cottage with a bay window overlooks a village street.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

Inglenook Cottage is an archetypal chocolate-box cottage boasting Cotswold stone walls and a thatched roof. The 300-year-old romantic cottage in Broad Campden, Gloucestershire, is Grade II listed and promises an inglenook fireplace, exposed beams, wooden floorboards & space for pets in its lovely garden.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Doiuble-fronted exterior of a stone holiday cottage in Cumbria surrounded by mature trees.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

A thoughtful barn conversion, one of four cottages located by the River Lune in a beautifully remote location near Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria. The Old Stables is a countryside cottage on the western edge of Yorkshire Dales National Park, featuring exposed beams, upside-down accommodation and under-floor heating.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Exterior of Taunton Castle with a large arch converted to luxury holiday apartments
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
4

Castle House sits on the grounds of the Museum of Somerset in the county town of Taunton, Somerset, part of a 12th-century castle and offers a distinctive holiday experience, a large child-friendly cottage with four bedrooms over two stories, a modern kitchen, & signature Tudor Room sitting area.

  • Accessible By Train
  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
A Northamptonshire barn conversion with a paved courtyard surrounded by open fields.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
1

Rectory Cottage is a gorgeous romantic cottage surrounded by lush green fields near Clipston in Northamptonshire. The eco-friendly holiday cottage sits on 14 acres of farmland. It boasts beautiful grounds, outdoor dining areas, incredible views, and a chic open-plan interior with natural light and high-end décor.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Stone-built terraced cottage with a flower-filled window basket.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Coquet Cottage blends sleek modern touches with dark, rich antique décor in a traditional mid-terrace holiday cottage in Amble-by-the-Sea. The stone-walled, pet-free, seaside cottage features a regal master bedroom with heavy wooden furniture and an ultra-modern single room on the Northumberland coast.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Smoking Cottages
  • Walking Holidays