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.

A tree-lined drive way curves toward a large rendered holiday home in Perthshire.
Sleeps
16
Bedrooms
8

The Duke of Atholl built this large Perthshire holiday cottage as a shooting lodge and offers beautiful rural views from its hillside location near Dunkeld. Riechip now offers pet-friendly self-catering accommodation in 8 bedrooms for up to 16 guests. Perfect for walking or golfing holidays.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a modern bungalow with a conservatory overlooking a grassy field.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

A delightful stone-built countryside cottage in the Northern Yorkshire Dales, Hury Lodge in the peaceful hamlet of Hury, County Durham, offers pet-friendly holiday accommodation for small families and couples with a fully fitted kitchen and charming master bedroom.

  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Eco Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
The rooftops of a large holiday cottage surrounded by a sloping lawn and trees with a river estuary in the distance.
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Dower House is a large 18th-century Devon holiday farmhouse that sleeps 8 in 4 bedrooms. It is located in the village of Dittisham, between Dartmouth and Totnes, and offers panoramic views across the Dart Estuary. It is ideal for holidays with families or small groups of friends.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Farm Cottages
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

On the outskirts of Exmoor and only a short drive from the North Devon coastline is Ford Hill, a luxury 3-bedroom North Devon holiday cottage with a beautiful garden. Elegantly decorated throughout, Ford Hill is a hop, skip and jump from many of the area's best attractions, including Woolacombe Beach.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Managed by My Favourite Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Wreay Mansions is a luxurious rural cottage in Watermillock with impressive views of Lake Ullswater and the hills of Cumbria. The former hunting lodge offers refinement and elegance and boasts a 30’ furnished balcony, a lawned garden, fresh air, contemporary comforts and the chance to escape in style.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
A village cottage on the corner of a quiet lane
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Located high in the heart of Exmoor, The Old Inn is a charming 3-bedroom holiday cottage in Luckwell, a tiny hamlet just outside Wheddon Cross, a Moorland village with a superb pub. It is perfect for walking, cycling and touring holidays on Exmoor. This pet-friendly cottage sleeps five and is within easy reach of the North Devon and West Somerset beaches.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A stone cottage with a large porch overlooks a walled lawn and flower beds.
Sleeps
7
Bedrooms
4

Cowstonegill is a magnificent, detached, listed farmhouse with panoramic views over seventeen acres of private land. This four-bedroom Yorkshire Dales holiday cottage near Wet Burton offers four spacious bedrooms and large gardens. The property boasts authentic features, including an open fire and even a games room.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
An arched  brick gatehouse converted to holiday cottages.
Sleeps
2
Bedrooms
1

The Treasury is an elegant romantic cottage within the grounds of the private Wolterton Park Estate in Norfolk. The pet-friendly luxury cottage for two boasts exposed brick walls and great character, as well as fine furnishings and an open fire. Couples can also enjoy the private estate and its 150 acres of grounds.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a Peak District holiday cottage overlooking a large lawn.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The authentic stone exterior of this Cumbrian holiday cottage encases a luxury cottage with vaulted ceilings and timber beams. It is immaculately decorated with refined finishes, state-of-the-art appliances, and sumptuous views of The Lake District. Pets welcome.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays