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
2
Bedrooms
1

Nestled in the attic of a stone-built former farmhouse, Lower Norton Apartment on the outskirts of the South Hams town of Dartmouth, Devon, is a romantic flat with an inset balcony offering magnificent countryside views and boasting exposed beams, quality furnishings, and king master with an en-suite.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
Exterior of a white-rendered holiday bungalow with a large forecourt for parking
Sleeps
8
Bedrooms
4

Perched atop West Pentire headland, Cormorant enjoys uninterrupted ocean views and a short walk to the beach. The pet-friendly Crantock holiday cottage in Cornwall boasts beautiful gardens, a sun-trap conservatory, an open fire, and an open-plan design with contemporary elegance and a sea breeze.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A Falmouth Marina view from the deck of a waterside holiday apartment.
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

Byron's Retreat is a beautiful two-bedroom holiday apartment furnished to a high standard in an unrivalled position looking out over Port Pendennis Marina with the most amazing views across the harbour and out to sea.

  • Accessible Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Independent Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Waterside Cottages
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

For a family-friendly self-catering holiday in the Derbyshire Peak District countryside, the 2-bedroom Clematis Cottage in Baslow will sleep 4 guests in comfort after days out in the great outdoors. With a village shop next door and a pub nearby - what more could you want?

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
A patio table laid for tea in a Fowey holiday cottage with views to the waterside.
Sleeps
6
Bedrooms
3

Place View is a beautiful, luxuriously furnished seaside holiday cottage in Fowey. It boasts modern amenities, an open fire, and a stunning terrace offering panoramic views of the estuary. The charming cottage sits atop a hill in the heart of this quaint Cornish village with its narrow, winding streets and abundance of restaurants, cafes and fascinating independent shops.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
A lighthouse on a clifftop overlooking the ocean.
Sleeps
5
Bedrooms
3

Situated on the grounds of a working lighthouse at the southernmost point in Devon, Landward Cottage near the abandoned coastal village of Hallsands overlooks Start Bay. It offers gorgeous sea views and a pet-friendly three-bedroom South Devon holiday cottage featuring a gravel patio and cosy sitting room.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Dog-Friendly Holiday Cottages
  • Quirky Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Romantic Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The quaint Grade-II listed Croft Head Cottage boasts exposed beamed ceilings, flagged floors and a wood-burning stove in a converted coaching inn close to the village of Wrelton in the North York Moors. The pet-free property welcomes families with two bedrooms and cast-iron furnishings.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Small Cottages
A classic country house with a pillared front entrance and surrounded by lawns and mature flower beds
Sleeps
12
Bedrooms
6

Moortown House Farm is an elegant Georgian-listed manor on the edge of an AONB in Moortown. The large rural holiday cottage in Lincolnshire was built in 1816 and was designed by Sit Joseph Paxton. Rolling parkland and woodland surround the elegant property, which has luxurious furnishings, a tennis court, and country charm.

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Cottages with Hot Tubs
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Large Holiday Cottages
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Remote Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Walking Holidays
Gable end of a 3-storey period house with 2st floor balcony flanked by mature treees
Sleeps
4
Bedrooms
2

The Observatory is a delightful holiday cottage located in Essex on Osea Island. It offers a serene escape for those seeking a peaceful getaway. To access the private island, guests can cross over a tidal causeway. Once there, they can enjoy exclusive access to a private beach, a saltwater lido, an outdoor heated swimming pool, and other amenities. The cottage features a comfortable lounge, a well-equipped kitchen diner, and a private balcony with outstanding views of the island. Two stylish bedrooms ensure guests have a restful stay. Its remarkable location makes it an ideal spot for special celebrations or family holidays.

 

 

  • Active Holidays
  • Agency Cottages
  • Child-Friendly Cottages
  • Coastal Cottages
  • Cottages With Games Rooms
  • Countryside Cottages
  • Cycling Holidays
  • Fishing Holidays
  • Holiday Cottages With a Pool
  • Luxury Holiday Cottages
  • Short Breaks
  • Small Cottages
  • Walking Holidays
  • Waterside Cottages