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Jane Austen had it right about cottages. ‘I am excessively fond of a cottage,’ she wrote. ‘There is always so much comfort, so much elegance about them.’
And something reassuring too – especially with the Middle East conflict causing so many travel woes.
Staycation bookings have surged by 260 per cent this month as more people turn to trips in the UK rather than risk getting caught up in the dreadful mess, according to research from holiday home insurance specialist Schofields.
With that in mind, we’ve scoured the best of what’s available for the coming May half-term. From stylishly converted barns to seaside retreats and moorland hideaways, here are our picks of the best cottages and holiday lets – plus, we’ve highlighted summer prices…
THE SOUTH-WEST
South Cornwall secret
Master Shipwrights House, a four-bedroom cottage in Feock in Cornwall with its own mooring
On the Cornish coast’s Fal Estuary, five miles south of Truro, Feock is a quiet village with a parish church, close to Trelissick, a National Trust-run house and garden featuring exotic plants. Master Shipwrights House is a four-bedroom property with a fireplace, open-plan lounge, large garden and its own mooring.
Book it: Seven nights from £2,520 or from £1,918 in the summer; sleeps eight (luxurycoastal.co.uk).
Hot tub with a view
Cliff House, a three-bedroom sea-view cottage in south-west Cornwall with a hot tub
Just south of Marazion village overlooking the tidal island of St Michael’s Mount in south-west Cornwall, Perranuthnoe is a pretty village offering good walks and a shingle-sand beach. Base yourself at Cliff House, a large holiday home with three bedrooms and sweeping Atlantic views (including from its hot tub).
Book it: Seven nights from £2,755 or from £2,134 in the summer; sleeps eight (classic.co.uk).
Dart off to Dartmoor
The Swallows, a cottage in Dartmoor, Devon, with three bedrooms and a rural location
Dartmoor National Park in Devon offers great walking/cycling across a craggy landscape with Bronze Age stone circles and pleasant villages with inviting pubs. Stay eight miles north-east of Okehampton – considered the park’s ‘gateway’ – at The Swallows, a three-bed rural retreat.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,584 or from £1,309 in the summer; sleeps six (classic.co.uk).
Somerset dream
Somerset Soul, a stylish four-bedroom farmhouse with a steam room and pool in the Mendips
In the North Somerset Mendips there are sleepy hills and dramatic gorges to explore, plus fine villages including Mells and the market town of Frome, home to independent shops and welcoming pubs. Stay at Somerset Soul, a stylish four-bed farmhouse with an Aga, flagstone floors, steam room and pool.
Book it: Seven nights from £9,098 or from £8,643 in the summer; sleeps eight (premiercottages.co.uk).
Wiltshire wow factor
Redmere Hall, a former stables with a pool, tennis court and eight bedrooms in Wiltshire
The countryside on the western edge of Salisbury Plain is quintessentially English, with farm fields dotted by the odd village and market town, including Warminster, home to markets, imposing churches and the Athenaeum, a Victorian theatre. Base a big group at superb Redmere Hall, a former stables with a pool, tennis court and eight bedrooms.
Book it: Seven nights from £6,995 a week or from £6,950 in the summer; sleeps 22 (uniquehomestays.com).
THE SOUTH-EAST
Sandy in Sussex
Les Dunes, a cosy three-bedroom, three-storey cottage close to Rye in East Sussex
Camber Sands in East Sussex is a gorgeous stretch of coastline close to the historic town of Rye, home to the 600-year-old Mermaid Inn, labyrinthine lanes and the National Trust-run Lamb House, where the novelist Henry James once lived. Les Dunes has three bedrooms over three floors with stylish decor and space for storing bodyboards and other surfing equipment.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,541 or from the same in summer; sleeps six (ryeandbeyondcottages.co.uk).
Scenic rolling hills
Bullfinches Barn, a gorgeous and secluded three-bedroom property near Tunbridge Wells, Kent
You can enjoy a taste of quintessential English village life in Eridge Green near Tunbridge Wells on the East Sussex/Kent border, with great local walks plus the popular Nevill Crest & Gun pub. Hunker down at three-bedroom Bullfinches Barn, with a modern open-plan living space, original oak beams and secluded, pretty garden.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,790 or from £1,590 in the summer; sleeps six (bloomstays.com).
THE SOUTH
Surrey Hills hideaway
Polesden Garden Cottage, a beautiful villa in Bookham, in the Surrey Hills
Polesden Lacey is a National Trust property in Bookham featuring a superb garden with glorious views of Ranmore Common, plus an opulent main house that was once home to Margaret Greville, a prodigious fine art collector (1863-1942). Stay within the grounds at the Polesden Garden Cottage, an elegant villa with a fireplace and tranquil gardens.
Book it: Seven nights from £2,499 or the same in the summer; sleeps six (nationaltrust.org.uk).
Happy in Hampshire
Tide Cottage, a quiet three-bedroom cottage in Southsea with a smart, modern interior
Overlooking the Isle of Wight, the coastal resort of Southsea has a vibrant feel with vintage shops, pubs and restaurants, along with a pier, beach and blue plaque trail of former well-known residents including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Rudyard Kipling. Stay in Tide Cottage on a quiet street, with three bedrooms and a smart, modern interior.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,420 or from £1,433 in the summer; sleeps six (bluepuffinstays.co.uk).
The Wight stuff
Landward Cottage at St Catherine’s Lighthouse has two bedrooms and a modern look
Ventnor on the Isle of Wight was once described by Charles Dickens as ‘the prettiest place I ever saw in my life’ – and it is agreeable with its beach, botanic gardens, seafood restaurants and Victorian charm. Landward Cottage at St Catherine’s Lighthouse, Niton, four miles to the west of Ventnor, has two bedrooms and a fresh, modern look.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,043 or from £1,098 in the summer; sleeps four (ruralretreats.co.uk).
THE MIDLANDS
Shropshire hideaway
Coach House, a grade II-listed one-bedroom cottage in the South Shropshire Hills
Church Stretton is a pleasant market town in the South Shropshire Hills, with thriving independent shops, antiques markets, Tudor-era buildings and excellent local walking in Carding Mill Valley and Long Mynd. Stay at the Coach House, a Grade II-listed, one-bedroom cottage with a hideaway feel, exposed beams and smart interior.
Book it: Seven nights from £669 or from the same in the summer; sleeps two (passthekeys.com).
Lovely near Ludlow
This cosy cottage in Richards Castle near Herefordshire has a secluded garden
Richards Castle is a village on the border of Herefordshire and Shropshire, named after a former motte-and-bailey fortress built by a Norman knight – a peaceful spot, four miles south of Ludlow. Stay at ‘Cosy cottage with views’, a two-bedroom property with a fireplace and secluded garden.
Book it: Seven nights from £642 or from £683 in the summer; sleeps four (passthekeys.com).
Sherwood Forest find
Mowerina, a spacious three-room barn conversion with a hot tub in Nottinghamshire
Sherwood Forest National Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire comprises 375 hectares with one of the highlights being The Major Oak, which is more than 1,000 years old – not to mention the legend of Robin Hood and his merry men. Stay in Mowerina, a smart, spacious three-room barn conversion with a hot tub five miles to the north west on Welbeck Estate.
Book it: Five nights from £1,575 or from £1,750 for a week in the summer; sleeps six (welbeck.co.uk).
EAST ANGLIA
Suffolk stunner
Old Drift House, a four-bedroom thatched cottage in Dedham Vale in Suffolk
The sleepy landscapes of Dedham Vale in Suffolk inspired many of the greatest works of John Constable (1776-1837). Book into Old Drift House, a Grade II-listed, 15th-century thatched cottage a few miles north in the pretty village of Kersey, with four rooms, exposed beams, a fireplace and lovely nearby pub, The Bell Inn.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,980 or from £1,350 in the summer; sleeps eight (premiercottages.co.uk).
Peaceful in Orford
Crab Cottage is a redbrick terrace house in Orford, by the North Sea in East Suffolk
Orford is by the North Sea, where you’ll find a castle built by Henry II, a Grade I-listed church with sections from the 12th century, cosy pubs and the beautiful adjoining Orford Ness National Nature Reserve. In the village, Crab Cottage has three smart little bedrooms in a redbrick terrace.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,777 or from £1,572 in summer; sleeps four (curiousretreats.co.uk).
THE NORTH
Perfect in the Peak
Mulberry Cottage, a two-bedroom stone property with exposed beams in the Peak District
Youlgreave is a charming village in the White Peak side of the Peak District National Park, connected to several long-distance hiking trails and home to a distinguished 12th-century church plus several good pubs. Mulberry Cottage is a two-bedroom stone cottage with a fireplace and comfy rooms with exposed beams.
Book it: Seven nights from £806 or from £722 this summer; sleeps four (sykescottages.co.uk).
North Yorkshire delight
Olton Hall, a converted two-bed engine shed in the North Yorkshire seaside town of Whitby
Enjoy dramatic cliff-side walks, excellent fish and chips, and some fine old inns facing the River Esk in the North Yorkshire seaside town of Whitby – overlooked by the jagged ruins of Whitby Abbey, inspiration for scenes involving Count Dracula in Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. Olton Hall is a converted engine shed close to the station, with two bedrooms and a modern open-plan design.
Book it: Seven nights £1,243 or from £1,134 in the summer; sleeps four (sykescottages.co.uk).
THE NORTH-EAST
Castles and comfort
Mill Cottage, a tasteful two-bedroom on Brockmill Farm in Northumberland
Northumberland’s coast is brilliant for long walks with magnificent castles to visit including Bamburgh, Dunstanburgh and Warkworth – plus Lindisfarne on Holy Island. Mill Cottage on Brockmill Farm is a good base, with two bedrooms, a large kitchen, underfloor heating, wood burner and tasteful decor.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,428 or from £1,091 in the summer; sleeps four (crabtreeandcrabtree.com).
Roman holiday
Dilston Cottage, a stone property in the Roman village of Corbridge near Hadrian’s Wall
Explore Roman sites in the village of Corbridge, two miles south of Hadrian’s Wall, for which it was a supply base. Stay at the good value Dilston Cottage, with a smart interior and just south of the village centre – a perfect spot for hikers visiting the wall.
Book it: Seven nights from £571 or from £545 in the summer; sleeps four, two adults and two children (cottages.com)
THE NORTH-WEST
Charming Cheshire
Bolesworth Bothy, a cottage in Cheshire with an outdoor hot tub with views of rolling hills
Tucked away in rolling hills, the Cheshire village of Burwardsley is about equidistant from Nantwich, Chester and Wrexham – and a short distance from the prosperous village of Tattenhall. The small but perfectly formed Bolesworth Bothy comes with an outdoor hot tub and a gorgeous bijou interior.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,189 or from £1,075 in the summer; sleeps two (bolesworth.com).
Perfect in the Lakes
The Fold, a converted 19th-century cow barn, sleeping two, with views of Helm Crag
May is a lovely time to visit the Lake District and Grasmere, where William and Dorothy Wordsworth once lived in Dove Cottage, makes a great base. Book in to The Fold, a converted 19th-century cow barn, sleeping two, with excellent views of Helm Crag.
Book it: Four nights sleeping two from £630 or seven nights from £2,848 in sister property The Farmhouse, sleeping five from £2,848 in the summer (theyan.co.uk).
WALES
Splendid isolation
Bryn Teifi, a stone cottage with two bedrooms, exposed beams, a fireplace and pretty garden
The Llyn Peninsula extends for 30 miles into the Irish Sea offering wonderful coastal walks, remote beaches and inviting villages such as Abersoch. For a place to stay, book in to Bryn Teifi, a stone cottage with two bedrooms, exposed beams, a fireplace and pretty garden.
Book it: Seven nights from £2,010 or from the same in the summer (oysterholidaycottages.co.uk).
Calm near Cardigan Bay
Oak Cottage, at Troedyrhiw, has two bedrooms and a cosy living room with a wood-burner
Enjoy spectacular rugged coastlines, some great walks and interesting towns and villages in the county of Ceredigion. Oak Cottage, one of five cottages at Troedyrhiw, has two bedrooms and a cosy living room with a wood-burner – just four miles from Cardigan.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,295 or from £750 in the summer; sleeps four (troedyrhiw.com).
SCOTLAND
Scottish tranquillity
Pathhead Farmhouse, an elegant three-bed in Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders
Hawick in the historic county of Roxburghshire in the Scottish Borders is famous for its textile industry, especially for knitwear, tweed and cashmere, and is home to the well-known brand Pringle. Stay at elegant Pathhead Farmhouse, which has three bedrooms, a wood-burner and is located on the Hoscote Estate.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,036 or from £865 in the summer (crabtreeandcrabtree.com).
Cheviot Hills views
Bughtrig Cottage, a luxurious two-bedroom hideaway facing the Cheviot Hills
Enjoy peaceful countryside, go kayaking along quiet stretches of the River Tweed and enjoy trips to the coast for long sandy beaches. Bughtrig Cottage in the village of Leitholm, on the edge of Bughtrig Estate, is a luxurious two-bedroom hideaway with a pretty garden facing the Cheviot Hills.
Book it: Seven nights from £1,065 or from £915 in the summer; sleeps four (crabtreeandcrabtree.com)
NORTHERN IRELAND
Whiskey and ancient stones
Braeside Farm House, a bungalow on a hill with an outdoor hot tub and three bedrooms
County Antrim is blessed with beautiful coastline (including the fabulous Giant’s Causeway rock formations), medieval castles, brilliant golf courses and excellent coastal walks (plus a whiskey distillery or two). Braeside Farm House is a bungalow on a hill with an outdoor hot tub and three bedrooms.
Book it: Seven nights this summer from £764 (sykescottages.co.uk).
