One way to beat the January blues: tracking down the best holiday cottages for a self-care-heavy staycation. Yep, it’s not an especially revolutionary ritual I started almost half a decade ago now, but one that genuinely works to keep my mood up at the start of every year.
But I’ll be the first to admit that an adventure abroad is not always on the card post-Christmas. Being a shopping editor, I spend December scouring the virtual shelves and so struggle to reign in my spending. However, there really is no need to add flights when booking a mini-break. Not-so hidden in the hills or along the British coast are a host of holiday cottages — some sleeping two, and others up to eight guests — for those wanting to escape the humdrum of everyday life.
Whether you’re looking to explore the Cotswolds as a couple or finally organise that girls’ weekend In Edinburgh — you know, the one that’s never quite made it out of the group chat — then you’re in luck. GLAMOUR’s spent the last three years tracking down the very best short-term holiday lets across England, Wales and Scotland. We’re talking secluded, remote and private alternatives to hotels that allow you to escape without seeing another soul.
The best holiday cottages, at a glance:
How we chose the best holiday cottages in the UK for 2025:
Rather unsurprisingly, GLAMOUR is made up of a host of writers who are more than happy to road-test a range of holiday cottages across the UK. Heading in various directions to the likes of Sussex, the Peak District, Derbyshire, Pembrokeshire and Somerset, each willing writer was asked to consider the following criteria: location, transport links, value for money, views, amenities and, ultimately, whether they’d return for a second visit. While some headed for a solo escape, others roped in their willing partners or entire families to fully explore what their short-term let, and the local area, had to offer.
