All properties
What makes a perfect holiday is so often the perfect holiday home: our range of alternative hand-picked properties, from big barns to beach huts, are a cut above the norm when it comes to luxury self-catering breaks.
Knowing where to start is often the first hurdle when it comes to choosing the best place to stay for you and your group, whatever the size. Luckily, we've done the hard work for you, scouring the UK from top to bottom to hand-pick the very best self-catering homes, from rural retreats to luxury lodges. Here at Unique Homestays, it's tricky to say what our favourite property might be from the extensive collection we've grown over the years. For some of us it's that tiny cottage on the side of the Irish lake, surrounded by nothing but blue waters and moss-scented air, and no noise except the chatter of birds right outside the window.
Others would say it's the huge manor house in its own private gardens with the cinema room and tennis court – perfect for the ultimate group gathering. Whatever your taste, group size and holiday requirement, from short-stay to long-term, cultural breaks, wilderness retreats, surf spots, pooch and baby-friendly homes, wedding venues and more, we can cater to your needs and organise special extras too. We've even found properties in film-shoot locations (think Poldark and Cornwall). Still don't know where to start? Give us a call to discuss your needs in person: however tall the order, we love getting stuck into a challenge!
Pepper Shack
Lymington, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
A luxury cabin that feels like a winter cave, Pepper Shack is a moody home with a hot tub, pizza oven, and couples' bikes, made for romantic stays near the New Forest in Hampshire.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,795 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub, Kadai fire pit, outdoor pizza oven, two cruiser bikes, powerboat charter can be arranged on prior request
The Sanctuary
Lymington, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
Bordering the New Forest in Hampshire's Lymore Valley, The Sanctuary is an industrial luxury cabin with a hot tub, fire pit, and a pair of cruiser bikes for peddling to the beach.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,550 per week, £1,350 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Jacuzzi hot tub, Kadai fire pit, cruiser bikes, powerboat charter can be arranged on prior request
Tilda
Fordingbridge, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
Woodland hideaway meets minimalist design at Tilda. Here, the gentle trickle of the River Allen and splash of jumping blue trout wash away any remnants of city living.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,550 per week, £1,150 per short break
Pets: One dog is very welcome, two well-behaved dogs on request.
Features: Hot tub and fire pit
The Sorting Office
Fordingbridge, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
A gingerbread house with thatched roof set on the fringes of the New Forest which, from the outside, could very easily have been plucked from the pages of Hansel and Gretel.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
From: £1,650 per week, £1,250 per short break
Pets: One small well-behaved dog is welcome on prior request
The Cinders
Lyndhurst, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
Offering a peaceful escape in the wilds of the New Forest, spend days wandering beneath the trees, spotting wildlife and fully relaxing into the sound of nature.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
From: £2,150 per week, £1,595 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Felicity Park
Fullerton, Winchester, Hampshire, UK
Daringly fun and colourful, Felicity Park is a playful Victorian château; a luxury country house in the village of Fullerton in Hampshire with a heated pool and tennis court.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
From: £5,495 per week, £2,995 per short break
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Outdoor heated swimming pool (May - September), tennis court, pool house, barbecue hut, piano
Artemis
On a valley's edge in the undulating folds of the South Downs, this luxury country house with a pool hides amidst the gentle rustle of wildflowers and meadow grass.
Sleeps: Up to 11 guests (nine adults and two children)
From: £8,495 per week
Pets: Sorry, no pets.
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (April-September), fire pit
Forestkeepers
Fordingbridge, New Forest, Hampshire, UK
A bespoke treehouse, zip-wire, and outdoor pool await at Forestkeepers, where a garden gate leads straight into Hampshire's New Forest, tempting picnics in woodland glades.
Sleeps: Up to 12 guests (8 adults and 4 children)
Alternative Group Option: Up to 6 guests
From: £3,795 per week, £2,850 per short break
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (available from the end of March to mid-October), treehouse, zipwire, trampoline, football goals, netball hoop, games room with air hockey and arcade machine, cinema room