February is the month of love! Whilst Valentine's Day is one of the most popular times of year for marriage proposals, every four years there comes another day where, folklore has it, woman are granted good luck when they turn the tables of tradition and pop the big question themselves. This Irish convention began in the 12th Century, when women shook up the norm and challenged traditional gender roles by asking men to marry them, and on the lucky day of February 29th legend says they were sure to get a yes! Here at Unique Homestays we embrace the unconventional, so challenge all those daydreaming bride-to-be’s to take the bull by the horns and get planning their unique proposal! Oh, did we mention we have the most perfect little love nests too?
Daydreamer, Freathy Cliff, Cornwall
Ever dreamt of your own luxury beach house for two, complete with bubbly hot tub and never-ending views out across Barbadian blue waters? At Daydreamer lovers will relish lazy mornings entwined between the sheets gazing out to the shimmering blue ocean. This cliff top retreat takes Valentine’s escapes to a whole new level.
The Cable Hut, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Way back in the days where love letters and drift bottles were amongst the few means of communication, The Cable Hut was built to house the first telephone lines being laid across the Atlantic Ocean. Over 100 years later and after a storm hit the Pembrokeshire coast leaving this seaside shack abandoned, The Cable Hut captured the hearts of a passing couple who have lovingly transformed it into a unique luxury self-catering home stay.
Stardust, Western Highlands, Scotland
Take two very special dwellings, add an awe-inspiring location, a dose of drama and a sprinkling of magic, and the result will be the impeccable Stardust. Comprising a luxury boat house for sleeping and pampering, a cosy shepherd's hut for candlelit dinners and a bubbly hot tub, this unique self-catering experience right on the shores of Loch Ewe will inspire lovebirds looking for a Valentine’s break with a difference.
Little Gillyflower, Cornwall and Devon border
This notable hidden gem hit the headlines last summer when a woman accepted an unusual marriage offer from her husband, who had managed to have it encrypted within the clues of The Times newspaper’s crossword puzzle! Perched right on the river’s edge in the peaceful Tamar Valley, Little Gillyflower is the perfect little hideaway for lovebirds wanting a bit of peace and quiet this Valentine’s weekend.
The Little Charcuterie, Near Bude, Cornwall
No one does romance quite like the French, so let this seductive sleeps-two inspire you this Valentine’s day with its sweetheart pink façade and sumptuous Rococo interiors. Look forward to gentle strolls by Bude canal with pockets stuffed full of Cornish fudge, and evenings reclined on the suspended day bed – not forgetting the chocolate-dipped strawberries and champagne!
Valentina’s Lost Orangery, Near Castle Combe, Wiltshire
Taking its namesake from the big day itself, this supremely romantic bolthole will be the talk around the dinner table amongst your envious couple friends this year. Once a part of Sir Walter Raleigh’s hunting lodge and now embellished with dripping chandeliers and with gardens imagined by designers to the aristocracy, this in-vogue home really is like no other. And… if you pop the big question this Valentine’s day you can even start your wedding planning! This place does weddings like those in fairy tales.
