UK

Child-friendly self-catering cottages and cabins that have thought of everything

Last updated 24th August 2018

Self-catering cottages and cabins give you the best of two worlds – a home away from home where you have the freedom to cater for fussy eaters and work to your own schedule whilst having all of the rest and relaxation you want from a country retreat.

The best part about family holidays is having quality time together so let someone else take care of the finer details so that you can focus on making memories together.

1/9 Forest Holidays, locations nationwide

Get back to nature with a stay in one of Forest Holidays’ luxurious cabins tucked away in some of the UK’s most beautiful woodland. Whether you’re after an action-packed stay making the most of all the outdoor adventures on offer (think zip wires, bike rides and canoeing) or prefer a more relaxed break enjoying time with the family, they’ve got it covered here.

Toddlers will have a great time splashing in puddles and spotting squirrels on a walk in the forest, bigger kids will love exploring and making dens, while teens will be more than happy with the Wi-Fi and hot tub. They’ve got every add on you could ever image; from practical cots, highchairs and bed guards, to kids’ activity packs, guided ranger forest walks and treats for any four-legged family you bring with you.

For the perfect night in after an adventurous day out in nature, grab some local produce to make a yummy dinner on the BBQ then get a fire roaring to keep you snuggly warm and cuddle up for the night. Or, for something a little more luxe, book a personal chef to cook up a feast in your cabin, relax with an in-cabin spa treatment then order a champagne breakfast for the next morning.

Find out more about Forest Holidays

2/9 Three Little Pigs Cottage, Dorset

Self-catering doesn’t mean having to sacrifice style, especially when you book at stay at the luxurious three-bedroom Three Little Pigs Cottage. This award-winning English Heritage Grade II listed house has been tastefully refurbished to create the ultimate chic, cosy country cottage feel, and along with all the mod cons you’d expect from a luxury rental, Three Little Pigs provides plenty of thoughtful touches to make parents’ lives easier. Kitted out with everything from baby monitors and high chairs to plastic cups and crockery, you won’t need to worry about a thing.

Nestled in the picturesque village of Milton Abbas, Three Little Pigs makes the perfect base to explore Dorset’s unspoilt countryside and beautiful coastline. The Jurassic Coast is just half an hour away – and Peppa Pig World only an hour’s drive – so there’s plenty to keep the kids busy. If the weather doesn’t play ball, don’t worry – the cottage has a children’s corner stocked with all sorts of toys including a baby walker, doll’s house and Wii. The kids won’t want to leave and neither will you.

Find out more about the Three Little Pigs Cottage

3/9 Dairy Cottage, The New Forest

When it comes to the dream country retreat, Dairy Cottage ticks all the boxes. This beautiful, luxury thatched cottage, sat on the edge of The New Forest, is the perfect blend of tradition and boutique style – and for families, they’ve truly thought of everything. Travel cots, highchairs, stair gates, pushchairs, bottle warmers, changing mat, potty – it’s all provided to make your stay as easy and relaxing as possible. From the stacks of toys and the rocking horse inside, to the sandpit and wooden pirate ship in the safely-enclosed garden, your children will be in paradise.

The friendly owners offer a thoughtful, personalised service and can even organise a local babysitter if you want to escape for a romantic meal in the evening. The surrounding New Forest is an idyllic place for a family break, offering kids the chance to explore the great outdoors. A place to make memories.

Find out more about the Dairy Cottage

4/9 Retallack Resort and Spa, Cornwall

Set in the heart of Cornwall, Retallack Resort and Spa is a home away from home, providing families with the perfect base to explore some of the UK’s finest beaches and charming harbour towns. With 2, 4 and 6 bed lodges, you can take just the little ones, or choose to bring the whole gang for a multi-generational break.

Relax in the comfort and style of your luxury lodge or jump into the action with an array of watersports, including the famous inflatable Aqua Park and the unique FlowRider surfing experience. To take some time for yourself, indulge in the blissful ESYA Spa or sip cocktails and enjoy stonebaked pizzas on The Lookout terrace.

Find out more about Retallack Resort and Spa

5/9 Clydey Cottages, Pembrokeshire

Clydey Cottages is the stuff family holiday dreams are made of. Bursting with charm and character, the collection of 10 beautifully renovated cottages are surrounded by 20 acres of lawn, wildflower meadows and woodland, just waiting for your children to explore. It’s an idyllic place to celebrate simple childhood pleasures like padding in the stream, building dams, playing pooh sticks, feeding the resident farm animals and collecting fresh eggs.

There’s also a Children’s Club twice a week, plus an indoor swimming pool and amazing indoor and outdoor play areas, perfect for making new friends. It’s not just the kids who are spoilt for fun to have, as an on-site spa, sauna and hot tubs offer the chance for parents to kick back and relax – bliss!

Find out more about Clydey Cottages

6/9 Center Parcs, Nationwide

Step inside any one of the five Center Parcs locations across the UK, and you’ll be transported to a world where everything is set up to create the ultimate family getaway. The wood-clad lodges are surrounded by tranquil forest, giving you the chance to really get up close with the local wildlife – squirrels and deer often wander right up to your door, so keep an eye out for any visitors!

There’ll be no “I’m bored!” on this holiday, as children are spoilt for choice with over 200 activities to pick from, including everything from pottery painting to a quad bike safari. Each resort boasts its own Subtropical Swimming Paradise, complete with wave pool, Wild Water Rapids and water play areas – so once the kids have burnt off all that energy you can head back to your cosy lodge to whip up a storm in the kitchen. If you fancy a night off from the cooking, you can make the most of the on-site family-friendly restaurants. It is your holiday too, after all!

Find out more about Centre Parcs

7/9 Bruern Cottages, The Cotswolds

Tucked away in the heart of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds you’ll find a collection of 12 super-luxurious self-catering cottages that are a dream come true for parents and children alike. Little ones will go crazy for the play cabin, complete with dressing-up box, doll’s house, toys and crayons (perfect for whiling away a rainy day), and will love whizzing about outside on the pedal tractors, dumper trucks and push cars. There’s space to play football, mini croquet sets and more, as well as a heated indoor pool.

Older kids will be kept busy with the table football, ping pong table, PS4 and Xbox 360 in the Games Room. The cottages themselves are seriously elegant and come with much-appreciated touches like a welcome basket – including milk, butter, eggs, champagne and homemade cakes among other essentials – that set the tone for an unforgettable stay.

Find out more about Bruern Cottages

8/9 Bosinver Farm Cottages, Cornwall

With 20 individual self-catering cottages set over 30 acres of charming farm, wildflower meadows and woodland. Bosinver Farm Cottages offers the chance to get away from it all and enjoy everything Cornwall has to offer. Each cottage has its own unique style, but all are baby-friendly, with stair gates, cots, night lights and more provided to take the hassle out of travelling.

Toddlers and older children will love exploring the wide-open spaces, following the Gruffalo Trail in the woods, helping Farmer Dave collect eggs in the morning and heading out on a pony ride. On-site you’ll find an indoor swimming pool, play barn and games room – a lifesaver on rainy days! It would be easy to never leave, but Bosinver is perfectly places for exploring the rest of Cornwall, so head out to one of the nearby beaches for a day of rock-pooling, making sand castles and eating ice cream.

Find out more about Bosinver Farm Cottages

9/9 Hall Hills, Cumbria

For a real taste of the Great Outdoors, you can’t beat a break in Cumbria. Hall Hills is a family-run, multi-award-winning collection of self-catering cottages tucked away in breathtaking countryside, and makes a great base for exploring the Lake District. The three baby-friendly cottages are stylishly decorated and parents with little ones will be grateful for the considerate touches, like travel cots, high chair, nappy bin, toddler step and toys, which really make travelling with babies that bit easier.

The surrounding area has plenty to keep children of all ages happy – whether it’s taking in the dramatic scenery on a walk (or steamer ride) around Ullswater, meeting the animals at Walby Farm Park or heading out on a pony trek through the Eden Valley. Once the kids are tucked up in bed, parents can enjoy the gorgeous views and a glass of wine on their private patio (or in the private hot tub if you book the Methera cottage).

Find out more about Hall Hills