As summer holiday season approaches, staycations have surged in popularity due to changing weather, flight disruptions, and rising prices. Millions of Brits now choose to holiday on home shores, seeking unique accommodations that offer spectacular scenery and tranquility. Travel experts have curated a list of nine one-of-a-kind properties from holidaycottages.co.uk, all rated five stars, ranging from castles and chapels to windmills, towers, and private islands.
Earth Ship, Central Scotland
Earth Ship is a luxury retreat buried in the landscape near Loch Leven in Kinross, offering countryside views from a private hot tub and garden seating ideal for stargazing. Situated on a working farm, guests can help collect chicken eggs and feed lambs in spring. This quirky property sleeps up to seven guests in three bedrooms and three bathrooms, and is dog-friendly (up to two pets allowed in the lounge and kitchen). Priced from £1,083 for seven nights, visitors can take a boat trip to Loch Leven Castle, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned in 1567, or explore the Loch Leven Heritage Trail.
The Pink Castle, Southern Scotland
Dating back to the 14th century, The Pink Castle in Largs offers a regal experience with a sauna in one turret and sea views from another. Accommodating up to eight guests and two dogs, it has four bedrooms (one per floor) and three bathrooms. Surrounded by 'magical' gardens with a fairy tale walk through woods and over a stone bridge, prices start from £3,119 for seven nights. The castle overlooks the Isles of Arran and Bute, with easy access to the Trossachs National Park and Largs town centre two miles away.
West View - The Old Chapel, County Durham
Converted from a Wesleyan chapel in Middleton-in-Teesdale, this four-bedroom, four-bathroom property sleeps eight guests and three dogs. Featuring high ceilings with stained glass windows, it combines historic character with modern luxury. Priced from £914 for seven nights, it sits on the edge of the North Pennines National Landscape, ideal for outdoor adventures. Nearby attractions include High Force Waterfall, five miles away.
The Boat House, Yorkshire
Floating on a private lake in Gilling West, The Boat House is a romantic couples' retreat for two guests (no dogs). It features a hot tub and bistro set on decked verandas, an open-plan living space with sliding glass doors, and a four-poster bed with fairy lights. Priced from £1,002 for seven nights, it serves as a base for exploring the Yorkshire Dales and the market town of Richmond, less than three miles away.
Hermitage Manor House, Lancashire
This private island on the River Lune in Lancaster is accessible via a road bridge and sleeps up to 24 guests plus three dogs. Built in 1849 for the Lord Mayor of Lancaster, it has nine bedrooms over four storeys, a home cinema, pool room, casino, hot tub, sauna, swim spa, and a riverside beach. Priced from £12,717 for seven nights, it works out at £530 per person at full capacity.
Worsdalls Mill, Lincolnshire
A converted 1804 flour mill in Lincoln, this windmill sleeps seven guests and two dogs. It features curved stairs, bespoke metalwork inspired by aviation history, and 360-degree views from the top floor, including distant views of RAF Waddington, home of the Red Arrows. Outside, there's a hot tub, dining area, and dog-washing station. Priced from £1,184 for seven nights.
Hen Wrych Hall Tower, North Wales
This Grade II-listed tower, built into the original curtain wall of Gwrych Castle, dates back to the 1800s and sleeps two guests. It features exposed stone walls, beamed ceilings, a wood-burning stove, slipper bath, and four-poster bed. Priced from £560 for seven nights, it overlooks the 500-year-old Hen Wrych Hall and is across the road from Abergele Cove beach. Nearby attractions include Conwy Castle, Llandudno, and Bodnant Garden.
The Skyscraper, Suffolk
Standing 80ft tall in Woolverstone near Ipswich, this seven-floor property sleeps up to 18 guests. It features a cinema room, games room, retro arcade machine, DJ deck, roof garden with viewing platform, BBQ, and basketball court. Priced from £4,314 for seven nights, it works out at £240 per person at full capacity, ideal for hen parties and work retreats.
Japanese Pagoda, Dorset
Set within a 7,000-acre private estate in Tollard Royal, this hideaway for two features a water garden with Koi carp, Japanese Acer trees, wood-fired hot tub, firepit, and eastern-style interior with vaulted ceilings and a sauna. Priced from £2,040 for seven nights, it is a mile from Larmer Tree Victorian Pleasure Gardens and near Rushmore Golf Course.
