Luxury Christmas and New Year breaks
Mulled wine and mince pies, bracing walks and stolen kisses under the mistletoe; make your Christmas extra special by whisking the party to a luxury homestay.
It's a time for togetherness, the most wonderful time of the year as the song goes. With your own home covered in tape and wrap, head to a luxury country house to enjoy a Christmas to remember. Gorgeously decorated in anticipation, our luxury Christmas holiday cottages are awaiting your arrival; all that's left to do is unpack the car, set the presents under the twinkling tree and uncork the fizz. The supermarket order will be along in a short while with further provisions, and the children are already exploring the far reaches of all the rooms. Little ones tucked up in bed, chink glasses to the most relaxing Christmas and New Year ever.
Just the two of you? Couples wishing to hide out for the festive season can hole up in a romantic retreat, escaping to a luxury self-catering cottage with no arguments about whose parents are hosting lunch. Stir from festive dreams at your leisure, sink into a rolltop or hot tub, then indulge in a simple Christmas lunch before setting out on a romantic walk along the coastline, greeting other festive ramblers with a cheery 'hello'. Maybe just a short walk though: back at your luxury festive retreat there's mulled wine to sip and old classics to watch by the fire. Staying in is the new going out this season.
Sea Sentry
As featured on George Clarke's Amazing Spaces, this World War Two guard tower nestled on the coast in Shaldon has been brought bang into the 21st Century with an armoury of quirky mod cons, making it the perfect retreat for two.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Over Lemon River
Ashburton, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
Dartmoor is Devon’s wild heart; a place where heather cloaks the ground like an over-sized velvet eiderdown and granite tors scramble to meet big open skies. On fine days, ponies wander amidst the mysticism of faeries but when the swirling mists arrive, Over Lemon River is the perfect hideaway.
Sleeps: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two dogs are welcome
Features: Al fresco living space with wood-fired hot tub and fire pit
Sojourn
Drewsteignton, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
Nestled within the wilds of Dartmoor near Chagford sits Sojourn; a luxury chocolate box cottage with spa room. A true English country escape with lavish finishes and beautiful linens.
Sleeps: Up to 2 people
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Spa room with massage table.
The Riddle
North Bovey, Dartmoor, Devon, UK
Plot your country escape to this luxury holiday cottage in North Bovey; one of Devon's most idyllic villages set within the rugged beauty of Dartmoor National Park. The Riddle is the type of cottage you might find on the pages of a storybook.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome, or three on prior request.
The Creamery
Abbotsham, Appledore, Devon, UK
Far from the crowds, the Hartland Heritage Coast is a halcyon world of pebble beaches and Beatrix Potter wildlife backed by a deep blue sea. Set between Appledore and Clovelly, The Creamery was made for those hidden-away self-catering holidays in Devon.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome with a third small dog on request
Features: Fire pit
Ivy Cove
Holbeton, Noss Mayo, Devon, UK
Perfectly placed for both sun baking and storm watching, Ivy Cove is a luxury cottage near Noss Mayo where colorful modern design and spectacular coastal views go hand in hand.
Sleeps: Up to 4 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, electric car charger
Cinnamon Cottage
A thatched luxury cottage in the quaint village of Higher Ashton in Devon where traditional thatch crowns elegant and intriguingly beautiful interiors within.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Castle on the Well
Charles, South Molton, Exmoor, Devon, UK
Fusing luxurious shooting lodge with a modern country twist, Castle on the Well hides within a patchwork of rolling Devonshire countryside, on the edge of Exmoor National Park.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: One small to medium well-behaved dog is welcome and two on prior request
Features: Fire pit
Rydon
Trusham, Teign Valley, Devon, UK
Enjoy some time out at this contemporary self-catering barn dwelling squirrelled away in the picturesque Teign Valley, Devon.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome (must be kept on leads in the grounds)
Features: Heated pool (from 6th May to 30th September)
Novella
This cob cottage deep in Devon woodland is a storybook of a home, tucked down a lane and decked out in botanical prints, vintage embroidery and antique furniture, inviting imaginations to unfurl.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Hot tub, trampoline, table tennis, outdoor kitchen (year-round)
The Brandy Thief
Lee, Ilfracombe, Devon, UK
Awash with history and swathed in character, this luxury coastal cottage is a dreamy retreat for explorers looking to hunker down in North Devon.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 guests
Pets: One small to medium well-behaved dog is welcome and two on prior request
The Lost Music Hall
Created by a London dandy to serve as his secret retreat from society, this former music hall has been restored in all its Arts and Crafts glory to offer unique escapes in a hidden valley of Devon's South Hams AONB.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 2 & Up to 12 guests
Pets: Two pets are welcome
Features: Heated outdoor swimming pool (May-September) and games room with table tennis and darts
Beauport
Nestled on the banks of the River Yealm in South Devon's yachty haven of Newton Ferrers is the oh-so-stylish Beauport. This stunning self-catering luxury cottage exudes a restful ambiance echoic of the rippling river which sits at the bottom of the garden.
Sleeps: Up to 6 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 & Up to 2 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Summerhouse, kayaks (used at your own risk, life jackets not provided), private slipway
Kohtalo
Combe Martin, Ilfracombe, Devon, UK
Kohtalo is a grand design conceived by childhood sweethearts. Just 15 minutes from the Ilfracombe coast and with a hot tub settled under the stars, this luxury holiday home is a modern, welcoming family escape.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved dogs are welcome
Features: Hot tub and fire pit
Dusky Cottage
Hope Cove, Kingsbridge, Devon, UK
Set between the yachting havens of Kingsbridge and Salcombe, Dusky Cottage sits on a country lane leading down to Hope Cove. Push open the sky-blue gate and you'll be smitten; this luxury thatched cottage is sure to capture the hearts of all the family.
Sleeps: Up to 8 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 4 guests
Pets: One well-behaved dog is welcome
Features: Hot tub, summerhouse and swings
Ellesmera Mill
This enchanting 400 year old millhouse is chock-full of old-world charm. Set in the South Hams near Dartmouth, the dreamy south Devon coast is almost within touching distance and short stroll through the valley leads to the sheltered cove of Blackpool Sands.
Sleeps: Up to 10 guests
Pets: Sorry, no pets
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, sauna, cinema room with table football
Elderwood Manor
Umberleigh, Barnstaple, Devon, UK
A pristine white wedding cake sat amid the rolling patchwork fields of North Devon, Elderwood Manor is idyllically situated to make the most of both coast and country.
Sleeps: Up to 14 guests
Alternative Group Option: Up to 8 guests
Pets: Two well-behaved medium dogs, or one large well-behaved dog, are welcome
Features: Wood-fired hot tub, cinema room, games room with bar, table tennis table, croquet and badminton
