A lighthouse keeper’s cottage on a four-acre island off Skye, a thatched retreat beside a Devon stream, and a Norfolk flint cottage with a substantial inglenook fireplace are among seven UK stays with Christmas availability announced by Coolstays. The selection ranges from cottages for two to a restored home within a nature reserve, with space for six adults and three children.
The offers below are for Christmas 2026. Confirm availability, exact dates and the total price before booking, particularly where properties advertise starting nightly rates.
1. Eilean Sionnach Lighthouse Cottage, off Skye
Eilean Sionnach Lighthouse Cottage sits on a private four-acre island, looking across the Sound of Sleat. Accommodation is in the keeper’s cottage beside Ornsay Light, a working lighthouse that cannot be entered. Four en-suite bedrooms make this the largest adult-group option in the selection, sleeping eight.
A wood-burning stove with supplied logs and underfloor heating keep the interiors warm, while the master bathroom has a roll-top bath facing the sea. The kitchen includes a Smeg oven and a large fridge-freezer, useful for a stay where provisioning deserves some thought. There’s Wi-Fi, but no television; shoreline exploration and wildlife watching are the island’s outdoor attractions.
The island team includes arrival and departure boat transfers from Isleornsay pier. Crossings take anything from about two minutes to 15–20 minutes, depending on tide and sea conditions. The boat carries four passengers plus cargo, so a full party travels in two trips, and transfers cannot happen after dusk.
Guests must negotiate pier steps, a stony landing and uneven ground. This stay needs a degree of strength and mobility. Groceries can be ordered ahead from local shop An Crubh, with the order requested at least a week before arrival; additional boat journeys cost £50 each way.
Christmas stay: £3,460 for four nights, 23–27 December. Sleeps eight; families and up to two dogs welcome over Christmas. Enquire about Eilean Sionnach Lighthouse Cottage.
2. Sunrise Holiday Chalet, Rame Peninsula, Cornwall
Sunrise Holiday Chalet puts a private hot tub and a super-king bed within reach of the South West Coast Path. This restored retreat for two is near Kingsand and Cawsand, on Cornwall’s Rame Peninsula, with an open-plan living space in natural tones and a wood-burning stove supplied with logs and kindling.
Underfloor heating and a heated towel rail warm the bathroom, while the outdoor hot tub has lighting and integrated Bluetooth audio. Tea, coffee pods, milk, juice, jam and scones are provided for arrival, and the kitchen includes a Quooker tap.
Kingsand and Cawsand are approximately a 20-minute walk away, and the coast path is accessible almost from the door. Whitsand Bay and Rame Head offer further nearby outings, making this a particularly appealing choice for a couple who want coastal walks as well as time indoors.
Christmas stay: Advertised from £300 a night; request a quote for your festive dates. Sleeps two and is baby-friendly. Enquire about Sunrise Holiday Chalet.
3. Philham Water Cottage, North Devon
Philham Water Cottage has the thatch, low beams, latched doors and flagged floors associated with a traditional English cottage. Set on the Hartland Peninsula, less than two miles from the North Devon coast, it’s built from cob, rubble stone and thatch, with a substantial fireplace that houses a wood-burning stove.
The upstairs bedroom overlooks the lawn and stream, and the garden follows the water beside a meadow. Books, games, television and DVDs provide indoor diversions, while a fully equipped kitchen makes staying in straightforward. It’s primarily arranged for a couple or two individuals, with an additional sofa bed downstairs.
The owner permits babes-in-arms but not children or toddlers because of the stream. Guests bringing a baby need their own crib, highchair and other equipment. The bathroom is downstairs, mobile reception is limited, and the approximately 80-metre approach from the parking area includes uneven paths that can become slippery.
Christmas stay: £885 for four nights, 22–26 December. Sleeps two; dogs incur an additional charge, as does cleaning. Enquire about Philham Water Cottage.
Philham also appears in our The Holiday-inspired Christmas cottage guide, alongside five more festive escapes.
4. Spinks Nest Cottage, North Norfolk
Spinks Nest’s large brick, flint and oak inglenook is the centrepiece of this cottage for two in Hunworth. A wood burner, armchairs upholstered in leather, velvet cushions and underfloor heating give the sitting room its winter appeal, with reclaimed beams, brick and Norfolk pamments bringing texture throughout.
The bedroom has a Euro King bed, a Woolroom mattress and bedding, and Designers Guild linens. The owners specify a step-down microcement shower with brass fittings and no bath. The sitting room and bedroom are two internal steps above the entrance and kitchen area.
The Hunworth Bell pub is a couple of minutes’ walk away. Holt is approximately five minutes by car, and Blakeney and the coast around fifteen, giving a stay here an easy mix of village, town and shoreline outings.
Up to three small-to-medium dogs are accepted at £50 each per stay. The garden is enclosed but not fully dog-proof, the grounds are shared with sister cottage Riverbank, and firewood costs extra.
Christmas stay: £1,050 for four nights, 23–27 December. Sleeps two; a baby is permitted and a travel cot is available. Enquire about Spinks Nest Cottage.
5. Rosemarsland, Devon/Cornwall border
Rosemarsland stands within Marsland Nature Reserve, with a riverside woodland route leading approximately a mile to Marsland Mouth Beach. The beach is accessible only on foot, giving the house a particularly appealing setting for a family Christmas with walks close at hand.
The former byre dates to the 1800s and was transformed in 2024. Three bedrooms and two bathrooms accommodate up to nine guests, with a maximum of six adults. A dining room seating nine provides room for everyone to gather, while two lounges allow the group to spread out: one has a log burner, the other a Smart TV.
A separate games room contains pool, table football and darts. Outside, there’s a firepit and a fenced garden area; Bude and Clovelly are each around 12 miles away.
A stay for two well-behaved dogs costs £50 each per stay. They must stay downstairs, off the sofas and out of the lounges, and be on a lead whenever they are outside the dog-safe garden. Families bringing babies need their own cot and highchair; the bedroom setup determines whether additional children’s beds are available.
Christmas stay: £2,520 with 20% off. Confirm dates and duration when enquiring, as the offer quotes seven nights alongside 21–27 December. Enquire about Rosemarsland.
6. Candlestick Cottage, Somerset
Candlestick Cottage combines a private wood-fired hot tub overlooking the Somerset hills with a roll-top bath in the main bedroom. The whitewashed cottage is more than 200 years old and stands on an organic estate, with two king-size bedrooms, a fireside lounge and a south-facing garden.
Wine, tea, coffee and biscuits are supplied, and a gastro pub is within walking distance. The Jurassic Coast is accessible for day trips, while the garden has outdoor dining space, a barbecue and a firepit.
The estate’s operator includes daily private use of the woodland infrared sauna. Guests reserve an hour-long slot for two adults using the booking board at the building, where there are changing facilities and an outdoor hot or cold shower.
The separate Barn has a gym, cold plunge and yoga space, alongside an infrared sauna, table tennis, pool and board games. Guests can use it, and private-hire sessions can be arranged on arrival. Couples can ask about the operator’s advertised two-person reduction and should say if they need both bedrooms.
Christmas stay: Advertised from £190 a night; request your festive quote. Sleeps four, with children over 12 permitted. No pets. Enquire about Candlestick Cottage.
7. Kittiwake Cottage, Port Isaac, Cornwall
Kittiwake Cottage, within Outlaw’s Coastal Retreats, is a Grade II-listed property from the 1700s that was once a fisherman’s cottage. Exposed beams, sash windows and a large fireplace with a log burner retain its coastal-cottage character, while three en-suite bedrooms and an additional family bathroom make it practical for six guests.
The self-catering kitchen is stocked with essentials for your arrival, and fresh bread and pastries come in a bakery hamper delivered on the first morning. There’s a dining room and a washer-dryer, and one bedroom can be arranged as twins on request.
Port Isaac’s harbour and coastal footpaths are close by. Outlaw’s Fish Kitchen is around the corner, approximately a 30-second walk away, while Outlaw’s Bistro is about ten minutes on foot. Restaurant reservations are made separately.
Christmas stay: £3,168 for five nights, 23–28 December. Sleeps six; children and one dog are welcome, with an additional dog charge. Enquire about Kittiwake Cottage.
The courtyard and tunnel are shared with annexe guests and restaurant staff and deliveries. There’s no on-site parking; council car parks are approximately ten minutes uphill.
