Unusual Places to Stay in the UK

Britain has an unusually large stock of odd buildings that nobody needs any more, and a long tradition of letting people sleep in them. Lighthouses, water towers, gatehouses, signal boxes, chapels and follies all end up on the holiday market. Some are wonderful. Some are a beautiful photograph wrapped around a difficult night. The difference is usually predictable if you know what to ask.

The main types, and who they suit

Shepherd huts and cabins

The gentlest introduction. Small, warm, usually well insulated, and normally sited on a farm or in a field with a view. Good for couples, and good for a first attempt at something less conventional. Widely available across Dorset, Somerset and the Yorkshire Dales.

Lighthouses and coastal towers

Spectacular, and the one category where the setting genuinely cannot be replicated anywhere else. Expect stairs, wind, and sometimes a long approach on foot. These cluster on the exposed coasts, so look at Northumberland, Pembrokeshire and Cornwall.

Converted chapels, mills and barns

These give you the odd shape and the tall windows without the compromises. A converted chapel is still a house. If you want the character of an unusual stay but you are travelling with older relatives or small children, this is the sensible end of the category. Common through Shropshire, Ludlow and the Peak District.

Treehouses

Genuinely different, and the one type where the photographs usually undersell the experience. Check the access, because some are reached by rope bridge or steep steps, and check the heating for anything outside high summer.

What to check before booking

Where the bathroom is

The single most important question for huts, cabins and treehouses. A private bathroom inside the building is a completely different holiday from a shared block a hundred metres away in the dark.

How you get to the door

Unusual buildings are often in unusual places. Ask how far it is from the parking, what the surface is, and whether you carry your own bags. This matters more than any other detail for anyone with a bad knee.

Whether there is a signal, and whether you mind

Many of these places have neither phone signal nor internet. That is a feature for some trips and a problem for others. Decide which before you book rather than after.

Practical points

Unusual properties tend to be single units rather than parks, which means there are fewer of them, they are booked further ahead, and cancellation terms are often stricter. If you have a specific building in mind, look early. If you simply want something that is not a hotel room, you have far more choice and can afford to book late.

Browse Northumberland, Pembrokeshire and the Scottish Highlands for the widest range, or see our glamping guide and our digital detox breaks.