You can’t go wrong with a holiday in Bath. The world-famous UNESCO city is well-known for its glorious architecture with magnificent historic buildings housing shops, pubs and cottages to rent. Bath was a fashionable destination for the Romans, and its appeal has only strengthened over the intervening millennia. It is town and country, old and new, stylishly tasteful and also a little bit twee. There is nowhere more British and certainly nowhere better for a romantic escape, fun family holiday, an inspiring writer’s or artist’s retreat, or a shopping weekend with friends. Settle back and keep reading to find out why Bath rates so highly on our list of places for a self-catering cottage holiday. Read more
Once an intimate family-run hotel, Cameley Lodge is a spacious holiday home with excellent self-catering facilities, a vast garden with a hot tub, and nine ensuite bedrooms to accommodate up to 21 guests. Guests love the space and the layout, which is fully accessible on the ground and first floors, the amenities, and the friendly owners who make planning a family reunion, celebration with friends, wellness retreat, or business event so easy. It's in the Somerset village of Cameley with panoramic views of rolling countryside in all directions. For all its rural appeal, the house is only half an hour from Bristol and Bath, and you can drive to Glastonbury, Wells, Wookey Caves, Stonehenge and Longleat in an hour or less.
This large holiday cottage in the Cotswolds sleeps up to 15 people and is newly refurbished throughout. Mews Cottage is just over a mile from the market town of Bradford on Avon, where you will find everything you need for a relaxed self-catering holiday, including pubs and restaurants if you don't want to cook! Bath, Stonehenge and Longleat are all within easy reach, as are beautiful walks through the Wiltshire countryside and along the Kennet and Avon Canal. There is plenty of space whether you're a big family, on holiday with your extended family or catching up with friends. Bookings, including short breaks, are available all year round.
This gorgeous Georgian house is in an enviable position opposite the Jubilee Bridge in Matlock Bath, a short stroll from the river, shops, cafes and local attractions. 98 Fountain Villas has recently been refurbished to a high standard to provide big group holiday accommodation in the Peak District for up to 16 people over three floors. This area is beautiful in every season and guests can enjoy lovely walks and bike rides from the doorstep. Chatsworth House, Haddon Hall, Carsington Waters and Alton Towers are all within easy reach, while Gulliver's Kingdom and the Heights of Abraham are within walking distance.
Beautiful 5/6 bedroomed cottage with plenty of space for everyone to relax and have fun. The cottage overlooks the Derwent Valley and river Derwent which runs through the village. The cottage comfortably accommodates up to 15 guests in five upstairs bedrooms and one downstairs snug off the living area with double full-sized double sofa-bed. There are gardens to the front and rear with BBQ and outside garden furniture and garden games including swingball and garden jenga. Matlock Bath is known as the seaside town without the sea and you'll soon see why! There are shops, pubs, restaurants and amusements all along the main promenades plus loads of things to do right here in the village including boat trips, cable car rides, a children's theme park, a nine hole indoor crazy golf, an aquarium and even a Victorian lido crammed with giant Koi Carp. The cottage is nestled on the hillside of Matlock bath looking down over the village in a quiet location just five minutes walk from all the hustl
A delightful contemporary self catering cottage positioned by the side of the river on the fringes of the Somerset village of Coleford. Leat Cottage is ideal for walking, cycling, relaxing or visiting the many attractions this area has to offer.
Cholwell Hall is a fine Somerset country residence a few miles from the cities of Bath, Wells and Bristol. Accessible from London in 2 hours. Formerly owned by the church, this 10 bedroomed house has centuries of history, medieval beams, thick stone walls and can sleep up to 30 people comfortably. Popular for family gatherings, hen or stag parties, bookings can be self-catering or with your choice of caterers. Oceans of space indoors for large groups to socialise, dining table to seat up to 30, and extensive grounds for outdoor fun.
"Bell tent 3" is a 1 bed holiday Lodge sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Timsbury is an idyllic village and civil parish made up of the hamlets of Meadgate, Radford and Wall Mead, found resting in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority of the county of Somerset. The village has a rich and varied history...
"Bell tent 2" is a 1 bed holiday Lodge sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Timsbury is an idyllic village and civil parish made up of the hamlets of Meadgate, Radford and Wall Mead, found resting in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority of the county of Somerset. The village has a rich and varied history...
"Bell tent 1" is a 1 bed holiday Lodge sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Timsbury is an idyllic village and civil parish made up of the hamlets of Meadgate, Radford and Wall Mead, found resting in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority of the county of Somerset. The village has a rich and varied history...
"The Forge" is a 1 bed holiday Cottage sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Marksbury is a modest village resting within the bustling city of Bath, Somerset. Marksbury was listed in the Domesday book as Mercesberia. The name of the village is thought to come from Old English for ‘fortified place’. Stantonbury Camp is...
"Bell tent 4" is a 1 bed holiday Lodge sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Timsbury is an idyllic village and civil parish made up of the hamlets of Meadgate, Radford and Wall Mead, found resting in the Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority of the county of Somerset. The village has a rich and varied history...
"2 Bed Apartment in Bath" is a 2 bed holiday Apartment sleeping up to 3 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Additional information and rulesNo dogs allowed - 2 bedrooms – 1 king-size zip-and-link (can be arranged as a twin on request), 1 single - 2 bathrooms – 1 en-suite shower room with WC, 1 bathroom with shower over bath and WC -...
"Walcot Townhouse" is a 2 bed holiday Cottage sleeping up to 7 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Located in Bath’s lively Artisan Quarter, this charming apartment offers an ideal base to explore one of the UK’s most beautiful and historic cities. The area is known for its creative spirit, with an array of independent shops, galleries, and...
"Emmeline House" is a 6 bed holiday Cottage sleeping up to 12 guests in Bath and North East Somerset. Emmeline House is ideally situated in the heart of Bath, a city renowned for its rich history, architectural beauty, and luxurious lifestyle. This prestigious Grade I Listed townhouse holds a prime position on the corner of a distinguished...
"The Windsor Town House" is a 1 bed holiday BandB sleeping up to 1 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Oldfields House" is a 1 bed holiday BandB sleeping up to 1 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Lansdown Grove Hotel" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 1 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Devonshire House" is a 1 bed holiday BandB sleeping up to 1 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Henrietta House, a member of Radisson Individuals" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 1 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"The Bird, Bath" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 1 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"YHA Bath" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 1 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"The Windsor Town House" is a 1 bed holiday BandB sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Bathen House Boutique Hotel" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"The Gainsborough Bath Spa - Small Luxury Hotels of the World" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"No 15 by GuestHouse, Bath" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Dorian House Boutique B&B - Free Parking!" is a 1 bed holiday BandB sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"The Roseate Villa Bath" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Grays Boutique B&B" is a 1 bed holiday BandB sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Dukes Bath" is a 1 bed holiday BandB sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
"Francis Hotel Bath" is a 1 bed holiday Hotel sleeping up to 2 guests in Bath and North East Somerset.
Popular towns in and around Somerset:
AxbridgeBathBridgwaterBristolBuckland St MaryCastle CaryChardCheddarChiselboroughCrewkerneCullomptonDulvertonDunsterExtonFiddingtonFromeGlastonburyHighbridgeIlminsterKingsbury EpiscopiLangford BudvilleLangportLopenLuxboroughMineheadMonksilverMontacuteNorth MoltonPorlockRoadwaterShepton MalletSherborneSimonsbathTauntonTemplecombeWatchetWellingtonWellsWest LuccombeWeston-super-MareWheddon CrossWincantonWithypoolWiveliscombeWootton CourtenayYeovilSome local suggestions:
Dog friendly Somerset cottagesOr search further afield:
Search within South West England
Sightseeing - It seems as if everywhere you turn in Bath, there is something pretty to see. Even modern buildings are attractive, having been carefully designed to fit with the age and quality of the existing architecture. A fantastic way to gain understanding and appreciation for the scope and layout of the city is by taking the waymarked Skyline Walk that starts at Bath Visitor Information Centre and progresses through the city and meadows until you reach the top of the hill that overlooks the bowl in which Bath sits. Alternatively, book a free (they don’t even want tips!) walking tour with the Mayor of Bath’s Guides. Other picturesque spots include the park in front of the grand Royal Crescent, and beside the beautiful Pultney Bridge and v-shaped Pultney Weir.
Famous Residents - Although the Romans enjoyed the healing qualities of the spa waters, it was the Georgians who transformed Bath. They took a quiet rural town and turned it into one of Britain’s leading holiday destinations where the fashionable flocked to shop, party and find a spouse. One of the most famous of all former residents is Jane Austen, inextricably linked with Bath due to her use of it as a setting in Persuasion and Northanger Abbey. Austen’s Bath home at 4 Sydney Place is not open to the public but fans of her work and this era should visit the Jane Austen Centre to see how she would have lived. Bath is liberally sprinkled with Blue Plaques commemorating everyone from the siblings Sir William and Caroline Hershel, who discovered Uranus and infrared radiation, to politicians such as William Pitt (Senior and Junior) and Admiral Lord Nelson, along with various members of the royal family.
Shopping and Eating - Your credit card may go into shock, but it will be worth it for the quality of shopping in Bath. The city’s small size means it is easy to visit every retailer, if that’s your wish, even if you are only there for a short visit. If you arrive by train, then the first place you will see is the four-storey Debenhams department store, beyond which is the Southgate area lined with favourite High Street names. Union Street and Stall Street are lined with shops selling books, homewares, fashion and jewellery, and leading to the galleries in the Artisan Quarter. Bath is the sort of city where you should always duck down an alley or stroll through a small arcade as it is in these places where you may find your favourite purchase of your holiday.
Bath is full of fantastic places to eat and drink. The oldest pub in Bath is the Saracens Head although, with its wall-mounted TVs showing sport and news, it’s not the most olde-worlde place for a pint. Instead, try the comfortable Raven on Queen Street for a great choice of food (especially pies) and ale and a relaxing atmosphere. You can’t beat Cafe Retro for a delicious breakfast that will set you up for a day of sightseeing and shopping - head upstairs to nab a table overlooking the Abbey. Wine lovers should try Corkage, a relaxed wine bar where the wine menu is as important as the food, while the set lunch menu at The Bath Priory Restaurant is an affordable way to enjoy Michelin starred dining.
Historic Bath - You can’t move for landmark buildings and museums in Bath. The Roman Baths and Bath Abbey are two must-sees, as is a walk along the Royal Cresent and around the Assembly Rooms (both of which are free). Have tea and a bun at Sally Lunn’s and admire the window display in Charlotte Brunswick’s Chocolate Shop a few doors down. The Fashion Museum, Museum of Bath at Work, American Museum and Holborne Museum all have a specific focus, as do the Museum of East Asian Art and the Victoria Art Gallery.
Bath is a city you can go to once and never forget or visit every year and still find new views, shops or places to eat that will surprise and delight.
