Love it or loathe it, Airbnb has transformed the way we travel — and where we choose to stay when we do. Where once we were limited to boring chain hotels and bland holiday apartments, Airbnb (and the many sites like it) have opened up an entirely new world of accommodation options — from swanky city apartments and family-friendly cottages to a motley assortment of hobbit houses, cave dwellings, yurts, treehouses, houseboats, windmills and even a castle or two. According to Inside Airbnb, there are more than 87,000 listings in London alone — so you’re certainly not short on choice. Here are some of the best Airbnbs in the UK.
Main photo: Ditchling Cabin in Sussex (Airbnb)
1. The Harpy houseboat, London
Best for a view over the Thames
This is apparently the oldest houseboat in London — built in 1904, only a decade after the completion of Tower Bridge, which rises over the Thames just a little way upriver and provides an impressive backdrop for breakfast. Until the 1980s it was used as a floating Customs & Excise House, but it’s now one of London’s most impressive — and unusual — riverside stays. With four cabins sleeping up to ten, there’s space in spades, and the boat is stuffed with character, from the gleaming wooden floors and quirky artworks to a dining table that once belonged to Sir Winston Churchill.
Price ££
• Best Airbnbs in London
• Best brunch in London
Advertisement
2. The Old Tailor’s, Gloucestershire
Best for exploring the Cotswolds
As you might guess from the name, this little cabin in the sweet village of Woodmancote once belonged to a tailor, but it’s been refurbished into a fine base for adventures in the Cotswolds. Clad in corrugated steel, it stands out among the village’s amber stone cottages; inside it’s an airy, contemporary space, with A-frame ceilings, timber cladding, chunky industrial furniture and interesting design touches such as copper fixtures and an old-fashioned pull-chain loo.
Price £
3. Jane Austen’s house, Bath
Best for book lovers
For literary cachet, this basement Bath apartment is hard to better. It was once the kitchen and pantry for the Georgian townhouse where the Austens lived from 1801 to 1805. Now grade I listed, it’s on one of the city’s most beautiful streets, opposite Sydney Gardens and the nearby Holburne Museum. The space has been imaginatively converted into a two-bedroom apartment that’s stuffed with antiques and knick-knacks: old typewriters, rosewood sleigh beds, Victorian writing desks and leather armchairs.
Price £
4. A hobbit house at the Warren, Perth and Kinross
Advertisement
Best for Tolkien fans
Budding Bilbo Bagginses will adore these magical underground houses at the Warren, near Loch Tay. Thanks to their grass roofs, they’re barely visible from a distance, save for the porthole windows peeping out from the hillside. Inside, the domed ceilings and stone floors give them the feel of a Greek cave house, only with views of the Highlands rather than the Med. They’re reached via a wooden footbridge for that extra bit of seclusion, and each has its own hot tub outside.
Price ££
• Best things to do in the Highlands
• 12 of the best Airbnbs with pools in the UK
5. Old Smock Windmill, Kent
Best for rural architecture
Who doesn’t love a windmill? This one’s a beauty, set out over four storeys, with knockout views over the Kent countryside from the wraparound wooden deck. The original timber beams and some of the machinery are still in situ, giving the place bags of character, but it’s been cleverly modernised, with a well-equipped circular kitchen and a winding wooden staircase between the floors. There’s a separate apartment on the ground floor, handy for big families or couples holidaying together.
Price £
6. The Captain’s Rest, East Dunbartonshire
Advertisement
Best for a Highland retreat
Live the pioneer dream in your very own timber cabin in Campsie Glen, a gloriously quiet getaway in Finglen Forest, about 15 miles north of Glasgow. Set on a private wooded meadow, the cabin comes with all the character you’d want — old-fashioned range, stable door, a porch to sit out on and watch the sunset — but inside it’s more boutique than basic, with comfy sofas, designer throws, a flashy walk-in shower and a galley kitchen. There’s also a shepherd’s hut nearby, and owners Sabrina and Douglas Campbell have plenty of good recommendations on the local area.
Price £
7. Lymm Water Tower, Cheshire
Best for those with Grand Designs
This striking conversion of an old water tower knocked Kevin McCloud’s socks off when it featured on Grand Designs, and, unsurprisingly, it’s won numerous design awards since. It’s split into two apartments — the Master Bedroom and the Penthouse: given the choice, we’d go for the former for its quirky circular layout and swanky mezzanine bathroom, which feels straight out of a design magazine. The level of luxury is high — Philippe Starck fixtures, mood lighting, Tesla chauffeur service — but it’s the absolutely stunning rooftop garden that steals the show.
Price ££
8. An airship on the Sound of Mull, Argyllshire
Best for a Hebridean hideaway
You’ll feel like you’re piloting your own steampunk zeppelin at AirShip 2, a marvellously mad design adventure in a prime spot overlooking the Sound of Mull towards Tobermory. With its panelled walls, curvy aluminium kitchen, leather armchairs and industrial styling, it’s as if you’ve been transported onto a movie set — and the best seat in the house is the dragonfly’s-eye window at the end of the airship, positioned for maximum effect looking across to Mull. It’s remote, though, so bring supplies — otherwise it’s an eight-mile drive to Lochaline.
Advertisement
Price £
9. Ditchling Cabin, West Sussex
Best for wild swimmers
Forget a swimming pool: this A-framed cabin on the Sussex Downs comes with its own private four-acre lake, providing the chance for a bracing wild swim before breakfast. You can gaze over the water from the comfy lounge, as well as from the romantic master bedroom on the cabin’s upper level; there are also bunk beds for the kids, making this a versatile bet for families. But it’s on the lakeside deck that you’ll be spending most of your time: the cabin comes with its own jetty, plus a punt, raft, canoe and paddleboard for messing about on the water.
Price £££
10. The Hollywood Apartment, Brighton
Best for Brighton nightlife
It’s a crime to stay in Brighton without a sea view, and this glamorous apartment has one to write home about. Three floor-to-ceiling sash windows look out over Brighton’s busy seafront, and there’s a wrought-iron balcony from which to take in the views (just try to ignore the promenade traffic). Design-wise, the apartment is a kitsch, campy treat: chandeliers, statement wallpaper, pictures of Hollywood starlets and the candy-pink kitchen are all thoroughly Brighton. The apartment is handy for exploring the buzzy bars and bistros of Kemptown, too.
Price £££
Advertisement
• Best things to do in Brighton
11. Moon & Earth Conkers, Powys
Best for an extraterrestrial experience
These bonkers “conkers” in rural Powys are as near as you’ll get to experiencing a night in a lunar landing unit. Designed by Jag Virdie of Conker Living, they’re constructed from tessellated hexagons, fitted together to form a perfect metal sphere. Each conker is accessed via steps and a hatch, with a compact, cosy sleeping space inside, and little round windows for light — it’s the Airbnb equivalent of the Apollo 11 capsule. Other amenities are outside, including the outdoor kitchen, shower and loo, terrace, fire pit and his-and-hers tubs, filled by hand with a water pump. Completely mad, and completely brilliant.
Price £
12. Balance Treehouse, County Armagh
Best for imagination
This outlandish treehouse is the kind of place where you have to wonder about the sanity of whoever was mad enough to build it. But we’re glad they did: it clings to a sheer stone hillside deep inside the Ring of Gullion, a renowned beauty spot not far from the Irish border. The cabin is reached via a timber staircase and a rope bridge, the first of many barmy bits of design, including a glass-walled bedroom (with home cinema projector), a Jacuzzi out on the deck, and various bits of voice-activated tech to play with.
Price ££
13. The Old Signal House, Cornwall
Best for a Cornish sea view
A hundred years ago, this remote lodge provided digs for the keepers of Eddystone Lighthouse, the landmark beacon off Rame Head, which protected ships from striking Cornwall’s southern coastline. Handsomely modernised since, it’s now light, bright and cottagey, with three bedrooms sleeping up to six people. The pièce de résistance is the view: the lodge has its own sea-facing patio and lawn, but note that since there’s no fence, it’s not suitable for dogs or children. It’s also a steep climb up the 82 steps to the car park.
Price £
• Best beaches in Cornwall
• Best places to visit in Cornwall
14. A restored railway cabin, Norfolk
Best for upcycled chic
There are several sleeping options at Settle, a tranquil retreat near Breckland in South Norfolk. You could go for a timber cabin or a canvas bell tent, but our choice are the three railway cabins, which have been restored using reclaimed materials salvaged from the nearby reclamation yard. Rough wooden panels, bunk-style beds, vintage radiators, upcycled Victorian loos — everything here has been curated to create the endearingly ramshackle aesthetic. The carriages have space for two, with outside yoga decks and a fire pit, and there’s a peaceful lake nearby to wander. Thetford and the King’s Forest are within easy reach too.
Price ££
15. Skylark Seaview Studio, Northumberland
Best for dark skies
It’s all about big Northumbrian skies here, in a stylish, modern cabin surrounded by fields and hedgerows above Alnmouth and Warkworth. Designed by owners Giles, who is an architect, and his wife, Geno, it feels rather like a safari lodge in rural Northumberland: glass, bamboo floors, birch ply furniture and lots of potted plants, and sliding bifold doors that open up for maximum inside-outside space. The main reason to visit is to hike, bike or stargaze: Northumberland has some of the UK’s darkest skies, and guided star-spotting sessions can be arranged at nearby Kielder Observatory; book in advance as they sell out quickly.
Price £
16. The Ark Houseboat, North Yorkshire
Best for river views
Water views don’t get much more idyllic than on this renovated houseboat in Yorkshire, moored up on the banks of the River Ouse, with views of Bishopthorpe Palace (the Archbishop of York’s official abode). The houseboat offers three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a lounge and a spacious top deck where you can sit out and watch the life of the river go by. It’s moored next to the owners’ campsite, and there’s a little bankside hut nearby selling coffee, sandwiches and cake — handy for breakfast. York city centre is just a couple of miles upriver.
Price £
17. Black Reiver Bothy, Northumberland
Best for dark skies
This sturdy, low-slung stone cottage sits in the midst of Northumberland National Park, framed by fields, stiles and miles of dry stone walls. It’s a homely place with a rustic exterior, but it feels surprisingly swish once you step inside: lounge around by the wood-burner on the chaise longue, or climb the spiral staircase for a soak in the clawfoot tub. The cottage is in Donkleywood, a small, working, sheep-farming village, so dogs aren’t allowed.
Price £
18. Lingholm Boathouse, Cumbria
Best for waking up by the lake
For many folk — including Beatrix Potter — Derwentwater is the prettiest of all the lakes of the Lake District, and this uber-modern boathouse on the western shore surely has one of the most incredible views of the lake and its wooded islands. A symphony of glass, wood and Scandi furniture, with a pyramidal picture window facing the sunrise, it’s situated on the Lingholm Estate, where the Potters spent many happy holidays. These days, it’s popular for lakeside walks and for lunch at the excellent Lingholm Kitchen & Walled Garden.
Price ££
coolstays.com
• Best things to do in Lake District
19. King Arthur’s Willow Treehouse, Wiltshire
Best for a posh treehouse
With its pointy, witch’s-hat turrets and slate roof, this treehouse looks more like a miniature French chateau. Standing on stilt legs and laid out over three levels, it’s beautifully built, with rustic greenwood furniture and timber-clad walls, as well as an encircling balcony looking out onto the fields of Mill Farm. It’s roughly halfway between Trowbridge and Devizes, and a good base for exploring Wiltshire’s ancient sites, including Avebury and Stonehenge.
Price ££
coolstays.com
20. East Gatehouse Lodge, Perthshire
Best for architectural oddity
Your budget might not quite stretch to your own castle, but you can still pretend you’re lord or lady of the manor here: a 19th-century gatehouse on the main drive up to Monzie Castle, complete with a neo-gothic turret and an archway leading up to the castle. The building’s design means the layout is a bit unusual — rooms are octagonal and accessed via the original spiral staircase — but book for a week and you get your own private castle tour.
Price £-££
coolstays.com
21. The Roundhouse, Herefordshire
Best for garden lovers
There’s a touch of gardening glamour about this place near Ross-on-Wye: it comes with its own Zen rooftop garden, a pond buzzing with dragonflies, a hot tub, a sauna and even a mini-waterfall. Its circular design creates an unusual space: glass windows and skylights fill the structure with light and frame views over the secret garden. The lounge and bedroom form one ostentatious open-plan space and there’s even a grand piano if you feel like tinkling the ivories.
Price £-££
coolstays.com
22. Nymetwood Treehouses, Devon
Best for hikers
Go wild in style at these two striking treehouses on the northern edge of Dartmoor: with their charcoal-black kitchens and minimalist furniture, they feel more Denmark than Devon. There are two to choose from, both named after birds (Starling and Blackcap): the design is similar in both, with a magnificent balcony overlooking woodland, a romantic mezzanine bedroom, and an outside copper tub, perfect for an evening soak after a day’s tramping over the tors.
Price ££
coolstays.com
23. Waterfall Cabin, Ceredigion
Best for getting back to nature
When you really want to leave the outside world behind, head for the hills — the Cambrian Mountains, to be more specific, where you’ll find this off-grid cabin lost in its own ultra-secluded patch of woodland. While away the days dozing in your hammock, dunk in the timber tub, read books by the wood-burner or explore the forest paths — there are no digital distractions to detract from the fairytale forest setting.
Price £
kiphideaways.com
• Best treehouse stays in the UK
• Best unusual places to stay in the UK
Sign up for the Times Travel Newsletter here.
