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Jo is an award-winning travel journalist and hiking holiday enthusiast. Her specialisms include sustainable travel and money-saving advice.
In this article
A quarter of people who stayed at a holiday cottage in the past two years told us they experienced a problem.
The most common issues were poor cleanliness, slow or patchy wi-fi and a lack of kitchen utensils or bedding.
So, to make sure your next staycation is a relaxing one, it’s vital to book with a provider you can trust.
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Rural Retreats came top in our latest survey of almost 3,000 holidaymakers. It’s a luxury provider that specialises in farm cottages, barn conversions and manor houses in idyllic countryside locations.
The Landmark Trust and National Trust were joint second: both are charities that save historic buildings at risk of falling into disrepair and turn them into quirky holiday rentals.
All three holiday cottage providers have properties throughout the UK, although their portfolios are relatively small (fewer than 1,000 each) compared with some – Airbnb, for example, lists 400,000 rentals in the UK alone.
The result is a more personalised service and cottages that are beautifully kitted out and well maintained. All three clinch the full five stars for the quality of their accommodation.
At the other end of the scale, Vrbo still achieved a decent customer score of 72%, but holidaymakers were less enamoured with the service they received and the range and quality of rentals available. It mustered a mediocre three stars in these areas.
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER Rural Retreats (45) | £64 | 87% | ||||||||
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER Landmark Trust (53) | £80 | 86% | ||||||||
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER National Trust (119) | £58 | 86% | ||||||||
RECOMMENDED PROVIDER Classic Cottages (82) | £60 | 84% | ||||||||
Aspects Holidays (34) | £53 | 83% | ||||||||
Unique Cottages (35) | £50 | 83% | ||||||||
| £50 | 82% | |||||||||
English Heritage (34) | £83 | 81% | ||||||||
Cottages.com (443) | £45 | 80% | ||||||||
Airbnb (999) | £46 | 78% | ||||||||
Holidaycottages.co.uk (306) | £50 | 77% | ||||||||
Hoseasons (118) | £40 | 77% | ||||||||
Norfolk Hideaways (31) | - | 77% | - | |||||||
Sykes (506) | £46 | 77% | ||||||||
Booking.com (561) | £50 | 75% | ||||||||
Original Cottages (49) | £53 | 75% | ||||||||
Vrbo (113) | £60 | 72% |
Results based on 3,898 responses from 2,943 members of the Which? Connect panel and members of the general public, collected in December 2025 and January 2026. Sample size in brackets. Booking.com includes self-catering accommodation only. A dash (-) means not enough responses for us to give a rating or indicative price. Indicative price per night based on median price our survey respondents told us they paid. Customer score is overall satisfaction and likelihood of recommending
Rural Retreats has almost 1,000 beautifully furnished properties across the UK, from chocolate-box thatched cottages to converted mills. The remote rural locations are just as impressive: think serene beachfront spots or rolling hills, with alpacas grazing outside your front door. The luxury cottage provider received an impressive array of five-star ratings, including for cleanliness and customer service, with hosts encouraged to go the extra mile. Many of you praised the generous welcome hampers overflowing with goodies (not just the basic pint of milk); Rural Retreats will indicate on the listing if one is provided. ‘Excellently appointed cottage, warm and comfortable with generous-sized rooms and spotlessly clean,’ reported one customer.
Which? verdict For high-end stays in peaceful locations, Rural Retreats is an unbeatable choice for your next holiday on home soil
Book a Rural Retreats cottage
One of the UK’s leading building conservation charities, The Landmark Trust sensitively restores historic buildings that are in danger of being lost forever. The result is an eclectic portfolio with everything from medieval longhouses to Gothic follies, all furnished to high standards. Buildings are often in off-grid locations and there’s generally no TV or wi-fi provided (and perhaps not even a phone signal). Still, most of you were happy to forgo the trappings of modern life for a unique experience. High prices also weren’t a deterrent: in fact, one customer went as far as to call it a ‘privilege’ to stay in such a historic setting. Another praised the ‘peace and sense of escape’, adding that ‘no other rented holiday accommodation has ever matched the wonder of a Landmark Trust property’.
Which? verdict Pricey, but special-occasion stays don’t come much more memorable than this.
Book a cottage with The Landmark Trust
From medieval castles to Victorian lighthouses, the National Trust has protected and restored more than 400 historic buildings since it was founded in 1895. Drafty windows or creaky floorboards can plague some of the older buildings. But you told us you were willing to make allowances to be immersed in museum-standard surroundings, with plenty of background information provided for guests. In fact, these eccentric properties get snapped up fast. One repeat customer told us that rentals were ‘always of a very good standard,’ adding: ‘Properties are not cheap but I feel the money is going to a good cause.’ Each stay helps to support the conservation and preservation of more historic places, with around 10 properties restored every year.
Which? verdict Book far enough ahead and you can enjoy all the flair of a Landmark Trust stay for a more modest price.
Book a National Trust stay
What started with a couple of fishermen’s cottages in Cornwall in the 1970s has grown into the UK’s largest independent holiday cottage company. Classic Cottages’ portfolio now reaches most corners of the UK. However, the South West of England, where it all began, is still its bread and butter – whether it’s a clifftop bolthole on the Cornish coast or a traditional cottage in a dark-sky reserve in Somerset, perfect for stargazing. One guest praised the ‘home from home feeling’, adding: ‘Always excellent properties, well stocked with everything you need and more.’
Which? verdict Hands-on customer care and well-appointed cottages in the South West of England and beyond.
Book a stay with Classic Cottages
Unique Cottages’ entire portfolio is in Scotland: from the Highlands to the west coast and the remote isles. The result is a collection of luxury, traditional and one-of-a-kind cottages in unspoiled locations, with a friendly, knowledgeable team on hand to help your stay go without a hitch. This approach has seen the independent provider secure a string of four and five-star ratings across the board. One guest told us their cottage was ‘comfortable, well maintained and located in a peaceful setting’. They added: ‘Everything needed for a relaxing stay was provided, and the booking process was smooth and straightforward.’
Which? verdict For seamless Scottish stays, you’re in great hands.
Book a stay with Unique Cottages
Jo Rhodes, Which? travel senior researcher/writer says:
Our editorial independence means we work on behalf of consumers, not cottage holiday companies. We're never influenced by companies, nor do we accept free stays at cottages. Instead, we gather the opinions of thousands of Which? Connect panel members about recent cottage stays. To calculate overall customer scores, we ask members if they recommend the company and how satisfied they are with their trip.