Unusual places to stay tend to be pretty spectacular on their own. It takes a great deal of thought, care, and imagination to craft a retreat that stands out in the crowded and fiercely competitive world of hospitality.
Awards, however, can point to a little something ‘extra’ – whether local treats, personalised recommendations, one-of-a-kind experiences, or welcome warmth that evokes a genuine sense of home. Some awards also recognise exceptional eco-friendliness and a thoughtful approach to sustainability.
We love celebrating a job well done, so you’ll find each of these unique global retreats have won, or were nominated for, a coveted award in 2025. In fact, you could think of this list as a glitzy red carpet parade!
So with that said, it’s time to fill your glass with fizz, then settle down to peruse our ‘winners and nominees’ list in full. We’re so proud to list these incredible, award-recognised retreats on Host Unusual, and we offer our hearty congratulations to each and every one.
Author: Nina Jervis-Green
Main image: Dave and Lizzy of Railholiday, awarded GOLD for Regenerative Tourism by the Cornwall Tourism Awards
Manshausen, Leinesfjord, Steigen, Norway
Start your Nordic adventure story on this breathtaking island resort, where the sea and the mountains combine in a spectacular backdrop for relaxation, contemplation and activity alike.
Bedrooms: 2 per cabin
Sleeps: 4
Winner: Michelin Key (“this is the Michelin Star restaurant equivalent for hotels – only 11 other hotels in Norway have won this prestigious award!”). Winner: Sustainable Award, Culinary Hotel Awards (1st place). Winner: Design Category, Hotel and Lodge Magazine (2nd place).
Mani, Peloponnese, Greece
Experience elaborate architectural design in a piece of history at Tainaron blue - a fabulous hotel in a converted Tower of Mani set by azure shores on the southernmost tip of mainland Greece.
Winner: 2 Michelin Keys, one of only six hotels in Greece to receive this exceptional accolade, according to the Michelin Newsletter!
Huntly, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Indulgent rural luxury on a blissfully remote, dog and horse-friendly family farm nestled in sublime Aberdeenshire countryside, with private hot tubs for stargazing and a wealth of natural wonder to discover.
Bedrooms: 1 or 2 per lodge
Sleeps: 6
Winner: Best Self-Catering or Unique Stay at the Aberdeen City and Shire Thistle Awards. Host Louise was also included in 2024’s Top 100 Women in Tourism (a biannual award) and nominated for Sustainable Business of the Year at the Women’s Enterprise Awards.
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
Savour magnificent Cotswolds views from the comfort of an adults-only, off-grid cabin with a stargazing hot tub and al fresco pizza oven, peacefully secluded on a family-run farm.
Winner: Glamping Business of the Year at the Bristol, Bath and Somerset Tourism Awards (Bronze).
Widegates, Cornwall, England
A unique, expertly handcrafted back-to-nature escape that showcases some of the best sea views in Cornwall.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 6
Winner: Glamping Business of the Year at the Cornwall Tourism Awards (Silver). “This is the fourth consecutive year that we’ve been honoured in these highly prestigious awards, having won Gold for the past three years.”
Edlingham, Northumberland, England
A super-luxe, adults-only eco-cabin with an al fresco stone bathtub for stargazing, peacefully secluded in a vast, wildlife-steeped field in Northumberland’s Edlingham Valley.
Winner: Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year, North East Tourism Awards (Gold). Nominated: Self Catering Accommodation of the Year, North East England, VisitEngland Awards for Excellence.
Wark, Northumberland, England
A globally-unique and ultra-luxurious Net Zero conversion of a 19th century church, in beautiful rural Northumberland close to Hadrian’s Wall and Kielder Water.
Winner: Five Star Self-Catering and Gold Award, VisitEngland Awards for Excellence. Winner: Green Tourism Award (Gold). Shortlisted: Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year and New Tourism Business of the Year, North East England Tourism Awards.
Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland
A private, magical haven with joyfully quirky retreats and idyllic wildflower meadows, peacefully secluded in Ireland’s ‘Ancient East’ close to bustling Dublin.
Winner: Traveller’s Choice Awards 2025, TripAdvisor. Winner: Best Dark Skies Award 2025 (Ireland), Midlands 103 Hospitality Awards (“for the second year running!”). Nominated: Best Glamping Experience 2025m Great Irish Hospitality Awards (winner TBA).
St Germans, Cornwall, England
View the best of Cornwall's unspoilt countryside from the window of your very own eco-friendly, lovingly restored railway carriage at Railholiday.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 2-6
Winner: Award for Regenerative Tourism, Cornwall Tourism Awards (Gold). “We’re proud to win this award for our holistic approach all to things sustainable, including our wildlife- friendly gardens, our restoration of old carriages using circular economy principles, and voluntary work within our community.”
Blakeney, Gloucestershire, England
A soulful and sustainable mid-century haven with an al fresco soaking tub and lush foliage inside and out, peacefully secluded on a hillside in the Forest of Dean.
Winner: Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year, New Tourism Business of the Year, and Regenerative Tourism, South West Tourism Awards for Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire (all Silver). “We’re thrilled to have won these awards in our first year of applying!”
Kilmartin, Argyll and Bute, Scotland
Exclusive rule of an authentic, sustainable, and exquisitely restored castle that dates all the way back to the 16th century, located within Scotland’s most concentrated collection of archaeological sites.
Bedrooms: 5
Sleeps: 10 exclusive
UK Holiday Home of the Year 2025, Vrbo Kilmartin Castle has also been named in Hidden Scotland Magazine’s Top 10 Inspirational People and Projects.
Mitcheldean, Gloucestershire, England
Two sumptuous adults only, dog-friendly cedar cabins with a hot tub and barrel sauna, plus luxuries galore, bespoke crafted and nestled in the magical Forest of Dean.
Bedrooms: 1 per cabin
Sleeps: 2
Visit England Rose Award 2025. “We received this award after being nominated by our Visit England Quality Assessor. It’s so wonderful to have this national recognition of all we do to make guests’ stays special – and moving forward we’ll strive to do even better!”
Bungay, Norfolk, England
A duo of hand-crafted, off-grid retreats (one an Amazing Space!) each with a sumptuous outdoor bath, peacefully secluded in a Norfolk wildflower meadow for a beautiful back-to-nature escape.
Finalist: Camping, Glamping, and Holiday Park Category, Suffolk and Norfolk Tourism Awards 2025/26. “This is our third time as a finalist, with just three businesses being nominated each time – so perhaps it’ll be ‘third time lucky’ for us in March – wish us luck!”
Glastonbury, Somerset, England
Magical eco-friendly E-den cabins in Glastonbury, with breathtaking views of Glastonbury Tor and the Somerset levels.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2 per unit
Winner: Café and Tearoom of the Year, Bristol, Bath, Somerset and Gloucestershire Tourism Awards 2025 (Bronze).
Craswall, Herefordshire, England
Lovingly-crafted, adults-only havens with luxurious private facilities (including dreamy outdoor bathing!) secluded amongst rolling Herefordshire countryside.
Bedrooms: 1 per unit
Sleeps: 2
Shortlisted: Camping, Glamping, and Holiday Park of the Year, Visit Herefordshire Awards (winner TBA).
Bishop Wilton, Yorkshire, England
A luxuriously romantic lodge-amongst-the-leaves, in an award-winning corner of the unspoilt Yorkshire Wolds.
Bedrooms: Open plan
Sleeps: 2
Winner: Camping, Glamping, Holiday Park and Self-Catering Accommodation of the Year, Visit York Tourism Awards
Launceston, Cornwall, England
Luxury glamping pods set under the starry skies of Bodmin Moor, with a wild spa on site and the scenic backdrop of Cornwall's ‘Peaceful Valley' to keep you company.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 2/4/8 per unit
Winner: Glamping Site of the Year, Cornwall Tourism Awards (Gold).
Ryde, Isle of Wight, Isle Of Wight, England
A gleaming collection of iconic American Airstreams, each styled for nostalgic comfort and gloriously set within a 40-acre family-run farm on the Isle of Wight.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 2-6 guests per airstream
Winner: Best Campsite, Isle of Wight Tourism Awards (Gold). Winner: Best Place to Go Glamping (Bronze) “These are the only visitor-nominated awards on the island, with 154 island businesses taking part and a whopping 52,940 public votes cast!”
Bredenbury, Herefordshire, England
Nostalgic, first-class couples and family accommodation at a restored 19th century railway station, set amongst timeless North Herefordshire countryside.
Bedrooms: 1 or 2 per property
Sleeps: 2 or 4 per property
Nominated: Regenerative Tourism and Self-Catering Accommodation categories, Visit Herefordshire Tourism Awards.
Newport, Isle of Wight, Isle Of Wight, England
A luxurious collection of architect-designed, off-grid cabins-in-miniature, complete with indulgent spa facilities and surrounded by wildflower gardens in peaceful Isle of Wight woodland.
Bedrooms:
Sleeps: 4 per unit
Winner: Green Star Award, Visit Isle of Wight Winner: Plastic Free Hero Award, Surfers Against Sewage
Matlock, Derbyshire, England
Eco-friendly, accessible, self-catering log cabins, camping pods and a gypsy caravan on a working farm in the Peak District.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: Varies
Winner: Green Growth Awards (“the first-ever award in a national competition recognising the top UK small businesses that lead innovation in sustainability”). Owner David Brown has also been shortlisted for the national Net Zero 50 List, for his role in promoting sustainable tourism.
Lorne, Victoria, Australia
A bold and quirky architectural gem, superbly nestled within the lush rainforest ferns of Australia's Great Otway National Park.
Winner: Sustainability Award, Award of Excellence, and Award of Excellence Lifetime Achievement (for owner Heather Kolb), E2 Media. Winner: Wellness Experience of the Year, Corporate Livewire Innovation and Excellence Awards. Winner: Holistic Wellness Experience of the Year (Australia), Prestige Awards.
Skegness, Lincolnshire, England
A unique collection of creatively-themed vehicles with private wood-fired hot tubs, peacefully nestled on a sustainable, adults-only site in the rolling Lincolnshire Wolds, just 15 minutes from the coast.
Bedrooms: 1 per vehicle
Sleeps: 2
Winner: Best Luxury Dog-Friendly Glamping Experience, and Guest Hospitality Experience, SME News Best of British Getaways.
Crewkerne, Somerset, England
Adults-only roundhouse glamping on a lush organic farm, for unrivalled luxury amongst nature.
Bedrooms: 1 per roundhouse
Sleeps: 2 per roundhouse
Winner: Best Adults-Only Eco-Glamping Retreat 2025 – Somerset, SME News Elite Business Awards. Runner-up: Cool Places to Stay in the South West, Food and Lifestyle Awards.
Bad Zwischenahn, Lower Saxony, Germany
A gorgeously green German glamping site, where fairytale forest living has been given a five-star upgrade.
Bedrooms: 1 per treehouse
Sleeps: 4 per treehouse
Honourable mention: “While we haven’t won an official award, we have just been included in two wonderful and prestigious books – The Hotel Book: Great Escapes Germany (Angelika Taschen), and Glamorous Camping in the Great Outdoors (Schattauer).”
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