Newly Added

New to Host Unusual: Legendary Cabins-by-the-Sea, Magical Tree Tents, and a Witchcraft-Inspired Windmill

25 February 2025

There’s plenty of myth and magic to discover in our latest selection of unusual retreats. For example: how about bedding down in an opulent clifftop cabin, whose cutting-edge design was inspired by a legendary Suffolk sea monster?

You could also hop on a broomstick and fly to the Isle of Man, where you’ll find a historic mill that once formed part of the world’s first Museum of Magic and Witchcraft! Now a four-storey family retreat, highlights include an impossibly scenic glass rooftop and a children’s bunk room with its very own ‘fairytale tree’.

Speaking of trees, if you head to a sprawling farm estate in the North Downs, you’ll have the opportunity to relax in a UK first – a transparent, magazine-featured tree-tent suspended in a private woodland space… complete with a fairy-lit al fresco bathtub for added romance.

What else? Stay at the grand estate of one of Scotland’s most iconic literary figures, or travel to Ireland’s Ancient East for a quirky stay in one of the Great Gardens of the World. Though if the wide open water is more your style, no problem. You can always kick back in a skippered and hosted luxury sailing yacht and explore the shimmering south coast, instead!

Dive into our latest selection of retreats right now.

Author: Nina Jervis-Green
Main image: The Sea Dragons at Still Southwold | Suffolk

The Sea Dragons

Southwold, Suffolk, England
Architect-designed, cedar-clad havens inspired by Suffolk legend, privately elevated on a clifftop with soul-stirring North Sea views and a secluded beach on the doorstep.
Bedrooms: 1 per cabin
Sleeps: 2
From
£192/night

The Witches Mill

Castletown, Isle of Man
Immerse your souls in magic and mystery with a family-friendly stay in the Isle of Man’s oldest windmill, a major hub for witchcraft in times past and a short walk away from the medieval Castle Rushen.
Bedrooms: 4
Sleeps: 8
From
£200 / night

The Hope Scott Wing at Abbotsford

Melrose, Scottish Borders, Scotland
Trace the footsteps of Sir Walter Scott in a grand group stay set across three luxurious floors, on an iconic Scottish Borders estate that breathes with history.
Bedrooms: 8
Sleeps: 16
From
£2650 /2 nts

Mount Congreve Gardens Forest Accommodation

Kilmeaden, County Waterford, Ireland
An eclectic collection of hand-crafted cabins with private hot tubs, bell tents and historic lodges, magically secluded in the vast, idyllic gardens of an 18th century estate in Ireland’s Ancient East.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 4
From
£163 /night

The Mission

Ventnor, Isle of Wight, Isle Of Wight, England
A delightfully quirky ‘tin tabernacle' on the Isle of Wight, a divine setting for a bracing island escape you'll soon be saying your prayers to return to!
Bedrooms: 4
Sleeps: 8
From
£200 / night

Rushmere Farm Holiday Cottages

Hambledon, Hampshire, England
Relax and recharge on a carbon negative, family-run organic cereal farm in Hampshire, with an eclectic collection of places to stay, creative workshops, and an abundance of fresh produce.
Bedrooms: Varies
Sleeps: 4
From
£79 /nt

Treeopia

Tenbury Wells, Worcestershire, England
A duo of award-winning, adults-only treehouses with private hot tubs, sustainably crafted and romantically secluded amongst four sublime acres of historic landscaped grounds in rural Worcestershire.
Bedrooms: 1 per treehouse
Sleeps: 2
From
£365 /nt

Rooks

Dartmouth, Devon, England
An award-winning, pet-friendly Devon eco-hideaway with a wood-fired hot tub and sauna, elevated over a wooded valley with spectacular views of Start Bay.
Bedrooms: 1
Sleeps: 2
From
£323 / night

The Boathouse, Devon

Lee, Devon, England
A characterful, dog-friendly cottage nestled on the cliffs above Lee Bay Beach, with superlative ocean views and the South West Coast Path practically on the doorstep.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£280 /nt

Quesnelle

Newquay, Cornwall, England
An architect-designed Newquay family home with vintage style and modern comforts, dog-friendly and in easy walking distance of local attractions including the world-famous Fistral Beach.
Bedrooms: 4
Sleeps: 10
From
£150 /nt

Cove

Dartmouth, Devon, England
An award-winning Devon eco-sanctuary with a private sauna and hot tub, exquisitely secluded in a wooded valley with soul-stirring views over Start Bay.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 4
From
£322 / night

Oaklane Glamping

Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland
Bespoke luxury cabins and a scenic yoga deck, privately secluded on a working sheep farm that overlooks Kenmare Bay on the iconic Wild Atlantic Way in County Kerry.
Bedrooms: 1 per cabin
Sleeps: 2
From
£159 / night

Cormorant at Lochend Chalets

Lake of Menteith, Stirlingshire, Scotland
A unique, modernist box-lodge with an al fresco hot tub and breath-taking lake-and-burn views, privately secluded on a family-owned Scottish estate with an acclaimed on-site restaurant.
Bedrooms: 3
Sleeps: 6
From
£995 /2nts

Bryn Tyrch Inn

Capel Curig, Snowdonia, County Conwy, Wales
A warmly welcoming, dog-friendly pub for epic group breaks in the heart of Snowdonia, with a cinema, games room, and an enclosed garden with river access for wild swimming.
Bedrooms: 12
Sleeps: 24
From
£5070 /wk

Boutique Domes

Castlerock, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland
Luxurious transparent retreats with private hot tubs, saunas, and outstanding views across the sea, beautifully secluded just moments from the coast at Castlerock.
Bedrooms: 1 per done
Sleeps: 2
From
£245 /nt

The Woolpack York

York, North Yorkshire, England
A luxurious converted pub that’s ideal for long-awaited catch-ups over fizz, perfectly set in York’s vibrant city centre with shops, bars and restaurants in ridiculously easy reach.
Bedrooms: 6
Sleeps: 12
From
£655 /nt

The Pontoon

Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, England
A stylish houseboat with an extended deck for sunbathing and socialising, peacefully secluded with panoramic marina views in the quaint Essex fishing village of Leigh-on-Sea.
Bedrooms: 2
Sleeps: 8
From
£232 / night

The Kings Head

Chelmsford, Essex, England
An award-winning converted Essex pub for glamorous group celebrations, rich in boutique charm with a private cocktail bar, karaoke disco room and al fresco hot tub .
Bedrooms: 5
Sleeps: 14
From
£1600 /nt

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