English Country Holiday Cottages

Global accommodation database

2009-05-06T10:52:00.003+12:00

We are delighted to announce that as part of the Roamfree Affiliate network we now offer Hotels, Resorts, Motels, Apartments, B&Bs and Backpackers worldwide at competitive prices.

We provide online access to one of the fastest growing accommodation databases today -accommodation in most countries around the globe. With more than 100,000 listed properties and more being added daily these listings provide people on the move with the ability to book accommodation online with confidence.

Check out our new pages - with more currently under development.

Explore Australia Packaged Options

2009-05-06T10:51:00.000+12:00

We are pleased to announce that we have enhanced our product mix by introducing packaged holidays throughout Australia - Great Australian Escapes - Many of these guaranteed best price vacations include free pickup from and return to airport plus optional activities including transport to and from each venue. Explore the Great Barrier Reef , Sunshine Coast, Whitsunday Islands and take advantage of the many tours and experience options included in the one all embracing price.

Chelsea Flower Show, May Bank Holidays

2009-04-11T15:43:00.002+12:00

We have a number of exciting things happening on our websites:

Chelsea Flower Show - 23 May 2009 - Royal Hospital, Chelsea: Nowhere makes gardening more fashionable than the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. A catwalk of colour and creativity, the brightest new ideas and the latest trends make this show the one the world wants to see. The show gardens, created by some of the world's leading garden designers, provide you with endless inspiration whatever your budget. The best in gardening and horticulture is brought together in one place for one week in May. The show is held in the grounds of the Royal Hospital, home to the Chelsea Pensioners, next to the River Thames. Show opens 8am- 5.30pm. Superbreak is pleased to offer one day entrance tickets for Saturday 23 May 2009 with overnight accommodation from a choice of London hotels. Please note if you wish to check-in on the day of your entrance ticket please call our reservations department.

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May Bank Holidays: The Best of British For Your May Bank Holiday.

Why not make your Bank Holiday break a Superbreak?
- Established for over 25 years
- Over 7,000 hotels
- Breakfast included at most hotels
- No credit card or bookings fees
- Prices include all taxes
For example stay in a four star hotel in London for only £96.90 for 3 nts - here are some on offer:
4* London - £96.90 for 3 nts
4* Derby - £121.67 for 3 nts
3* Manchester - £100 for 3 nts
3* Harrogate - £115.67 for 3 nts
See more 3 for 2's Or check out our Dazzling West End Show offers - from £60.50
Billy Elliott - from £67.50
Oliver! - from £78.50
See all Theatre Breaks

Concert Events in London's West End and elsewhere

2009-03-13T16:46:00.003+13:00

Today 13 March we have edited our page Concert Events in our Breaks2go.com website to contain the new range of concedrt events on offer.

Now includes upgraded slide shows across England

2009-02-24T19:49:00.000+13:00

We are near the finish of a complete rebuild of the photographs we have taken as we have explored England over the past twenty years.
We have used a slide show application which loads all the photographs providing quick and seamless navigation from one slide to the next.

We have noticed only one small constraint: If you open the page containing the slide show and immediately start clicking from one slide to the next you can beat the speed with which the application loads the photographs. If you view each slide for the normal length of time before moving onto the next the application will load the slides at a faster pace.

Click here to view the Photographs Home Page.

At this stage we have the slide shows established on our European website - shortly we will also integrate it in our New Zealand website.

What's new February 2009

2009-02-10T09:16:00.005+13:00

Bookings for the month of January 2009 broke previous records and indicates that people in the UK are looking to holiday at home during these times of economic uncertainty. This is good for our business and we are adding additional resources to enhance the experience of visitors to our website and also audit the accuracy of existing pages.

New improvements include:

1. Improved and more comprehensive page layouts
We have redesigned our main search page and now include the ability to display cottages by county/region sleeping 2 to 18 people (you choose the number) for Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

2. Audit of the accuracy of links to maps.

We are auditing the accuracy of the links to Google maps, Google Satellite view, and Route from London - particularly in our pages of selected cottages. We continue to recommend that you check the property on the map in the property details page. Note that you will receive detailed instructions on the location of the property from the owners when you book.

3. Increased the content of our cottage pages in our website http://www.breaks2go.com/

Our research indicates that for visitors from the UK pages open 7 times quicker when they are located in a website based in the UK compared to our website http://www.explorethecountry.com/ based in New Zealand.
As a result of this we have duplicated some pages from our New Zealand website in our website http://www.breaks2go.com/ which is located in Cheshire in the UK. The initial findings indicate that more people are spending more time in the pages located in our UK website.

Superbreaks, London Shows, City Breaks

2008-12-07T21:21:00.002+13:00

Our superbreak website named http://www.breaks2go.com brings you the best short break hotel and entertainment packages including rail. With more than 1.5 million people booking superbreaks every year you create your own superbreak to suit your requirements.

Click here to go to our superbreak website

Superbreaks, Superbreak Hotels, London Shows and City Breaks across the UK, Europe and beyond. Quality hotel accommodation plus optional add-ons: theatre, concert, entertainment, rail travel, tours, cruises and more

Quality Assured English Country Cottages in Norfolk

2008-12-01T21:53:00.002+13:00

More than 670 Norfolk holiday cottages to choose from whether you're relaxing or exploring the waterways, quiet beaches & rolling countryside do it from a Norfolk holiday cottage; you won't want to leave.

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Norfolk has a huge selection of pretty market towns for you to discover. Each with their own unique character, you will be spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing from the farmers’ markets, local restaurants, antique shops and independent stores on offer, not forgetting the ancient buildings and attractions. With more than 500 Self Catering Cottages in Norfolk we offer Norfolk Cottages to suit every budget and taste.
The Norfolk Broads is a very special area of interest with expanses of open water, marshes, fens and waterways filled with flora and fauna specially adapted for their habitat. The Norfolk Broads is Britain's most diverse and important wetland habitat. Enormous native and migratory bird populations are found in this area.

Quality assured Holiday Cottages in The Cotswolds

2008-11-30T15:20:00.002+13:00

Whether you're relaxing in one of the many grade II listed Cotswold Cottages we offer, exploring the quiet country lanes, checking out the bustling market towns or just enjoying the beauty of the Cotswold countryside do it from a Holiday Cottage in The Cotswolds; you won't want to leave.

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When you hear the words "an English Country Cottage", the image that springs to mind is the scene you'd be greeted with when you choose to stay in an English Country Cottage from our listings of cottages in the Cotswolds. This beautiful part of the world is filled with truly quaint villages with honey coloured stone cottages virtually everywhere you go. There's the delightful market town of Stow-on-the-Wold filled with antique shops, galleries and craft shops and Bourton-on-the-Water described as the "Little Venice of the Cotswolds".

Quality Assured Holiday Cottages in Hampshire

2008-11-30T15:13:00.003+13:00

More than 210 Hampshire holiday cottages to choose from. Whether you're relaxing or exploring the historic countryside & popular beaches do it from a Hampshire holiday cottage; you won't want to leave.

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Hampshire, sometimes historically Southamptonshire or Hamptonshire, (abbr. Hants) is a county on the south coast of England. The county borders (clockwise from West), Dorset, Wiltshire, Berkshire, Surrey and West Sussex.
You will find Hampshire Self Catering Cottages spread across the County and there is sure to be a Hampshire Cottage in a location to suit you.
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England. It is a land overflowing with incredible landscapes, charming villages, world-famous stately homes, forests, castles and manor houses. Winchester, the county town, was once the capital of England, and is home to a beautiful cathedral, not to mention many points of historic interest. The largest cities in Hampshire are Southampton (from which the county takes its name) and Portsmouth. Hampshire also includes the New Forest which, despite its name, is one of the few primeval oak woods in England - it is a beautiful area for a leisurely walk.
The county has an area of 1,455 square miles (3,769 km²) and at its widest points is approximately 55 miles (90 km) east-west and 40 miles (65 km) north-south. Hampshire is a popular holiday area, with tourist attractions including its many seaside resorts, the maritime area in Portsmouth, and the motor museum at Beaulieu. The New Forest National Park lies within the borders, as does a large area of the South Downs, which is also scheduled to become a National Park. Hampshire has a long maritime history and two of England's largest ports lie on its coast. The county is famed as home of the writers Jane Austen and Charles Dickens.

Quality Assured Holiday Cottages in Dorset

2008-11-30T15:09:00.005+13:00

More than 590 Dorset holiday cottages to choose from. Whether you're relaxing or exploring the historic countryside & popular beaches do it from a Dorset holiday cottage; you won't want to leave.

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With around 600 Dorset Self Catering Holiday Cottages you are sure to find the Holiday Cottage in Dorset that's just right for you. You will find quality assured Dorset Cottages in the coastal coves and villages along the picturesque historic southern coastline known as The Jurassic Coast shared with Dorset featuring landfills such as Lulworth Cove in the Portland area; The Isle of Portland, Chesil Beach and Durdle Door are well worth visiting as well as the holiday resort areas of Bournemouth, Poole, Weymouth, Swanage, Lyme Regis with its famous Cobb Harbour and Cerne Abbas Giant.
If you have difficulty finding a cottage from the list that is displayed when you click on one of these towns or villages in Dorset click here and join the numbers of happy customers we are helping locate their dream Cottage. Our email service is free, you are under no obligation and we will not start sending you promotional offers.

Quality Assured Holiday Cottages in Devon

2008-11-30T15:02:00.006+13:00

More than 1,200 Devon holiday cottages to choose from, Whether you're relaxing or exploring the historic countryside and popular beaches do it from a Devon holiday cottage; you won't want to leave.

Click here to display >>

With more than 1,200 Devon Self Catering Holiday Cottages you are sure to find the Holiday Cottage in Devon that's just right for you. You will find quality assured Devon Cottages in the coastal coves and villages along the picturesque historic southern coastline known as The Jurassic Coast and to the North where Devon fronts onto the Bristol Channel or you can choose from Devon Holiday Cottages in the rural areas. Dartmoor and Exmoor both National Parks offer the opportunity to enjoy the quietness and tranquillity of rural areas sparsely populated. With its many seaside resorts and several historic towns and cities plus mild climate, Devon is highly popular with the tourists who make a significant contribution to its economy.
If you have difficulty finding your dream Devon Holiday cottage from the list that is displayed when you click on one of these towns or villages in Devon click here and join the numbers of happy customers we are helping locate their Cottage. Our email service is free, you are under no obligation and we will not start sending you promotional offers.
For a traditional holiday experience in Britain, Devon has to be the perfect choice for so many different reasons. It is a county renowned for its tantalising cream teas, picturesque villages, long sandy beaches and breathtakingly beautiful moors.

Cornish Country Holiday Cottages by town and village

2008-11-30T10:27:00.004+13:00

More than 1,100 quality assured holiday cottages in Cornwall - click here for more

Christmas Accommodation across the UK

2008-11-30T07:45:00.004+13:00

We have just updated our listings of cottages available for Christmas 2008 - Click here to access page of regions across the UK

Planning your UK Holiday just for you

2006-11-13T20:58:00.000+13:00

Have you ever set out to your chosen holiday spot hoping that your accommodation will enable you to have a relaxing and comfortable time away from home, then hoping that you will also be able to enjoy doing the things you plan to do?

My wife and I have visited the UK regularly since our first trip in 1980 and we have chosen every which way to explore the countryside, its beautiful villages, enchanting gardens, depth of history and bustling market towns. We have taken coach tours, stayed in hotels, bed & breakfast accommodation and it was not until recent years that we discovered self catering cottages. The great thing about self catering cottages is that you can relax completely and do things at your own pace. Some people may like having every hour of their holiday arranged by others, but not for us. Click here for more information about self catering cottages.

In 2005 we arranged self catering accommodation for our visit to the UK on the internet prior to leaving and used our previous experiences to re-visit the parts of the UK that we had visited before. We took photographs of the countryside wherever we went and documented our places we visited. During that visit it ocurred to us that there must be many others who would like to holiday in the UK the same way, but who may not be aware of how easy it is to organise such a holiday.

Our website which contains more than 200 pages has been designed to enable you to research out, plan, organise and prepare for your holiday in the UK from your own home wherever in the world you are. We have been fortunate in partnering with cottages4you to be able to provide access to their complete database of more than 15,000 quality assured cottages throughout the UK, Ireland, France, Portugal, Spain and Italy.

We have built pages of photographs of the areas we covered during our 2,500 miles of travel in 2005 to help you see at first hand what the various parts of the UK have to offer. You will find links throughout these pages that will bring up a display of available cottages within 25 miles of each location. If you see a cottage you like you can read the detailed description and view the photographs or video of the cottage, look at the bookings, view a map of the location of the cottage then proceed to book it if you wish. You can do all this on-line knowing that when you proceed to make the booking you are conducting the transaction using the most modern secure encrypted process owned by the largest firm specialising in self catering cottages in the UK. Cottages4you have more than 250 people at their head office in Yorkshire and regional managers whose responsibility is to audit each of their 15,000 + cottages on a regular basis.

We provide direct links to quality websites that we have researched where you can book a rental car, select and book short tours throughout the UK, research and book entertainment in London and elsewhere, check out the varying prices for international air travel and book on-line, access a website devoted to ranking airlines and airports and so much more. We have a page dedicated to locations that we have found to be special, information to help you take the stress out of finding your way around including pages of information about the main motorways plus much more that we have accumulated over the years.

Click here to go straight to our website home page.

Find your Cottage by Region

2006-11-13T19:21:00.000+13:00

We provide a number of different ways to identify your Cottage. Find your cottage by Country then Region is the first option we offer on our home page and this takes you directly into our Cottages database of more than 15,000 Cottages where you will find a huge selection of Cottages for your chosen area. Click here to go straight to our website home page.

Click here to go straight to our website page where you select a Region, County, or Province in the UK, Ireland, France, Italy, Spain or Portugal and we will bring back a complete list of quality assured cottages for that area. Book the cottage of your choice online or phone us to book your cottage.

Drill down into details and photographs of a Cottage, check out the bookings and click on the button "Find this Property on a map". Read the description of the Cottage and check out the details about the area. This is what we mean when we say that you can inspect your Cottage then book it online.

There is nothing quite like enjoying a holiday in a self catering cottage - whether you come from the fartherest corner of the earth or close by, your cottage is yours to enjoy for the length of your stay - if you have picked the right spot you can get out and explore the surrounding countryside to your heart's content without having to keep to schedules and times arranged by others. Then head for home taking the memories with you and leaving behind the responsibility of worrying about your holiday home.

Find your Cottage within 25 Mile Radius

2006-11-13T08:05:00.000+13:00

This is the second posting on our blog about our English Country Cottage website http://www.explorethecountry.com, we will add further posts about our comprehensive tourism website and invite you to post comments.

At http://www.explorethecountry.com/English_Country_Cottages.htm you will find an index of more than 1,425 locations in Scotland and England. We have put a huge amount of work into our indexed library of locations. We are currently providing two indexes, one for England and one for Scotland.

If you would like to search through the cottages within 25 miles of Porlock, just click the [P] in the index for England and you will bring back all locations in our library begining with the letter P. Select Porlock and all Cottages in our comprehensive database within 25 miles of Porlock will be displayed in order of the closest to those further away.

You can select a Cottage, look at bookings, and continue to book the Cottage online using the secure encrypted pages maintained by cottages4you to book your cottage. Many Cottages also have a video you can run that gives you 360 degree viewing of the inside and outside.

We are proud to have partnered with cottages4you and to be able to provide our customers with a website based on the largest database of self catering cottages in the UK. Prices you pay when you select your cottage through our website are the same that you would find on the cottages4you website.

Setting the scene for the Ultimate Cottage Holiday in the UK & Europe

2006-11-12T19:03:00.000+13:00

There was a time before the internet became an integral part of the every day life of such a large percentage of us that organising accommodation and travel for a holiday involved face to face meetings with consultants and the transfer of funds by cheque or other physical way. Today thanks to the internet this is no longer necessary.

Not only can you search for the goods and services that you need but with some experience you can access websites specifically set up to allow you to inspect, book, and pay for travel and accommodation from across the other side of the world.

Some years ago we started the development of our website devoted to travel and Cottage Holiday accommodation in the UK and Europe: http://www.explorethecountry.com.

The website has been such an outstanding success with increasing numbers of people booking cottages every day that we decided to set up this Blog to reach more people across the globe who may be planning to visit the UK or Europe.

We have partnered with the company holding the largest database of Holiday Cottages in the UK and have used our regular visits to the UK over the past twenty years to build a website containing more than 200 pages of information and links to researched websites that we consider provide valuable information for planning the ultimate holiday.