Cottages in Cambridge

Where the cottages are

BritStays lists 41 cottages in the Cambridge region, and they cluster in four places. Cambridge itself has the most, with 19. Maldon has 9, Ely has 7 and Bury St Edmunds has 6. Choose a Cambridge cottage if you want the widest choice. If you'd rather base yourself in one of the smaller towns, Maldon, Ely and Bury St Edmunds each give you a handful of options to compare.

Our listings don't record whether a cottage is on the coast or out in open countryside. If a particular setting matters to you, read each listing's description and check its map before you commit, rather than assuming from the town name.

Cottages for couples

If there are two of you, you're well served. Most of the example stays sleep 2, and many of them are in Cambridge:

• Millers Rest is near a bus stop and has EV charging nearby.
• Piggles Retreat- Bear house and Piggles Retreat- Lion House are both near a bus stop.
• Beavers is also near a bus stop.
• Converted Stable No 1, Converted Stable No 2 and Converted Stable No 3 are listed side by side.

Outside Cambridge, Mahalia in Ely and The Lodge in Bury St Edmunds also sleep 2. The Lodge has both a nearby bus stop and EV charging nearby.

The paired and grouped stays are worth knowing about. The two Piggles Retreat houses and the three converted stables are listed together. That could suit two or three couples who want to travel together but keep their own space. Ask the owner whether neighbouring units can be booked for the same dates.

Cottages for families and groups

Larger options are fewer, so it pays to look early. Ely has the most variety for families:

• Netherall Manor Lodge sleeps 3.
• Hill Farm Cottage sleeps 4 and is near a bus stop.
• Hedgeways sleeps 6.

In Maldon, Leys Barn sleeps 5. Saffron Hall sleeps 14 and has EV charging nearby, making it the only example stay big enough for a large family gathering or a group of friends.

Bringing a dog

Our facility data for these cottages doesn't say which ones accept dogs. If you're travelling with one, check the listing, then confirm directly with the owner before booking. Ask about any limits on size or number, and whether the garden is enclosed.

Getting around

Transport links vary from cottage to cottage:

• 14 of the 41 cottages are near a bus stop.
• 11 have EV charging nearby.
• Only 4 are near a train station.

If you want to arrive by rail, your choice is narrow. Netherall Manor Lodge in Ely is one example. It is near a train station and also has EV charging nearby, so it works whether you come by train or in an electric car. For a car-free stay, a cottage near a bus stop, such as Hill Farm Cottage or Beavers, gives you more flexibility.

What to do once you're there

For outdoor days, the region has two National Trust properties:

• Wicken Fen
• Wimpole Estate, home to Wimpole Hall

History lovers can add castles to the list. Stansted Mountfitchet Castle and the remains of Waytemore Castle are both among the landmarks.

On a rainy day, there are plenty of museums. In Cambridge itself, The Centre for Computing History is an easy choice. Elsewhere you'll find:

• Whittlesey Museum in Cambridgeshire
• Moot Hall in Bedfordshire
• Flitch Way Railway Carriage Museum and The Ancient House Museum, both in Essex
• Harlow Museum & Walled Gardens

Families with children who like water can look at the two water parks in Hertfordshire, H2O Rampage Aqua Park and Aqua Splash Redricks Lakes.

Travel times from your cottage will vary a lot depending on where you stay. Check routes before you plan a packed day, especially if you're relying on buses.

When to book

We don't publish availability patterns, so we can't promise when cottages fill up. What the listings do show is where choice is thinnest:

• Groups: Saffron Hall is the only example stay sleeping more than 6. If you need space for a crowd, book it first and plan the rest of the trip around it.
• Train travellers: only 4 cottages are near a train station, so secure one early if arriving by rail is important.
• Couples: two-person cottages are plentiful, especially in Cambridge, so you can usually afford to compare a few before deciding.
• Friends travelling together: if you want neighbouring units, such as the converted stables, book them at the same time.

As a general rule, school holidays and weekends tend to go first wherever you stay. If your dates are fixed, book as soon as you know them.

Before you pay, check four things on the listing or with the owner:

• how many people the cottage sleeps
• whether dogs are welcome
• how far it is from the bus stop or train station
• whether the nearby EV charging point is one you can actually use