Holiday parks, lodges and cottages in the UK: your own front door, your own kitchen
UK self-catering
A kitchen of your own, a few hours’ drive away
Load the car with the cool box and the bikes and go. A holiday park, a lodge or a cottage gives your family its own front door and its own kitchen, so the food is halal because you cooked it. And you pay for the whole home rather than by the room, so a big family does not pay for two hotel rooms.
Holiday parks
Caravans, lodges and bungalows near the sea or a lake, many with a pool and play areas for the children.
Lodges and cabins
Timber lodges among the trees, and at some a hot tub on the deck that belongs to your lodge alone.
Cottages
A whole house on a farm or in a village, with room for the grandparents and one long dinner table.
Short breaks all year
Many lodges and cottages stay open through the winter, and plenty take a 2-night weekend.
UK self-catering on Halalbooking, in numbers
Holiday parks
57
Lodges and cabins
420
Cottages
541
Usual check-in
3 or 4 pm
Holiday parks: the break the children ask for again
Caravans and bungalows with pools and play areas, from Cornwall to the Highlands
A holiday park is the simplest way to give the children a seaside holiday on a sensible budget. You get a caravan, bungalow or lodge, usually with two or three bedrooms and a kitchen, and the park adds the pool, the play areas and the space to run.
Evenings at many parks centre on a clubhouse, which may include a bar. Everyone on the park shares the pools, and where a park has told us its swimwear policy, its page shows it: at Retallack Resort, modest swimwear is allowed in both pools. If either matters to your family, open the facilities on the park’s page before you book.
An alcohol-free park by a Highland loch. Linnhe Lochside Holidays near Fort William is an alcohol-free property, with caravans looking over the loch. It closes from 31 Oct to 14 Dec, and it lists no halal food nearby, so bring your own.
Arrival days
Many parks take arrivals only on Mondays, for 4 nights, and on Fridays, for 3. A 2-night weekend is harder to find.
Check-in times
Most parks hand over the keys from 4 pm and ask you to leave by 10 am, so plan the drive around it.
Pool seasons
Outdoor pools usually open from April or May to September, and some parks close for part of the winter.
Extra charges
Some parks charge for bed linen or towels, or take a damage deposit before you arrive. The important notes on each page say which.
From the Cornish coast to a Highland loch
Cornwall and Devon first, then the New Forest, Lincolnshire, Wales and the Highlands
Lodges and cabins: a hot tub of your own under the trees
Timber lodges by lochs, lakes and forests, open through the winter
A lodge gives your family the privacy of a villa without the flight. The deck, the kitchen and the front door are yours, and at some lodges so is a hot tub, for the whole stay.
We show how private the hot tub is wherever the lodge has told us. Every cabin at Hillhead Hideaways in Moray has its own fully-secluded hot tub, so no one outside can see in. Some cabins at Chestnut Meadow Country Park near Bexhill-on-Sea have one too.
Alcohol-free by the water in Fermanagh. Platinum Lakeside Lodge at Mullans Bay on Boa Island is an alcohol-free property. It lists no halal food nearby, so plan to cook in the lodge.
Private hot tubs
A hot tub in your own lodge has no timetable and no other guests, so the women of the family can use it freely.
Winter breaks
Many lodges stay open through the colder months, and a 4-night midweek break in November or February is easy to find.
Weekend breaks
Many lodges take a 2-night weekend, so a Friday to Sunday trip needs no time off school.
Adults-only lodges
A few lodges accept adults only. Travelling with children? Read the important notes before you book.
Hot tubs in the woods and lodges by the water
Moray, Devon, Sussex and Hampshire, then Skye, Aberdeenshire, Cumbria and Fermanagh
Cottages: a whole house for the whole family
Farm cottages and village houses in Yorkshire, the Peak District, Wales and the West Country
A cottage is the answer when the grandparents and the cousins are coming too. You book the whole house, so there is space to cook one big meal, pray together in the living room and give the older guests a quiet bedroom.
Cottages run on house rules rather than hotel ones. Most hand over the keys from 3 or 4 pm and ask for them back by 10 or 10.30 am. Some add a cleaning fee or take a damage deposit, and a few accept adults only.
Halal food on request in Wiltshire. Whitley Coach House near Melksham lists halal food on request, so ask when you book. It can also take alcohol out of your room as a stay request.
Halal cooking
With a full kitchen the meals are yours: bring meat from your own halal butcher and cook what the family eats at home.
Big families
One booking covers the whole house, so a big family stays together under one roof.
Short breaks
Even in August many cottages take a Monday to Friday break, and in the colder months about half take a 2-night weekend.
Farm stays
Several of these cottages are on farms, with fields around them and room for the children to run.
Cottages from Yorkshire to Cornwall
Near York, Pickering, Bedale and Matlock, then Brecon, Chepstow, Fowey and Melksham
Before you book a self-catering break
Seven steps that save a wasted drive
Pick a Monday or a Friday
At a holiday park, search Monday to Friday for 4 nights or Friday to Monday for 3. Lodges and cottages often take other days too.
1
Add every guest
Add each child with their age on the check-out date, so the price you see is for the whole family.
2
Read the important notes
The important notes on each property page list arrival days, minimum stays, linen and towel charges, cleaning fees and damage deposits, where they apply.
3
Check the cancellation line
Many self-catering rates are non-refundable, while others have free cancellation up to a date. The line under the price says which.
4
Ask for no alcohol in your home
As anywhere in the UK, there may be a pub nearby. Alcohol inside a self-catering home is rare, but some hosts, especially of cottages, leave a bottle of wine as a welcome. Add a stay request when you book, so the host knows in advance.
5
Plan the halal food
Unless a property lists halal food, plan to cook. Bring meat from your own butcher, or filter for halal food nearby.
6
Pack a prayer mat
A cottage or lodge is unlikely to have a qibla direction sign, so bring a prayer mat and a qibla app.
7
Ready to book a place of your own for the next school holiday?
Choose the type that suits your family and pick your dates, then read the important notes before you pay.
Both male and female guests of the property can use the facility at the same time
Ladies-only
Only female guests of the property can use the facility
Men-only
Only male guests of the property can use the facility
Private-hire
The facility can be hired for a period of time for a private use of one guest/family
Alcohol-free restaurant
No alcohol is served in at least one restaurant in the property. Alcohol is served in the rest of the property
Halal food nearby
Halal food is available in restaurants/cafes/grocery shops within 500m of the property
Alcohol-free room
Alcohol can be removed from the room if requested as a Stay request during the booking process on Halalbooking. Alcohol is served in the rest of the property
All halal food
All food in the property is always halal
Some halal food
Some food in the property is always halal
Halal food on request
Halal food in the property is available if requested in advance
Alcohol-free property
No alcohol is served anywhere in the property
Bidet amenities
Property has bidet amenities in all/some room bathrooms (e.g. handheld bidet spray, standalone bidet, toilet with bidet nozzle, or smart toilet with bidet).
Smart toilet with bidet
Electronic toilet with built-in bidet functionality, controlled via panel or remote. Common in Japan and often referred to as a washlet, such as "Toto Washlet".
Toilet with bidet nozzle
Toilet with a built-in, manually operated water nozzle. Common in Turkiye, where it is known as "taharet musluğu".
Standalone bidet
Separate ceramic bidet fixture installed next to the toilet.
Handheld bidet spray
Handheld water spray installed next to the toilet. Also known as shattaf, bidet hose or hygiene hose.
Breakfast Included
Breakfast included in the price
Room Only
Only accommodation included in the price
Self-catering
Only accommodation included in the price, there is a kitchen to store and prepare your personal food
Ramadan Suhur & Iftar
Suhur & Iftar included in the price
Half Board
Breakfast & dinner included in the price
Full Board
Breakfast, lunch & dinner included in the price
All Inclusive
Meals and drinks throughout the day are included in the price
Kaaba view rooms
These are rooms on the higher floors of the hotel offering a direct view of the Kaaba itself, located in the centre of the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. In addition to the Kaaba you will also see the yard around the holy mosque and its minarets, gates and walls.
Haram view rooms
These rooms offer a view of the Masjid al-Haram.
In Makkah, you will be able to see the yard around the holy mosque, the minarets, gates and the walls of the mosque but not the Kaaba itself. To see the Kaaba you need to select Kaaba view rooms.
Haram-connected prayer hall
Prayer hall in the hotel, from which you can see the imam, or rows of the congregation praying directly behind the imam, leading the prayer in the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, and which is connected to the Masjid al-Haram's sound system. This means you can actually pray in the same jamaat as in the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah whilst you are in the hotel's prayer hall.
Free shuttle to Haram
Free shuttle service operates between the hotel and the Masjid al-Haram.
Haram in walking distance
The hotel is within walking distance of the nearest gate of the Masjid al-Haram. 'Walking distance' means maximum 20 minutes/1,300 metres' walk.
Bookable airport transfer
Driver meets you personally outside the terminal
Why you can trust our reviews
Only verified guests who booked and stayed can review. We use only recent reviews (under 12 months) for properties with 30+ reviews.
...
Our score
Rated by customers of Halalbooking, most of whom are halal-conscious travellers.
...
External score
Rated by customers of mainstream travel websites, many of whom might not be halal-conscious travellers.
For properties which have enough recent reviews from our customers, we show Our score, otherwise we show the External score.
Why you can trust our reviews
Only verified guests who booked and stayed can review. We use only recent reviews (under 12 months) for properties with 30+ reviews.
...
Our score
Rated by customers of Halalbooking, most of whom are halal-conscious travellers.
...
External score
Rated by customers of mainstream travel websites, many of whom might not be halal-conscious travellers.
For properties which have enough recent reviews from our customers, we show Our score, otherwise we show the External score.
HB GLOSSARY
Alone
Age for a guest to be allowed into the facility alone
Accompanied
Age for a guest to be allowed into the facility if accompanied by an adult
Boys
Age for a boy guest to be allowed into the ladies-only facility
Girls
Age for a girl guest to be allowed into the men-only facility
Modest swimwear compulsory
Age for a guest when wearing modest swimwear is compulsory in the mixed-gender facility
In villa/room
The facility is for exclusive private use of the guest/family who is staying at the specific villa/room
No staff allowed
No staff is allowed in the facility without the guest’s permission
Only female staff
Only female staff is allowed in the facility without the guest’s permission
Male and female staff
Both male and female staff is allowed in the facility without the guest's permission
Fully-secluded
100% privacy from an outside eye in all parts of the facility
Mostly-secluded
100% privacy from an outside eye in most parts of the facility
Part-secluded
100% privacy from an outside eye in a part of the facility
Non-secluded
No privacy from an outside eye in the facility
Secluded
100% privacy from an outside eye in all parts or most parts or just a part of the facility
Modest swimwear compulsory
Modest swimwear is compulsory in this facility. Standard swimwear is not allowed
Modest swimwear: made from proper swimwear material and covers most of body for ladies and upper legs for men (e.g. semi-covered burkini, fully-covered burkini, Muslim swimsuit, long swimming shorts)
Standard swimwear: more revealing swimwear (e.g. one-piece swimsuit, tankini, bikini, short swim trunks or speedos)
Modest swimwear mostly observed
Modest swimwear is observed by most guests in this facility, but standard swimwear is allowed too
Modest swimwear: made from proper swimwear material and covers most of body for ladies and upper legs for men (e.g. semi-covered burkini, fully-covered burkini, Muslim swimsuit, long swimming shorts)
Standard swimwear: more revealing swimwear (e.g. one-piece swimsuit, tankini, bikini, short swim trunks or speedos)
Modest swimwear not allowed
Modest swimwear is not allowed in this facility, only standard swimwear is allowed
Modest swimwear: made from proper swimwear material and covers most of body for ladies and upper legs for men (e.g. semi-covered burkini, fully-covered burkini, Muslim swimsuit, long swimming shorts)
Standard swimwear: more revealing swimwear (e.g. one-piece swimsuit, tankini, bikini, short swim trunks or speedos)
Swimwear compulsory
Swimwear is compulsory in this facility. Nudity is not allowed
Swimwear mostly observed
Swimwear is observed by most guests in this facility, but nudity is allowed too
Swimwear optional
Swimwear is optional in this facility. Nudity is allowed
Swimwear not allowed
Swimwear is not allowed in this facility. Nudity is observed by most guests, but you personally may cover your body with a towel
Modest swimwear allowed
Modest swimwear is allowed in this facility. Most guests observe standard swimwear
Modest swimwear: made from proper swimwear material and covers most of body for ladies and upper legs for men (e.g. semi-covered burkini, fully-covered burkini, Muslim swimsuit, long swimming shorts)
Standard swimwear: more revealing swimwear (e.g. one-piece swimsuit, tankini, bikini, short swim trunks or speedos)
Modest swimwear
Modest swimwear is either compulsory or observed by most guests or simply allowed (with most guests observing standard swimwear) in this facility
Modest swimwear: made from proper swimwear material and covers most of body for ladies and upper legs for men (e.g. semi-covered burkini, fully-covered burkini, Muslim swimsuit, long swimming shorts)
Standard swimwear: more revealing swimwear (e.g. one-piece swimsuit, tankini, bikini, short swim trunks or speedos)
We Price Match
Enjoy peace of mind with our Price Match offer. Found a better price? Let us know and we’ll try to match it. Our average response time is 12 hours.
Instant confirmation
Booking is confirmed immediately after it is submitted
24h confirmation
Once you have submitted a booking request, the property owner/manager has 24 hours to accept or decline your request. The booking is not confirmed until you've received a booking confirmation email from us.
Private-use
The facility is for exclusive private use of the guest/family who is staying at the specific villa/room
In all rooms
The facility is for exclusive private use of the guest/family who is staying at the villa/room
In all villas
The facility is for exclusive private use of the guest/family who is staying at the villa/room
In some rooms
The facility is for exclusive private use of the guest/family who is staying at the specific villa/room
In some villas
The facility is for exclusive private use of the guest/family who is staying at the specific villa/room
Why groups instead of rooms?
When searching for a family, include all guests into the same group. Our system will offer to book either 1 large room which is suitable or 2+ smaller rooms when needed with connection or adjacency where possible. Sometimes multiple smaller rooms are a better deal than 1 large room.
Only when searching for multiple families that must stay in separate rooms, enter each family as a separate group.
Strict
Age restriction is a strict rule and flexibility will not be provided
Guidance
Age restriction is for guidance only and final decision will be at the discretion of the hotel's management
South-facing
The room view is facing south. When you perform your prayers in your room you face towards Al-Masjid an-Nabawi as the Kaaba (Mecca) is also in the south. This means Al-Masjid an-Nabawi is in front of you during your prayers.
East-facing
The room view is facing east. When you perform your prayers in your room you face sideways to Al-Masjid an-Nabawi as the Kaaba (Mecca) is in the south. This means Al-Masjid an-Nabawi is on your left side during your prayers.
For rooms where Al-Masjid an-Nabawi is in front of you during your prayers, please choose a hotel with “south-facing” rooms.
North-facing
The room view is facing north. When you perform your prayers in your room you face away from Al-Masjid an-Nabawi as the Kaaba (Mecca) is in the south. This means Al-Masjid an-Nabawi is behind you during your prayers.
For rooms where Al-Masjid an-Nabawi is in front of you during your prayers, please choose a hotel with “south-facing” rooms.
Men's section
The walking distance from the hotel to the nearest gate of the men's section of the Masjid al-Haram.
Ladies' section
The walking distance from the hotel to the nearest gate of the ladies section of the Masjid al-Haram.
Haram not in walking distance
The hotel is not within walking distance of the Masjid al-Haram. 'Walking distance' means maximum 20 minutes/1,300 metres' walk.
Free shuttle
Free shuttle service operates between the hotel and the Masjid al-Haram.
No free shuttle
No free shuttle service operates between the hotel and the Masjid al-Haram.
Walking time from drop-off to Haram
Walking time from the drop-off point to the Masjid al-Haram can roughly double during peak prayer times and Ramadan due to heavy foot traffic.
Shuttle time
The time the shuttle takes between the hotel and the drop-off point. Where two numbers are shown, the lower is with no traffic and the higher allows for heavy traffic.
Ajyad Station
Short, 8-minute walk to King Abdulaziz Gate via southern Ajyad Street beside the Clock Tower—the same walking time as Rea Bakhsh and King's Gate stations.
Rea Bakhsh Station
Short, 8-minute walk to King Abdulaziz Gate via southern Ajyad Street beside the Clock Tower—the same walking time as Ajyad and King's Gate stations.
Shaib Amir Station
Medium, 10-minute walk to Al Fath Gate on the north-east side—2 minutes longer than the southern stations, but 2 minutes shorter than Jarwal.
King's Gate Station
Short, 8-minute walk to King Abdulaziz Gate: walk underneath the Clock Tower and take the escalator upstairs—the same walking time as Ajyad and Rea Bakhsh stations.
Jarwal Station
Medium, 12-minute walk to King Abdullah Gate on the north-west side—4 minutes longer than the southern stations and 2 minutes longer than Shaib Amir and Al Ghaza.
Conrad Jabal Omar Makkah
Very short, 3-minute walk to King Fahd Gate via Ibrahim Al Khalil Road—the second-closest drop-off, only 1 minute longer than InterContinental and 5 minutes shorter than the southern stations.
Al Ghaza Station
Medium, 10-minute walk to Al Fath Gate on the north-east side—the same walking time as Shaib Amir, 2 minutes longer than the southern stations and 2 minutes shorter than Jarwal.
InterContinental Dar al Tawhid
Shortest walk of all drop-offs: 2 minutes to King Fahd Gate via Ibrahim Al Khalil Road—1 minute shorter than Conrad and 6 minutes shorter than the southern stations.
Bab Ali Station
Short, 5-minute walk to Ali Gate on the eastern side—one of the nearest drop-offs and the closest of the shuttle stations, 2 minutes longer than Conrad and 3 minutes shorter than the southern stations.
King's Gate Station via Kudai Car Park
Two-stage journey: the hotel shuttle drops guests at Kudai Car Park, where they transfer to a free government shuttle to King's Gate Station by the Clock Tower near the Haram, followed by a short, 8-minute walk to King Abdulaziz Gate—the same final walk as Ajyad and Rea Bakhsh stations, but with one additional shuttle transfer.
Ajyad Street
Short surface-street route rather than a tunnel: traffic-dependent and slower than the tunnel routes at prayer times and in Ramadan.
Al Kidwah Tunnel
One of the shortest tunnel routes, coming in from the south past the Clock Tower. More traffic-protected and much steadier at prayer times than the surface-road routes.
Al Jamarat Tunnel
Longer than the central Ajyad and Al Kidwah tunnels because it starts from the Al Jamarat and Jarwal side, but steadier than the surface-road routes; only the short street sections at either end are traffic-sensitive.
Mahbas Al Jinn Tunnel
Longer tunnel route from the Mahbas Al Jinn and Aziziah side: it starts further out than the central tunnels, but is traffic-protected and steadier than the road routes.
Maskhoutah Tunnel
One of the longest tunnel routes, from the eastern side of Makkah: it starts well out from the Haram, but is less exposed to traffic than the main-road routes.
Masfalah Tunnel
Short, tunnelled ride from the Masfalah side - closer in than the eastern tunnels and less exposed to street traffic than the road routes.
Kudai Tunnel
Medium-length tunnel route from the Kudai and Ajyad side: longer than the central Ajyad and Al Kidwah tunnels, but shielded from street traffic for most of the way and therefore much steadier than the road routes.
Al Khindama Road
Surface-road approach rather than a tunnel: shorter than the outer eastern routes, but far more traffic-sensitive than any tunnel route, with local access restrictions adding further variation through the day.
Jabal Omar Internal Road
Among the shortest and most consistent routes: an internal journey through the Jabal Omar complex to a Haram-facing drop-off, with no exposure to public-road traffic.
Aziziah Road
Main roads the whole way from Aziziah: the most traffic-exposed of the routes, and the most likely to run to the top of its journey-time range at prayer times.
Al Taqwa Street
Fairly short surface route from the Al Hijrah side, south of the Haram, when clear: fully exposed to traffic and local restrictions, so the ride can take more than twice as long at busy times.
King Faisal Road
Longer surface-road route forming the main eastern approach from the Al Maabdah and Al Shara’i side: with no tunnel protection, traffic and access controls can extend the ride near the Haram.
Al Masjid Al Haram Road
Main surface road along the Al Maabdah and Shaib Amir approach to the Haram: direct but traffic-exposed, and one of the road routes most likely to lengthen at peak times.
Al Taysir Road
Short surface-road route from Al Taysir and Jarwal to Jarwal Station, close to the Haram. Usually one of the quickest road approaches, though traffic and access controls can still add time at peak periods.
Ajyad Tunnel
Very short tunnel route through the Ajyad section of the First Ring Road, close to the Haram and King's Gate Station. Shielded from surface traffic for most of the ride, so journey times stay very steady.
Ibrahim Al Khalil Road
Short, direct surface-road approach for the central hotels from the Masfalah side to the western edge of the Haram: with no tunnel protection, traffic and prayer-time access restrictions can affect the ride.
Adjacency possible
Rooms can be allocated adjacent to or opposite each other, but cannot be made interconnected. Not guaranteed and subject to availability.
Connection possible
Rooms can be made interconnected by unlocking an internal door between the rooms. Not guaranteed and subject to availability.
One room for all guests
One room to fit your entire group
None possible
Rooms can neither be adjacent to nor opposite each other nor be made interconnected
Price view mode
Choose which prices are shown on the price tags in search results and property screens. 'Show Guest and Agency Prices' shows guest total prices as well as agency net prices and commission. 'Show only Guest Prices' displays only guest total prices, and 'Show only Agency Prices' presents only your agency net prices and commission. The selection doesn't influence the final price to pay (Agency net price).
Additional beds might be available for a fee
Guests are expected to use only the included beds. Additional beds might be available at the property for a fee, which is usually indicated in the Important Notes section.
