With a seemingly infinite choice of locations and styles, coastal cottages can be found on the coastlines of all the major continents. To help strategize and plan you cottage holiday, look at where you want to go, what you need and what kind of style you want.
Location
This is the first step, to consider where in your region or where in the world you would like to go. If you currently live near a coastline you will have a variety of near-local options to choose from. For example, the west coast of Canada has its Sunshine Coast and Vancouver Island. Travel further south and you have lovely Long Beach in Washington or on the Oregon coast you also have access to their famous dunes where you can have a blast renting a dune buggy.
These regions are not always warm, with cool ocean currents moderating the temperature. If you want more heat, more tropical warmth you’ll have to think further south again or start to look at international options. In the Americas you have hotspots such as:
Private Pool at Spanish "Cottage"
- Florida
- Mexico
- Costa Rica
- Dominican Republic, etc
In Europe for warmer vacations you’ll be looking around the Mediterranean:
- France
- Spain
- Italy
- Greece, etc
There are too many places to list here but there are the more “far flung” regions where you may find cottages, such as:
- Southeast Asia
- Australia
- South Pacific islands
- India
Get an atlas and also look online to narrow down what kind of region you want to plan towards visiting. Consider climate, especially the weather on the coast your investigating. Also consider local food available, language etc.
Depending on your budget you may choose to stay within driving distance or you may want to jet away to the exotic tropical beach destination.
Amenities and Services
A coastal cottage is not like a holiday hotel. You will usually be on your own more than in a hotel. You may or may not have daily or weekly housekeeping. You will not necessarily have quick access to the proprietor or manager. You certainly won’t have room service.
This independence and privacy are likely some of the reasons you’re renting coastal holiday cottages in the first place. It just means you will have to plan a little differently from your previous trip to an all-inclusive. You’ll need to find out about access to grocery shopping. Do you have your own car and if not, do you need to rent one to get around and get supplies or can you walk everywhere?
More Questions to Ask
- Are there laundry machines or services- in house or in town?
- Does the cottage have full bedding, towels, sundries?
- Is the kitchen fully equipped – cutlery, dishes, pots, stove, microwave, etc?
- Are there restaurants nearby?
- Activities and/or fun beach things in the area?
- What about kids activities, attractions?
- Do you require Internet connectivity?
- Does the cottage have a phone?
- Is air conditioning needed?
- Who do you contact in case of emergency?
Annapolis Valley Cottage - Nova Scotia Canada
Cottage Style
You will find a wide range of cottages available for rent, from rustic country cottages in England to luxury cottages in the south of France. At some undetermined, mysterious point, a cottage transforms from a cottage to a villa but that is up to the owner to determine.
You can find a 100 year old Port Royal coastal cottage in the beautiful Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia, Canada. Or you can rent charming, fully equipped Cornish Cottages right on the seashore in Britain’s famous western Cornwall county. You can rent Spanish style, with lots of stucco and brick. You can rent cozy Cape Cod style, with their signature shake siding.
Whatever region you travel to will have its unique and charming styles which will suit you and your family for your next vacation.