The United Kingdom has some of the most unusual accommodation in Europe, a country of eccentricity, a rich architectural heritage of converted castles, lighthouses, and railway carriages, and a tourism industry that has embraced the “quirky stay” with a creativity and a sense of fun that the hotel chains cannot match. From sleeping in a treehouse in a Welsh forest to spending the night in a converted lifeboat station on a Scottish island, the UK offers a remarkable variety of places to stay that are destinations in themselves. Here are some of the most unusual accommodation ideas in the UK.

Unusual Accommodation in the UK

• 1. Landmark Trust properties: The most reliable source of unusual and historic accommodation in the UK. The Landmark Trust is a charity that rescues historic buildings at risk and converts them into self-catering holiday accommodation. The properties range from a 13th-century castle tower (Fairburn Tower in Scotland) to a former pineapple-shaped folly (the Dunmore Pineapple near Stirling, one of the most extraordinary buildings in the UK), to a Martello tower on the Suffolk coast, to a former pigsty in Devon that is now one of the most romantic and sought-after Landmarks. The properties are beautifully restored, the locations are often spectacular, and staying in a Landmark is one of the most unusual and memorable accommodation experiences in the UK. Prices: ~£200–500 for a 3–4 night stay. Book months ahead, the most popular properties are reserved years in advance. Landmarktrust.org.uk
• 2. Treehouses: Treehouse accommodation has become a UK phenomenon, with a network of beautifully designed, architecturally impressive treehouses across the country. The best include: the Living Room Treehouse in Wales (a hand-crafted wooden treehouse in the Powys hills, no electricity, a wood-burning stove, and a sense of complete removal from the modern world. ~£150/night), the Treehouse at Harptree Court in Somerset (a luxurious treehouse in a 200-year-old oak, the hot tub on the deck, the star-gazing from the bed, and the breakfast hamper delivered by pulley. ~£200/night), and the Lost Meadow Treehouse in Cornwall (a geodesic dome in the trees, swinging chairs, a log burner, and a sense of peace that is rare in the modern world. ~£175/night). All three book out months in advance, plan well ahead
• 3. Lighthouses: The UK has a number of converted lighthouses available for holiday lets, from the remote and dramatic (the Corsewall Lighthouse in Dumfries and Galloway, a working lighthouse on a rocky headland, the beam still sweeping over the sea at night, with a restaurant serving outstanding seafood) to the more accessible (the Belle Tout Lighthouse on the South Downs, the cliff-edge lighthouse that was moved 17 metres inland in 1999 to prevent it from falling into the sea, with views of the Seven Sisters cliffs and the English Channel). ~£150–250/night
• 4. Shepherd’s huts and glamping: A shepherd’s hut, a 19th-century wheeled wooden hut, traditionally used by shepherds during lambing season, has become the quintessential glamping accommodation in the UK. The best are beautifully restored or custom-built, with wood-burning stoves, comfortable beds, and kitchens, set in locations of heart-stopping beauty. The Happy Valley Shepherd’s Huts in the South Downs, the Lloyds Meadow Shepherd’s Huts in the Peak District, and the Conestoga Wagon at Settle (a traditional American covered wagon in the Yorkshire Dales) are some of the best. ~£80–150/night
• 5. Railway carriages and signal boxes: The Old Railway Station at Petworth (a restored Edwardian station in the South Downs, where you sleep in a converted Pullman carriage, the Brighton Belle carriage is the most atmospheric. ~£150–250/night) and the Signal Box at Cromford (a restored Midland Railway signal box in the Derbyshire Dales, with views over the Peak District, a unique, beautifully converted piece of railway history. ~£100–150/night)