Do you dream of spending Christmas in a magnificently ostentatious house by the sea? Indulge in the fairytale with us by drooling over these holiday rentals with hugely hefty price tags. Compiled by: Madeleine Barber
KINTYRE HOUSE, CARSKIEY, MULL OF KINTYRE £18,000 per week
Guests will find palm trees and sub-tropical plants in the gardens at Kintyre House, where the temperate Gulf Stream climate sweeps over the Scottish coastline. The house, which sleeps up to 20 people, is traditionally decorated and home to a grand piano and hand-painted dining room table. Some of the best views are from the library where readers can gaze over the sea and out to Sanda Island.
ANY SUPER LUXURIOUS TOUCHES? There’s a cinema room on the second floor, a billiards room with games and vinyl, and 7,500 acres of glens, prehistoric forts and a pretty cottage ideal for picnics.
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DARTMOUTH HOUSE, NEAR DARTMOUTH, DEVON £16,750 per week
Modern, luxurious and just a short walk from some of Devon’s best beaches, Dartmouth house is quite the hidden gem. Guests can pour a drink at the bar before enjoying fabulous views over Venn Valley or snuggling up around an open fire. Catering, wine tasting and spa treatments are available on request, and a welcome hamper will be waiting on guests’ arrival. The house accommodates a maximum of 16 adults and four children.
ANY SUPER LUXURIOUS TOUCHES? The let has not one, but two heated swimming pools, a bubbling hot tub, Moroccan hammam, cinema room, and a tennis court and games room for those that like a little healthy competition.
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LISMORE CASTLE, COUNTY WATERFORD, IRELAND £46,716 per week
Recently restored and upgraded with a Gothic sytle, this magical medieval castle sleeps 27 people and is located in the centre of Ireland’s Blackwater Valley. The West Wing has been re-imagined as a contemporary art gallery and a high-ceilinged banqueting room makes the perfect setting for a large meal with family and friends.
ANY SUPER LUXURIOUS TOUCHES? The billiards and games room houses a full-size snooker table, and the Lismore Castle staff will prepare locally sourced and home-grown meals for all occasions and at whatever time you choose.
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MANGERTON HOUSE, NEAR BRIDPORT, DORSET £12,500 per week
This 10-bedroom country home is set in 14 acres of green gardens, including a natural swimming pond, a kitchen garden packed with fresh produce and the meandering River Mangerton. Inside, reclaimed and specially commissioned furniture and bespoke wallpaper and lighting give the 19th-century building a lively and modern atmosphere.
ANY SUPER LUXURIOUS TOUCHES? The house has its own gym, steam room, 3D television and Sonos music system.
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ALDOURIE CASTLE, LOCH NESS, NEAR INVERNESS £40,000 per week
Nothing says luxury like your very own castle. This particular turreted building is the only habitable castle on the shores of Loch Ness, just five miles from Inverness. Its decoration is traditional and grand, like that of a historic house, and it offers fifteen uniquely themed bedrooms.
ANY SUPER LUXURIOUS TOUCHES? A truly unique stay, the second floor is an extravagant maze of landings, towers, doorways and stone staircases. Plus, a team of chefs, housekeepers, managers and facilitators are on hand to meet the needs of every guest.
See more photos here.
For more places to stay by the sea click here or pick up a copy of the magazine.
