Get your South Wales fix at these top-rated cottages near Swansea.
Whether you’re seeking the city, the coast or the Welsh countryside, South Wales has it all.
Located halfway between Cardiff, the Welsh capital Cardiff, and the Gower Peninsula, the UK’s first-ever Area of Designated Natural Beauty, Swansea is an excellent place for a getaway. Where better to take it all in than from cottages near Swansea, which are scattered within walking or driving distance of Wales’ second-biggest city, golden-sand beaches and the lush green countryside?
If you’re yet to be acquainted with Swansea in South Wales, it’s right on the South Wales coast. Watersports are one of the main draws in Swansea Bay, as are relaxing cycles along the five-mile promenade and visiting the seafront restaurants, bars and cafés at The Mumbles. Being based under 10 miles from the Gower Peninsula means that Swansea holiday cottages are some of the most conveniently-located holiday rentals for tracking down remote surfing beaches, coastal hikes and impressive rock formations. Other South Wales destinations aren’t too far away either – the Brecon Beacons National Park is 30 miles to the north, with spectacular waterfalls, mountains and valleys. On top of that, Swansea has plenty of its own attractions, including the lively Swansea Market, Langland Bay, Oystermouth Castle and the Dylan Thomas Centre. That makes the following selection some of the best cottages in Wales, let alone South Wales.
7 Holiday Cottages near Swansea:
1. Lower Sketty Green Lodge (Swansea, South Wales)
2. Y Stabl (Rhos, South Wales)
3. 4 St. Stephens Court (Swansea, South Wales)
4. Y Llaethday (Gower) (Gower Peninsula, South Wales)
5. Oystermouth Chapel (Newton, Swansea)
6. The Headlands (The Mumbles, Swansea)
7. The Cabin (Pontardawe, South Wales)
Lower Sketty Green Lodge
Location: Swansea, South Wales
Best for: A characterful, pet-friendly Holiday cottage moments from Swansea Beach
Lying on the edge of Singleton Park, which is just a 10 minutes’ walk from Swansea Beach, Lower Sketty Green Lodge couldn’t be more conveniently located for coffees by the sea and days out on the waves. Couple that with a cottage that looks like it’s been whisked out of an Enid Blyton tale or The Hobbit and you have a characterful getaway with space for three. The small, thatched cottage has three chimneys, a wooden front door and vines crawling along the side.
After a soak in Swansea Bay, prop your feet up underneath the cosy exposed beams and stoke the fireplace. In keeping with the traditional style of the cottage, a classic spiral staircase leads to the upstairs mezzanine level. There’s also a ditsy garden with a patio, summerhouse, small lawn and furniture to lounge upon. Cradle a coffee there in the afternoon, just as long as you haven’t already stopped by one of the Welsh coffee shops along the seafront. Your dog is welcome at Lower Sketty Green Lodge too, so they can join you on any walks along the promenade.
Facilities: Lower Sketty Green is packed with character, from the little lawn out back down to the ornamental table and chairs on the back patio. The inside is just as charming as the outside. There’s a warm, fuzzy living space with patterned sofas, a white woodburner and an ornamental fireplace, along with a fully-equipped kitchen if you’d like to prepare your own grub. The equipment includes a large fridge, double electric ovens, an induction hob, microwave, fridge-freezer and washing machine. The ground floor has a bathroom with a walk-in shower and a super-kingsize bed, as the upstairs is reserved for a double bed on a mezzanine level. All of those warm furnishings create a homely vibe, which might be the only that will tempt you away from adventures on the Gower Peninsula or the Brecon Beacons National Park.
Y Stabl
Location: Rhos, South Wales
Best for: A stylish farm getaway between Swansea and the Brecon Beacons
Y Stabl is the stuff of dreams. The huge Georgian holiday cottage has access to 210 acres of shared countryside on a working sheep and cattle farm. Located nine miles north of Swansea, it’s an ideal spot for exploring the waterfall country in the Brecon Beacons National Park. You’ll also be well-positioned to descend on Swansea’s many ice cream parlours and the popular Dylan Thomas Centre. In keeping with the farm setting, there’s a farmhouse-style kitchen based in what was once a saddle room. Back in the days, the property was used to store horses and carriages for local gentlemen, but you wouldn’t guess it now.
Prop your feet up in front of the woodburning stove in the living room, where horses used to snooze away. Out of the back door, the garden backs onto a stream, which has travelled all the way down from the mountains. You’ll be happy with the comfortable four-poster beds after days of exploring Swansea Bay, the Gower Peninsula and the local countryside. There’s even a farm trail from the cottage if you’re still craving another stroll before bed. With two bedrooms, there’s plenty of space for four people to take a break.
Facilities: As you approach the farm drive, Y Stabl sits proudly in a group of five restored barns. The stunning views afforded by the 100 acres of farm grounds are immediately evident, but the highlight might just be the riverside picnic table and barbecue, where you can grill your favourite barbecued goods while looking out for wild trout flitting through the river. When you’re not unwinding outdoors, there’s a Freesat HD TV and Wi-Fi access to entertain yourself with. The kitchen, once a saddle room, has an oak dining table with garden views and full cooking equipment. The living room, once stable for carriage horses, has a woodburning stove and sofas. There’s also a double room with a four-poster bed, which was once the estate office, and a twin bedroom, which was once the groom’s quarters.
4 St. Stephens Court
Location: Swansea, South Wales
Best for: A spacious, four-bedroom townhouse near Swansea Marina
Seeking somewhere spacious to stay in central Swansea? Situated between Swansea Marina and the sea, 4 St. Stephens Court is a pet-friendly townhouse with three floors, four bedrooms and three bathrooms. It’s right in the centre of the action, being within walking distance of the marina, the National Waterfront Museum, Swansea Beach and local amenities such as restaurants and cafés. Still, there’s off-road parking for three cars, a rare feature for holiday rentals in the central city. That makes it even easier to depart on day trips to the Brecon Beacons or the Gower Peninsula.
Highlights at 4 St. Stephens Court have to be the short strolls to the sand and marina, along with the fact that two well-behaved dogs are welcome. In Swansea, dogs are welcome on the beach year-round, so they can join you on coastal walks and then put their paws up in the cosy townhouse after they’re all walked out. As cottages go, 4 St. Stephens Court couldn’t be better suited to a pet-friendly holiday with the wider family.
Facilities: You’ll have no trouble prepping a full-cooked breakfast or a pancake special for the family, considering that the kitchen has an electric oven, gas hob, microwave, fridge-freezer and dishwasher. Dig into the resulting meal on the first-floor balcony, in bed or from one of a couple of dining tables. 4 St. Stephens Court has a clean-cut, modern atmosphere, and helpfully, there’s free WiFi and a Smart TV for simple entertainment. However, it’s likely that most of your time will be spent out in the waves or on the promenade.
Y Llaethdy (Gower)
Location: Gower Peninsula, South Wales
Best for: A family-friendly farm getaway on the Gower Peninsula
Located at the north of the Gower Peninsula, Y Llaethday (Gower) is the place to go if you want wild coast and surf very nearby as well as the city within a 20 minutes’ drive. Clean and classic, the holiday cottage has three bedrooms and two bathrooms, so it’s one of the more spacious holiday rentals in south west Wales. As a barn conversion with 30 acres of private land on a Gower Peninsula farm, the adventure doesn’t end even when you’re staying at your base.
Across the cottage, there are high-end features such as a log-burning stove, a garden patio with a barbecue, a TV, free WiFi and an iPod docking station. There’s a rustic feel too, from the wooden staircase and wooden floors to the exposed wood beams over the bedrooms. Explore the local villages and the nearby coast, and then pick up fresh farm supplies before setting about eating dinner on the outdoor furniture, which has a parasol in the event of a drizzle.
Facilities: As a barn conversion, Y Llaethdy isn’t just spacious. It’s also packed with character. In the living room, there’s a wooden dining table, bookcase and leather sofas, and in the open-plan kitchen, there’s atmospheric exposed stone. You should have no trouble preparing an extensive spread for your dinner either, considering that the kitchen is fully equipped. Those travelling with kids will be pleased to find a bedroom with adult-sized bunk beds and a single bed, in addition to the two super kingsize rooms. There’s also a travel cot and a highchair available upon request. If you need somewhere to recharge after completing yet another section of the coastal path, just retire to the bathtub. There’s a second bathroom with a shower, in case anyone else needs to shower off too.
Oystermouth Chapel
Location: Newton, Swansea
Best for: a Unique converted chapel near The Mumbles
Forget barn conversions and stone cottages, Oystermouth Chapel is a holiday cottage in the form of a converted chapel. With high ceilings, wooden beams, an old stone archway and chapel doors, this is an incredibly unique cottage getaway. It’s located in Newton, a small village only 10 minutes’ walk from The Mumbles, Swansea’s very own riviera. There are boutique shops, golden sand and Welsh ice cream parlours within walking distance, so the cottage is ideally located for holidays by the sea.
Take a hike to Caswell Bay Beach to hire a surfboard, and line up out back for the incoming surf. Langland Bay, located on the way, has beach huts. Mumbles Beach may be smaller, but it has access to a cycling trail along the promenade, which travels to the south end of Swansea Beach. After you’re done exploring the local sands, head back to your pet-friendly cottage in Newton village and descend upon the rear courtyard garden, where there’s a set of furniture laid out for alfresco meals.
Facilities: Through the arched hallway and rustic antique solid-wood door, Oystermouth Chapel opens up into an open-plan living and dining room with a grand piano, a woodburning stove with a ceiling-height pipe and a dining set for six. If that doesn’t sound delightful enough already, there’s an arched entrance into the self-catering kitchen, where there’s a line of equipment including an electric oven, gas hob, microwave and fridge-freezer. There’s plenty of space to drop walking boots and beach gear on the porch, which will help you not to trail any sand into the three bedrooms. There are two bathrooms shared between them, which include a roll-top bath and a walk-in shower. Other cottage features include free Wi-Fi and two TVs.
The Headlands
Location: The Mumbles, Swansea
Best for: A Homely cottage in the mumbles
The Headlands is literally a home away from home, except that this particular home is situated just a few steps from the Mumbles seafront promenade, one of the most sought-after sections of Swansea. With three floors and space for seven people and their two beloved pets, the cottage is in the perfect location for those who want to cycle the full length of Swansea Bay, experience the Welsh surf first-hand and laze around licking Joe’s ice cream from a parlour by the sea.
If you haven’t already soaked up enough UV rays by the sea, there’s a small, cosy courtyard with a pair of sun loungers. Stylish and fairly luxurious too, the property is fully self-catering and has plenty of places to unwind, whether it’s the breakfast bar, the lounge or the cosy bedrooms, which have spectacular views of the sea in some places.
Facilities: If you’re planning on picnicking along the Mumbles coast rather than relaxing in one of the waterside restaurants or cafés, the cottage is fully set up for self-catering holidays, with an electrical combination microwave oven and hob, a fridge-freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer and dishwasher. Being so close to the sea often means that parking can be a nightmare, but handily, the property has a dedicated off-road parking space. There are four TVs and a WiFi connection, so you shouldn’t be fighting over which channel to watch in the evening.
The Cabin
Location: Pontardawe, South Wales
Best for: A luxury holiday rental for nature-based holidays in the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Looking for a high-luxury stay on the Gower Peninsula? You couldn’t ask for a more immersive way to take in the Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty than from the veranda of The Cabin. The log cabin is based high up in the centre of the peninsula, with views over sloping farmlands. You have a front-seat view of the scenery, with a picnic bench and a hot tub.
The inside of the cottage feels more like a Swiss Alps chalet than it doesn’t a Welsh country home, but outside, the countryside scenery is definitely Welsh. Down a peaceful country drive, there’s plenty of peace and quiet and, naturally, there’s access to plenty of quiet dog-walking paths for those travelling with canines. Being a short drive from Gower Beaches and Llanmorlais village, and only a 25 minutes’ drive from Swansea, it’s also well-situated for scoping out other local areas.
Facilities: You’ll probably be spending most of your time at this log cabin on the veranda, which has views for miles. Take in the Gower’s starry skies from your hot tub or transfer the goods you’ve cooked up in the fully-equipped kitchen to the picnic bench on the patio. Indoors, the open-plan living area has a Freeview TV and Wi-Fi if you’re in need of any entertainment other than stars and drinks on the veranda. The kitchen also has an electric oven and hob, a microwave, a fridge and a dishwasher.
Book Your Next Break and Visit Somewhere Unforgettable with Breakfree Holiday Rentals
If none of the above options have swept you away just yet, Breakfree Holidays has an excellent selection of cottages in Wales, including cottages in other Welsh destinations. Book your holiday in confidence, whether you’re travelling with kids, canines or just yourself.