Why book a Norfolk holiday cottage with us?
With Simply Owners, you deal directly with the owner of the property. There is no third party adding to the price and no generic call centre rattling through a script when you call to ask a question. Our Norfolk holiday cottages are offered by verified owners at their own prices, and because we don't take commission, rates often fall below what the major platforms charge for a similar property.
Your money is protected by our payment protection plan, so that you get a personal and direct relationship with none of the risk.
Where to stay in Norfolk
Where you choose to stay in Norfolk can change the whole feel of the trip:
North Norfolk coast attracts the biggest crowds, and understandably so. Wells-next-the-Sea has its harbour and brightly painted beach huts. Blakeney sits at the mouth of a creek, while seal trips depart from Morston Quay a few miles along the coast. Burnham Market draws the gallery-and-delicatessen set and has become known to locals as Chelsea-on-Sea. Further east, Cromer remains true to the traditional Victorian seaside with its pier, crabs, and an end-of-pier show. Sheringham and Holt are more sedate, more down to earth, and popular with walkers.
The Norfolk Broads are a world of their own. A hundred and twenty-five miles of lock-free waterway threading through reed beds and low-lying villages. Holiday cottages on the Broads often come with a mooring or a day boat. Anglers enjoy this area, as do families seeking outdoor adventure.
South and central Norfolk costs less and gets fewer visitors. Market towns like Diss and Wymondham sit in gentle farmland, and Norwich which is one of England's best-preserved mediaeval cities, is under an hour from most of the county.
Great Yarmouth and the east coast brings something else entirely. Traditional seaside amusements, long sandy beaches, chip shops on the front. Children tend to love it.
Types of holiday cottage in Norfolk
The range of holiday cottages in Norfolk is broad. You can find converted barns with exposed beams and wood burners as well as flint-walled fishermen's cottages five minutes from the beach. You can also find modern eco-lodges tucked behind tree lines.
Dog-friendly cottages are one of the most searched-for types on the site and with miles of open beach, coastal footpaths, and a surprising number of dog-friendly pubs, this makes sense. If your dog takes every open gate as an invitation, look for properties with enclosed gardens. Many of our Norfolk dog-friendly cottages have them.
Luxury holiday cottages in Norfolk cover a wide range. Coastal barn conversions with hot tubs and sea views at one end. Period farmhouses sleeping twelve with their own pool at the other. Summer and school holidays fill first, so plan ahead if you are after something at peak times.
Norfolk Broads riverside cottages sit in a category of their own. Some come with private moorings or a day boat included.
Things to do in Norfolk
The Norfolk Coast Path runs 83 miles from Hunstanton to Hopton-on-Sea, although you can always join for a couple of hours between villages if the full distance feels a bit much. Holkham Beach is regularly named one of England's best and is an enormous stretch of sand that is deserted enough on a weekday to feel exclusive.
Cycling enthusiasts can enjoy the quiet lanes and signed routes through the Broads while birthwatchers can enjoy Cley Marshes and the RSPB reserves. Blakeney Point grey seal colony is one of the largest in England and boat trips run from Morston from spring through winter.
Families have Bewilderwood near Wroxham, part adventure park and part storybook forest, plus the Dinosaur Adventure Park for younger children and the steam-hauled North Norfolk Railway between Sheringham and Holt. Sandringham, the royal family's Norfolk estate, opens to visitors for most of the year.
With the cathedral, the castle, the daily market that has run since Norman times, you could spend a full day in Norwich alone.
When to visit Norfolk
Norfolk works year-round, though the character shifts.
Spring is mild and uncrowded. Bluebells in the woods, lambs everywhere, beaches quiet enough to feel like yours. Temperatures sit around 12–17°C.
Summer brings peak prices and full beaches. Warm days around 20–22°C, the coast road busy with camper vans. Book July and August early, especially along the north coast.
Autumn is underrated. The crowds thin, the light softens, seal pupping begins at Blakeney from November. Pubs with log fires come into their own. Norfolk photographs best in autumn.
Winter stays surprisingly mild - around 4–8°C along the coast. Pink-footed geese arrive in their thousands, Christmas markets appear in Norwich and the smaller towns, and a bracing beach walk followed by a roast in a country pub makes a solid weekend away.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to holiday in Norfolk?
It depends what you're after. The north coast, made up of Wells-next-the-Sea, Blakeney, and Burnham Market, draws the most visitors and has the best beaches. The Broads suit anyone who wants boating or water-based activities. Norwich is the choice for city culture. Great Yarmouth works for a traditional seaside week with children.
Are there luxury holiday cottages in Norfolk?
Many. Coastal barn conversions with hot tubs, period houses with private pools, high-spec retreats sleeping two or twenty. We list luxury holiday cottages across the county, browse the luxury filter to find what suits you.
What is the nicest seaside town in Norfolk?
Wells-next-the-Sea gets mentioned most due to its harbour, beach huts, and pine-backed sands. Burnham Market is quieter and more upmarket. Cromer has a working pier and is famous for crabbing (catching crab straight from the pier). Blakeney is small, peaceful, and close to the seal colony. All worth a visit, and that is one of the benefits of staying for a full week.
What's the difference between booking through us and using a platform?
You deal directly with the property owner. No booking fees on top of the price. No service charges. Simply Owners offers free payment protection, verified properties and owners, and you can contact the owner with any question before you commit. Simple, open, often cheaper.
Find your Norfolk cottage
Whether you're looking for a coastal escape, a riverside retreat or a countryside getaway, you'll find holiday cottages across Norfolk, all listed directly by their owners with no booking fees. Browse our collection and get in touch with an owner today.
