Boutique Retreats Named Best Cottage Operator at 2025 Telegraph Travel Awards

Cornwall-based Boutique Retreats scoops Best Cottage Operator at Telegraph Travel Awards 2025

A Cornwall-based holiday company has beaten some of the biggest names in the UK travel industry to win Best Cottage Operator at this year’s Telegraph Travel Awards.

Boutique Retreats, the luxury self-catering brand known for its hand-picked holiday cottages across the UK, took the top spot in the prestigious awards, which are voted for by readers. The win was announced during a glittering ceremony held at The Pompadour Hotel in London on Friday 11th July.

Big win for a small Cornish company

The award is being hailed as a major achievement for the small Cornish business, especially as it came up against much larger national competitors. Previous winners of the title include the National Trust and Mr & Mrs Smith, highlighting the scale of Boutique Retreats’ success.

The company was nominated from a shortlist that featured some of the biggest names in the industry, but readers voted Boutique Retreats into first place. Last year the company ranked fourth.

Shane Cornish, Director at Boutique Retreats, said:

“We are absolutely delighted to have won the Best Cottage Operator award and against such national industry competition.
This is a testament to our team’s hard work and passion for delivering exceptional guest experiences and truly unforgettable stays. The fact that the award is voted for by guests and readers is a huge endorsement of everything we do.”

Founded in Cornwall, loved nationwide

Boutique Retreats was founded in 2007 and now offers a portfolio of over 270 luxury properties across the UK. Each cottage is designed to combine the style of a boutique hotel with the comfort and privacy of a home.

The company is part of Sapphire Holidays, a Cornwall-based group which also includes Classic Cottages, Aspects Holidays, Unique Hideaways and Island Escapes.

Earlier this month, Classic Cottages was named the Best Holiday Cottage Provider in the South West by Which?, and was one of just four companies in the UK to be awarded Recommended Provider status.

Readers choose quality over size

Penny Walker, Travel Features Editor at The Telegraph, commented:

“Scooping up first place this year is Boutique Retreats, which has soared to the top after taking fourth place in 2023.
Standing on a platform of carefully curated luxury, the arrival of Boutique Retreats at the top of the charts demonstrates the emphasis that our discerning readers place on quality over quantity and the value of a well-crafted holiday experience.”

Around 20,000 readers took part in voting for this year’s awards, which have been running since 1998.