Large Holiday Cottages in Pembrokeshire

Large holiday cottages Pembrokeshire: where should your group stay?

Pembrokeshire is the far south-west corner of Wales, and nearly all of its coastline sits inside the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, the only national park in Britain that runs mainly along the sea. Up north you'll find cliffs, little coves and the Preseli Hills. The west faces the Atlantic, with surf and island trips, while the south has the busy seaside resorts and the big sandy beaches. Few drives take much more than an hour, so wherever you stay, the whole county is in reach.

Most of our big cottages are in the north.

That's where the old farmhouses and spacious family homes are, so a large group of 10 to 14 gets the most choice around Newport and the Teifi. The south has far fewer large holiday homes on our books, but the best-known sands.

Newport and Fishguard

Newport is the pick for most groups. It's a small place of stone cottages under Carn Ingli, with a good restaurant or two, the estuary at the Parrog and Newport Sands, a wide beach just across the river. Walk the coastal path round Dinas Island from Cwm yr Eglwys. Or take the short drive west to the old harbour in Fishguard's Lower Town.

• Gwelfor sleeps 14 guests in Newport itself, with five bathrooms
• Lyndale sleeps nine, with a sea view balcony and a garden
• Henllys sleeps 14 a few miles inland and takes dogs
• Pen y Mynydd sleeps 11 in the countryside near Dinas
• Rock House and Murmur y Mor, two dog friendly Fishguard homes, sleep 10 and 8, the second with sea views and a games room

See all our large holiday cottages in Newport.

The Teifi and Aberporth

Cardigan sits on the River Teifi, right where Pembrokeshire meets Ceredigion. South of the river mouth is Poppit Sands, where the national trail finally ends after 186 miles, and to the north the shore breaks into small coves: Mwnt with its whitewashed chapel, then Aberporth and Tresaith. Keep an eye out for dolphins.

Three of our six hot tub cottages are round here.

• Teifi Villa is our biggest single holiday house and sleeps 18, with a games room and space for the dog
• Cadwgan sleeps 10 near Aberporth
• The Wheel @ Canllefaes sleeps eight and adds a swimming pool
• Aelwyd Y Don and Dyffryn Cottage sleep eight each, close to the Aberporth coves

Compare the big cottages around the Teifi.

St Davids and St Brides Bay

Britain's smallest city has a medieval cathedral tucked in a hollow below the main street, surf at Whitesands and boats to Ramsey Island from St Justinians. Lower Treginnis Farm is right out at the tip of the peninsula, a short drive from the cathedral, with several self-catering cottages let together for the biggest get-together we list.

A little further east, St Brides Bay curves round past Newgale's two miles of sand.

• Newton West Farm has two lodges that sleep 14, each with a private tub, north-west of Haverfordwest
• Seabrook and One Sand Banks sleep eight each and sit close together, so two families can take both
• Mountain Farm sleeps eight, with a games room

Browse our big holiday homes around Haverfordwest for the rest.

Marloes, Dale and St Ishmael's

This quiet peninsula is the base for coastal walks and wildlife. Skomer lies off its western tip, Marloes Sands is one of the finest strands in Wales at low tide and Dale is a favourite for sailing and paddleboards.

• Yr Hen Ardd sleeps 12 near St Ishmael's, dogs welcome
• Piglet Cottage sleeps 10, with a tub and a wood burner
• Pickleridge View in Dale and Gwelfor near Marloes are both dog friendly, for 10 and eight
• North Studdock Cottage sleeps eight out towards Angle

Tenby and Saundersfoot

Tenby is the classic seaside resort: pastel terraces on the cliff, medieval walls, a harbour and four beaches, with Saundersfoot just up the shore. We only have two big cottages here, so book early for school holidays. One has a pool and a sauna, the other a games room and an enclosed garden.

The biggest holiday cottages in Pembrokeshire compared

Sleeps and bedrooms come from each property's own details.

The Treginnis cottages suit a reunion or a special occasion. The other 22 properties sleep eight or nine, often the sweet spot for two or three families or a group of friends sharing one kitchen.

What is there to do in Pembrokeshire with a big group?

These activities all work for 10 to 20 people, and most are within an hour of any of our cottages.

Days out worth planning around

Skomer's puffins

From April to September, boats cross to Skomer every day except Monday. The birds are easiest to see from mid-June to mid-July, and parties of more than six book by phone.

Round Ramsey Island

Thousand Islands runs hour-long trips round the RSPB reserve on Ramsey, with grey seals on the shingle and porpoises in the Sound.

Abereiddy's Blue Lagoon

A flooded slate quarry with deep green water. It's the place to try coasteering with a local guide, a sport that started on this stretch of coastline!

Carn Ingli and Pentre Ifan

Climb the rocky hill above Newport for views over the whole estuary, then explore Pentre Ifan, a Neolithic burial chamber with a huge capstone balanced on three stones.

Castell Henllys

The National Park's Iron Age village has thatched roundhouses rebuilt on their original foundations, and children love it.

Barafundle and Stackpole

There's no road to Barafundle. You walk over the clifftop from Stackpole Quay on the National Trust's Stackpole estate, which keeps the crowds down even in August.

Caldey Island

Small boats cross from Tenby to Caldey between spring and autumn. Monks still live on the island and make chocolate and perfume.

Mwnt and Poppit Sands

Two of the best family holiday beaches near Cardigan, with a cafe at Poppit and steps down to the cove at Mwnt.

Folly Farm

A zoo, adventure play areas and an undercover vintage fairground near Kilgetty, and the big wet-weather day out now that Oakwood has closed.

Getting there, dogs and tips for 10 to 20

• Roads: the M4 stops west of Swansea, then it's the A48 and A40 via Carmarthen. Allow about two hours from Cardiff.
• Rail: Transport for Wales runs to Haverfordwest, Fishguard and Tenby.
• Food shop: Haverfordwest has the big supermarkets, while the villages only have small shops, so book a delivery for arrival day.
• Taxis: rare outside the towns, so book the ride back from the pub before you go out.
• Parking: lanes are narrow and some drives fit two cars, so check the parking on the listing before booking and share lifts.

Bringing the dogs

23 of our 34 cottages take dogs. From 1 May to 30 September the National Park's summer dog rules apply:

• Banned all day: Whitesands and Tenby North
• Kept off part of the sand: Poppit Sands, Newgale, Saundersfoot, Dale, Amroth and Lydstep
• Not on the list: Newport Sands and Marloes Sands

For more ideas, see our dog-friendly group cottages across the UK.

When to go and what it costs

July and August bring the warmest days and the busiest beaches.

• Spring: seabirds on the cliffs, wildflowers on the coastal path and lower prices
• Summer: puffins, barbecues on long evenings and every big cottage booked early
• Autumn: seal pups on the island coves and a sea that's still warm

Prices for large holiday cottages Pembrokeshire offers start from around £61 a night for the whole house, and the middle of our range is about £125. Split between eight, that's under £16 each.

Still choosing a region? Our UK destinations guide compares them all, the big houses on Gower and in South Wales are next door, or browse every one of our large holiday cottages across Britain.