The verdict
A church studio full of character
Cosy, quirky and a steal at under £50 a night — it turned me from hotels to Airbnb.
Stained glass
An 1846 church building, renovated with its character intact.
The wood burner
My first one — and it warmed the place in minutes.
A warm welcome
Breakfast, toiletries, towels and purple tulips waiting.
Hotels can be expensive. Airbnb fills the gap, from a cosy room to a mansion for fifteen — and after my first stay, I’m a convert.
Mum and I wanted a weekend near the Peak District on fixed dates, for under £70 a night. We built a shared wish list and found this cottage in East Cheshire.
Inside the cottage
The owner met us and showed us round. Breakfast, toiletries and towels were provided, with a full choice of cereals and hot drinks. A sky window fills the room with light.
It was chilly on the first night, so we lit the wood burner and closed the shutters. All the heat rose to my mezzanine bed — I might as well have been in Australia. We didn’t need the fire the next night.
The church next door is what the cottage was once part of; on Saturday evening and Sunday morning you can hear the choir.
Good to know
Booking an Airbnb for the first time
- Check the total Service charges and cleaning fees are added on top of the nightly price.
- Request to book The host approves you first. Ours answered questions and held the dates for 24 hours.
- Build a wish list Save favourites and share the list, so everyone can add their own.
- Ask about access Our narrow driveway left an inch each side — I had to fold the mirrors in.
On the map
Where it is
Area
East Cheshire
Nearby
The Peak District
Price
Under £50 a night
Sleeps
Two, with a mezzanine
We took the scenic route on dual carriageways rather than the motorway — a longer drive, but sweeping landscapes all the way.
