Excellence Luxury Villas · Wiltshire
Luxury Holiday Rentals in Wiltshire
Lakeside lodges, country houses and stone cottages among chalk downs, ancient stones and the Cotswold Lakes
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Chalk downland, standing stones and a great deal of sky
Wiltshire is ancient England, and it barely hides it. Stonehenge and Avebury share a UNESCO World Heritage listing, white horses are cut into the chalk hillsides, and Salisbury Cathedral has the tallest spire in Britain. In between are rolling downs, honey-stone villages such as Lacock and Castle Combe, and some of the most comfortable country pubs in the south of England.
Our Wiltshire collection runs to 60+ properties. Many are lakeside lodges and houses around Oaksey and the Cotswold Lakes in the north of the county. The rest are cottages in the villages near Bath and larger houses for family gatherings in the west.
Here is a guide to where to stay, what to see and when to come.
Wiltshire at a glance
- Properties
- 60+ lodges, houses and cottages, with up to 11 bedrooms
- Guide prices
- Typically £1,100 to £2,600 a week, from around £900
- Best areas
- Oaksey and the Cotswold Lakes in the north; the villages near Bath and Westbury in the west
- Highlights
- Stonehenge and Avebury, Salisbury Cathedral, Lacock, Stourhead and Longleat
- Getting there
- Trains from London Paddington to Kemble, Chippenham and Swindon; Bristol is the nearest major airport
Browse all 60+ properties in Wiltshire
Villa numbers and guide prices are updated daily from our live collection.
Jagger Barn United Kingdom6 bedrooms
Manor Silbury Wiltshire: 11-Bedroom Safari Lodge with Hot Tub and Pool, Wiltshire11 bedrooms
House Chalke Valley: Spacious 5-Bedroom Apartment with Hot Tub, Cranborne Chase5 bedrooms
House Avon Wiltshire: Spacious 7-Bedroom House with Pool, Wiltshire7 bedroomsWhere to stay in Wiltshire
Oaksey and the Cotswold Lakes for lakeside lodges and water, Colerne and the villages near Bath for stone cottages, and Chapmanslade for easy access to Longleat, Stourhead and the west of the county.
Lakes, lodges and birdsong
Along the border with Gloucestershire, decades of gravel extraction have left behind a chain of around 150 lakes, once called the Cotswold Water Park and now known as the Cotswold Lakes. It is a gentle, watery landscape of reed beds, footpaths and nature reserves, with sailing, paddleboarding and fishing in summer, and great flocks of wildfowl in winter.
Oaksey, a quiet village with a good pub, makes a sensible base. Malmesbury, with its Norman abbey, is a short drive away, and so is Cirencester, the old Roman town that people call the capital of the Cotswolds.
Browse houses in Oaksey
Five thousand years of looking at the sky
Stonehenge is the famous one, but Avebury is in many ways the more rewarding visit. It is the largest stone circle in Britain, and a village sits right inside it, so you can walk among the stones with a pint in hand from the Red Lion. Nearby are Silbury Hill, the largest prehistoric mound in Europe, and West Kennet Long Barrow, which you can step inside.
The Ridgeway, often called Britain's oldest road, sets off from Overton Hill just outside Avebury and follows the chalk escarpment east. It makes a fine morning's walk.
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A cathedral, a camera and a safari park
Salisbury Cathedral's spire rises to around 123 metres, and the Chapter House holds one of the four surviving original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. Lacock is almost entirely owned by the National Trust. William Henry Fox Talbot made some of the earliest photographic negatives at its abbey, and film crews have been drawn to its unspoilt streets ever since.
In the west of the county, Bradford on Avon has a tiny Saxon church and walks along the Kennet and Avon Canal. Chapmanslade is within easy reach of the lake and temples at Stourhead and the lions at Longleat, Britain's first drive-through safari park.
Browse houses in Chapmanslade
Lardy cake, solstice and long summer evenings
Wiltshire is pig country, and the Wiltshire cure for ham and bacon is famous. Lardy cake, rich and sticky and wholly unapologetic, is the county's teatime contribution. Farm shops and good village pubs are easy to find in every direction.
Summer is the main season. Crowds gather at Stonehenge to watch the sun rise at the June solstice, and the WOMAD world music festival takes over Charlton Park near Malmesbury each July. Spring and autumn are quieter and ideal for the downs. Our concierge can arrange private chefs, guided visits to the stones, pub and restaurant tables, and transfers.
Ask our conciergeFeatured properties in Wiltshire
House Helm Hawkington Wiltshire: Luxury 2-Bedroom Apartment with Spa and Private Parking, Wiltshire2 bedrooms · sleeps 3From £3,668 a week
Cottage Helm Hawthorn Colerne: Luxury 3-Bedroom Cottage with Countryside Charm and Private Parking, Bath3 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £3,605 a week
Cottage Helm Frazer Colerne: Charming 3-Bedroom Holiday Cottage with Countryside Views, Wiltshire3 bedrooms · sleeps 6From £3,185 a week
Cottage Gossway Wiltshire: Luxury 3-Bedroom Cottage with Pool and Tennis Court, Wiltshire3 bedrooms · sleeps 8From £3,017 a week
House Chalkhill Colerne: Charming 4-Bedroom Country House Rental with Private Patio in Wiltshire4 bedrooms · sleeps 9From £2,905 a week
Aspen Manor United Kingdom6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £2,726 a week
Appelton House United Kingdom6 bedrooms · sleeps 12From £2,591 a week
Kirby House United Kingdom5 bedrooms · sleeps 10From £2,591 a weekWhy book your house in Wiltshire with Excellence Luxury Villas
The right house, not the nearest one
Wiltshire's properties range from lakeside lodges in the north to village cottages near Bath, and we know which are best for the water, which for the stones and which are a short stroll from a good pub. With 60+ properties in Wiltshire, we can usually find the house that suits you rather than the one that happens to be free. Search by size, pool, location and price, or tell us what you have in mind and we will put together a shortlist.
Book direct
You book with us directly, with no booking fees. Questions about access, parking, pool heating or how far it really is to the nearest beach go to people who can find out the answer.
A concierge who knows the territory
Private chefs, guided visits to Stonehenge and Avebury, Longleat tickets, paddleboarding and fishing on the Cotswold Lakes, pub and restaurant reservations, and transfers from the station. Our concierge team arranges all of it, leaving you free to decide which terrace to sit on.
A house for every kind of party
Couples, families with small children, three generations together or a crowd of friends celebrating a birthday: we match the house to the group, down to the number of bathrooms and whether the pool is fenced.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the best place to stay in Wiltshire?
Oaksey and the Cotswold Lakes suit families who want water, walking and lakeside lodges. The villages near Bath, such as Colerne, are good for stone cottages close to the city, and the west of the county around Chapmanslade is handy for Longleat and Stourhead.
When is the best time to visit Wiltshire?
May to September is best for long days outdoors, the lakes and garden visits. Spring and autumn are quieter and lovely for walking the downs, and winter brings crisp days at the stones and large flocks of birds on the lakes.
Can you visit Stonehenge at the summer solstice?
Yes. English Heritage usually opens the stones for managed access at sunrise on the June solstice. It is very busy, so many visitors prefer Avebury, where you can walk among the stones on any day of the year.
Can you arrange a private chef at a house in Wiltshire?
Yes. Our concierge can arrange a private chef for a single dinner or your whole stay, along with cookery lessons, guided visits, transfers and restaurant reservations.
How much does a luxury propertie in Wiltshire cost?
Across our 60+ properties in Wiltshire, weekly rates typically range from £1,100 to £2,600, with the most affordable from around £900 a week and the largest estates well above. Prices depend on the size of the property, its location and the season, with July and August the most expensive. These are guide prices based on current listings; each property page shows its own rates for your dates.
How do I get to Wiltshire?
Trains run from London Paddington to Swindon, Chippenham and Kemble, which is close to Oaksey, and from London Waterloo to Salisbury. Bristol is the nearest major airport, and the M4 crosses the north of the county.
Are there houses in Wiltshire for large groups?
Yes. Our Wiltshire collection includes properties with up to 11 bedrooms. Tell us the size of your party and the occasion, and we will send a shortlist that suits it.
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Find your house in Wiltshire
60+ properties in Wiltshire, booked direct with our concierge on hand