Finest Retreats buys Devon’s My Favourite Cottages, tops 900 properties
What’s the deal? Cornwall’s Finest RetreatsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has acquired My Favourite CottagesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, a Devon-based agency specialising in coastal and rural holiday cottages. The deal, completed at the end of July 2026, pushes the buyer’s portfolio above 900 properties. Terms were not disclosed.
Who’s involved? My Favourite Cottages has operated for more than a decade, building a portfolio of 72 properties across Devon. Co-founder Harry Roberts has retired, while the entire operations team stays on.
Why now? Roberts said he wanted to pass the business to a firm "similar in their approach, size and style." He approached Finest Retreats directly and added that his own holiday cottage would join the portfolio as "a sign of my complete trust."
What’s the endgame? The purchase reflects Finest Retreats’ aim to grow through selected acquisitions of owner-managed businesses that share its values. It follows the 2025 purchase of Forgotten Corner Holiday CottagesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → on Cornwall’s Rame Peninsula.
What changes? Finest Retreats has already made marketing and operational changes behind the scenes, generating an early rise in bookings and occupancy. Every owner has been personally contacted to ease the transition.
The signal: Finest Retreats was built without outside investment in under seven years, with offices in Kingsand, Bude, and Roche. Its steady bolt-on acquisitions point to consolidation across the UK’s fragmented holiday let market.
Read more: insidermedia.com
Image credit: Lewis Clarke
