last minute holiday cottages?

[pluckingupcourage]

I'm helping lovely BIL to surprise his longterm GF with a holiday in the coming week or two. They are looking for a holiday cottage for five days/a week in either Wales, Sussex or Somerset (possibly Cornwall) and preferably near a beach for coastal walks. They want fresh air, to cook food, read books, don't need nightlife. They are both recent postgraduates so are on a tight budget, but would like somewhere clean, comfortable, sleeping two, no pets. We've been trawling through the usual websites but most aren't really geared towards last minute. Also wondering if there are last minute rates for holiday cottages. Any thoughts to help our search go more efficiently?

Have you tried Helpful Holidays? They are generally well priced, but only cover the West Country - they have some last minute type offers on their special offers page...

www.helpfulholidays.com/advresults.asp?proxy=y&r=0.6707509

(not sure if that will link - am on my phone).

I've stayed in a few - the standard of the cottages are just excellent.
Hope that helps :-)

eBay is worth checking for last minute deals.

Have had good experience phoning Cottages4you rather than relying on their website.

I've also had success phoning cottages 4 you. Their website doesn't seem to cope with last minute bookings. We rang on a Monday and went the next day in that lovely warm spell we had last May which turned out to be our Summer because it rained for months afterwards

www.devonholidayhouses.co.uk has availability from 15.4.12 for 5 or 6 nights at £285 or £300 staying in the Garden Flat.

we use lastminute-cottages website which gives availability for the next 6 weeks so what you see on there is what people have left. can recommend Wringworthy holiday cottages in Looe where we always stay when in Cornwall. its on the SE coast so down the A38 and easier to get to and quieter. the cottages have fantastic views and prices have always been reasonable.

I booked a weekend in Dorset last year with www.hoseasons.co.uk/
They were very reliable and the cottage we stayed in was fantastic. I can't wait to go back.

I have stayed here before. Accommodation nice and near the beach.

I can also recommend this one too. All near the beach I think and standard of accommodation also good.

www.toadhallcottages.co.uk are worth a look for the west country.

This is all brilliant advice (sorry I scarpered, have had food poisoning so the house has been like one of Dante's rings of hell).

I've sent the links over to BIL and will get emailing/ringing myself (while possibly booking me a break too!!)

oh thanks Westcountry989 we're continuing the search tonight if I can stop indecisive BIL from procrastinating further!