Westgate Cottage

Westgate Cottage is a dog-friendly holiday cottage in Winchester city centre: a two-bedroom house on Upper High Street that sleeps five, with two free parking permits, two sitting areas downstairs and a decked garden. The Great Hall is about three minutes' walk, the High Street and the station about five and the cathedral ten, so once you arrive you can leave the car and see the city on foot. Book it direct with us right here.

The cottage at a glance

• Sleeps 5: a king bedroom, a twin room and a single sofa bed
• A sitting room with a brick feature wall and a decorative fireplace
• An open-plan kitchen and dining room opening onto the deck
• A decked garden with outdoor seating
• Two free digital parking permits
• Dogs welcome
• Dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer and Wi-Fi
• Smart TV with streaming apps
• Self check-in from 4 pm to 9 pm, check-out by 10 am

Inside the cottage

Downstairs there are two places to be. At the front, the sitting room is the cosy one, with an exposed brick wall, a decorative period fireplace, a comfy sofa and the TV. At the back, the open-plan kitchen and dining room is the heart of the house, and the room guests mention most: thoughtfully designed, bright, and opening straight out onto the deck. One returning guest called the kitchen living space the perfect spot to cook while her son played close by.

Bedrooms and bathroom

Bedroom 1: a king-size bed.

Bedroom 2: two single beds. It's a compact room, so the beds fill most of it and the door doesn't open all the way; it suits children or friends who don't mind a cosy space.

Sitting room: a sofa bed that sleeps one more.

The bathroom is compact too, with a shower. Every bed is made up with fresh hotel-quality cotton linen before you arrive, and we leave fluffy towels, toiletries, tea and coffee, spare pillows and blankets, and room-darkening blinds for a lie-in.

The kitchen

Guests single out how well equipped the kitchen is: oven and hob, microwave, fridge, dishwasher, kettle, toaster and a coffee maker, with pans, crockery, cutlery and wine glasses, and a dining table for everyone. There's a washing machine, a tumble dryer and an iron as well, so a longer stay is no harder than a short one.

The deck

Through the kitchen door, the decked garden is a small, private outdoor space with seating, and on a summer evening it's a lovely place for a drink after a day of sightseeing. Dogs are welcome at Westgate Cottage too.

Where you are in Winchester

Upper High Street runs down into the historic heart of the city. Walking times from the front door: the Great Hall and King Arthur's Round Table about 3 minutes; the High Street's shops, cafés and restaurants and Winchester station about 5; Winchester Cathedral about 10; the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and the Guildhall about 12; the Broadway and King Alfred's statue about 13; and Wolvesey Castle and the University of Winchester about 15. For a walk with a view, St Catherine's Hill is about 34 minutes on foot, and the Water Meadows path beside the River Itchen to St Cross starts just beyond the cathedral. In November and December, the Cathedral Christmas Market is about ten minutes' walk away.

The station has direct trains to London Waterloo and Southampton, and non-drivers tell us they reached everything on foot. Parents visiting students at the university, couples on a city break and families seeing relatives all find it handy, and plenty of guests have come back for a second stay.

Parking, arrival and departure

Parking is on-street permit parking in Zone Q, and we arrange two free digital permits for your stay; just send us the make, colour and registration of each car. The nearest Zone Q streets are Upper High Street, Newburgh Street, Tower Road and Sussex Street. Spaces are first come, first served, so at busy times you may need to park a few streets away or use one of the nearby pay car parks. There's a single yellow line near the bus stop outside where you can stop briefly to unload. Check-in is self check-in with a lockbox, any time between 4 pm and 9 pm, and check-out is by 10 am. Our local team is on hand by message every day from 8 am to 8 pm.

Worth knowing

Westgate Cottage is a city-centre cottage, so it's snug rather than sprawling: the twin room and the bathroom are both small, and it's at its most comfortable for two to four people. Upper High Street is a busy road, but the windows keep most of the noise out.

Good to know before you book

• Arrivals from 4 pm, last check-in 9 pm, by lockbox; leave by 10 am
• We can't offer late arrivals after 9 pm
• Both bedrooms and the bathroom are upstairs
• Up to two dogs; a pet fee applies
• Two free Zone Q parking permits; street spaces are first come, first served
• No cot available; bring a travel cot
• No parties or events, and no smoking
• After booking, the lead guest completes a short ID check and deposit step with our partner SafeGuest

Questions guests ask

• Can we bring our dog? Yes, up to two dogs are welcome; a pet fee applies.
• Is there parking? Yes, two free on-street permits for Zone Q; spaces are first come, first served.
• Can we walk to the cathedral and the station? Yes, about 10 and 5 minutes.
• What are the beds? A king, two singles and a single sofa bed.
• Is there a bath? There's one bathroom, with a shower.
• Is there Wi-Fi? Yes, throughout the cottage, with a smart TV for streaming.
• Is it good without a car? Very: the station, High Street and cathedral are all a short walk.
• Can we stay longer? Yes. Stays of up to 89 nights can be booked online; for 90 nights or more, or for a company booking, please get in touch first.
• Can we arrive after 9 pm? Sorry, no: the lockbox check-in window ends at 9 pm, so aim to get here between 4 and 9.
• Are the bedrooms upstairs? Yes, both bedrooms and the bathroom are upstairs; the sitting room with the sofa bed is on the ground floor.
• Is this the same house as Westgate Retreat? No. Westgate Retreat is our three-bedroom townhouse with the hot tub and games room on the same street; Westgate Cottage is the two-bedroom cottage with the decked garden and two parking permits.
• Is there a cot? Not at the moment, so pack a travel cot for a baby.

Booking direct

Booking here is cheaper than booking the same dates through some of the big booking sites, and longer stays are discounted. If you have particular dates in mind, email us before you book and we'll see what we can do for you.