Holiday rentals and lettings in Buxton

Table of contents

• At a glance: what should you know about renting a holiday rental in Buxton?
• Holiday rentals and lettings in Buxton: find your perfect retreat
• Exploring Buxton: our top recommendations
• Activities: what are the top things to do and see in Buxton?

• Accommodation for every group: From Georgian townhouse apartments near the Crescent to stone cottages towards Burbage, Buxton's 119 holiday lettings suit couples, families and walking groups alike.
• Best areas to stay: The town centre puts culture on your doorstep, Higher Buxton offers market-town charm, whilst Burbage and the surrounding villages suit walkers seeking peace and quiet.
• Highly rated by guests: Visitors consistently praise spotless interiors, hillside views and helpful hosts across the town's properties; reliable Wi-Fi and private gardens make longer stays and workations easy.
• Best time to visit: Late May to September brings the driest walking weather in the hills, with the Buxton International Festival and traditional well dressings lighting up July.
• Top activities: Tour Poole's Cavern, catch a show at the Opera House, wander the Pavilion Gardens, climb to Solomon's Temple or cycle the Monsal Trail.

Buxton's holiday lettings range from stone-built cottages tucked into quiet backstreets to elegant apartments in Georgian and Victorian townhouses near the Crescent. The most sought-after amenities, common in Buxton's holiday homes, include:

• Reliable Wi-Fi
• Gardens and balconies
• Wood burners
• Pet-friendly facilities
• Private parking

For a back-to-nature holiday, consider a rustic cabin or even a glamping pod. A B&B takes the stressful self-catering out of your break.

What are the best areas to stay in Buxton?

Buxton town centre is the best area for first-time visitors, putting the Opera House, the Pavilion Gardens and the high street within a short stroll of your door. The table below details areas for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in Buxton consistently praise the town's holiday lettings for their warm welcomes, spotless interiors and superb locations — many mention waking up to hillside views before strolling into town for breakfast. Here are some of our top-rated properties in Buxton:

Apartment 'Crescent View'- 10.0: This stylish six-person apartment effortlessly blends modern furnishings with traditional details. Guests love its convenient location and top-quality amenities.
1. Cottage 'Fern Spree' with parking - 9.6+: This traditional stone cottage has room for four. Guests praise it for its spotless interior and welcoming hosts.
2. Cottage 'Savoy' - 9.2+: The stone exterior of this cottage will transport you back in time - just the thing for a romantic break for two. Guests highlight the great views from the large living room windows.

Buxton sits in the county of Derbyshire in England's East Midlands, around 25 miles south-east of Manchester, ringed on three sides by the Peak District National Park.

✈️What is the best way to get to Buxton?

Driving is the most flexible way to reach Buxton, although the scenic railway from Manchester runs it close. Here are the most common ways to get to the town:

• Car: From Manchester, the A6 runs directly to Buxton in under an hour; from the south, leave the M1 at junction 29 and follow the A617 and A619 through Chesterfield and Bakewell. The A53 and A515 link the town with Leek and Ashbourne, and there are several long-stay car parks around the centre.
• Train: Northern services run roughly hourly from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton, taking about an hour as the line climbs through the hills of the High Peak. The station is a five-minute walk from the Crescent.
• Plane: Manchester Airport is the nearest major hub, roughly 22 miles away, with connections across Europe and beyond. Hire a car for the 40-minute drive over the tops, or take the train into Manchester Piccadilly and change onto the Buxton line for a relaxed, scenic arrival.

🥗Where to eat in Buxton?

According to Google Maps data and reviews, Lubens is the best-rated restaurant in Buxton. Below is a table showing the top 5 highly-rated restaurants hand-picked by our travel experts.

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest travellers Emma and James recommend The Old Sun Inn in Buxton: a proper firelit pub on the high street serving hearty Sunday roasts and well-kept local ales — exactly the sort of place you settle into after a wet walk on the moors.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

Late May to September is the best time to visit Buxton, when the moors are green and the weather is at its kindest for walking. July is the liveliest month, as the Buxton International Festival fills the town with opera, music and literature and the traditional well dressings are on display.

Spring

• Best for: Walkers and photographers who want the Goyt Valley's bluebells and new-season lambs without the summer crowds.
• Weather: Cool and changeable, from crisp sunny mornings to sudden showers, so pack layers and waterproofs.
• Atmosphere: Quiet and local, with the town slowly waking up for the season ahead.

Summer

• Best for: Festival-goers, families in the school holidays and anyone wanting long evenings in the Pavilion Gardens.
• Weather: The warmest and driest months of the year, though this is the High Peak — a jumper is never wasted.
• Atmosphere: At its busiest and most festive, especially during the July festival weeks.

Autumn

• Best for: Couples after cosy pub evenings and walkers who love golden beech woods around Buxton Country Park.
• Weather: Mild early on, turning cold and misty by November, with the first frosts on the tops.
• Atmosphere: Calm and romantic, with log fires lit and the town back to its unhurried self.

⭐Our hosts' recommendation: Buxton hosts are unanimous about one local secret: the Goyt Valley, just west of town. Park near Errwood Reservoir for quiet waterside paths, the atmospheric ruins of Errwood Hall and blazing rhododendrons in early summer — a gentler alternative to the Peak District's busier honeypots, and rarely more than fifteen minutes' drive from your holiday letting.

1. Explore Poole's Cavern and Buxton Country Park
2. Catch a show at Buxton Opera House
3. Wander the Pavilion Gardens and the Crescent
4. Climb to Solomon's Temple
5. Cycle the Monsal Trail

1. Explore Poole's Cavern and Buxton Country Park

   Just south of the centre, Poole's Cavern is a 300-metre limestone cave where expert guides lead you past extraordinary stalactites and the famous 'poached egg' formations. Above ground, Buxton Country Park spreads through beech woodland laced with waymarked trails, and thrill-seekers can tackle the zip-lines and wobbly bridges of Go Ape high in the treetops.

2. Catch a show at Buxton Opera House

   Designed by the celebrated theatre architect Frank Matcham and opened in 1903, Buxton Opera House is one of the finest Edwardian theatres in the country. Its programme ranges from opera and ballet to comedy, drama and film screenings, and each summer it becomes the beating heart of the Buxton International Festival, when music and literature take over the town.

3. Wander the Pavilion Gardens and the Crescent

   The 23-acre Pavilion Gardens are Buxton's green centrepiece, drawing over half a million visitors a year with lakes, play areas, a miniature train and a splendid Victorian glasshouse. A few steps away stands the restored Georgian Buxton Crescent, modelled on Bath's Royal Crescent and now home to a thermal spa — and you can fill a bottle with the town's famous warm spring water at St Ann's Well opposite, just as visitors have done for centuries.

4. Climb to Solomon's Temple

   This Victorian folly crowns Grin Low hill above Buxton Country Park, and the short, steep walk up rewards you with sweeping views over the town's rooftops to the moors of the High Peak. The present tower dates from 1896, and you can climb its spiral staircase for an even better panorama.

5. Cycle the Monsal Trail

   A short drive east of Buxton, the Monsal Trail follows a former railway line for 8.5 miles through some of the White Peak's loveliest limestone scenery, crossing the spectacular Headstone Viaduct and passing through atmospheric lit tunnels. Hire bikes at Blackwell Mill and pause in Bakewell to try its famous pudding. The Peak District's market towns are firm favourites with British travellers — some feature among the UK's most popular small towns.