Holiday rentals and lettings in Totnes

Table of Contents

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

• Cottages and riverside flats: Choose between period cottages on the steep high street and modern self-catering flats near the Dart, most with Wi-Fi, a garden or a barbecue.
• Where to base yourself: The town centre suits shoppers and foodies, while Bridgetown, Dartington and Ashprington give you quieter riverside and countryside stays.
• Well-rated by guests: Travellers praise the walkable centre, welcoming hosts and easy parking, with several Totnes properties rated above 9.5+ over the past year.
• Best time to visit: May to September brings river trips and markets; autumn and winter are quieter, cheaper and good for museums and pubs.
• Things to do: Climb Totnes Castle, browse the independent high street, cruise the River Dart to Dartmouth and explore the Dartington Estate.

Totnes is a small town, so its holiday lettings are mostly characterful rather than large: stone-fronted terraced houses on the high street, converted barns in the Dart Valley and bright self-catering flats a short walk from the quay. Many visitors compare cottages in Totnes with a rural base further out, while walkers often pair a stay here with a longer trip taking in cottages in Cornwall. Most sleep two to six guests. Here are the amenities that come up most often when guests book in Totnes:

• Wi-Fi throughout, useful for longer remote-working stays
• A private garden or courtyard for South Devon evenings
• A barbecue for summer meals after a day on the river
• Pet-friendly rooms, with a third of local lettings welcoming dogs
• Allocated parking, a real advantage on the narrow high street

Book early for market weekends, when the smaller central properties go quickly.

What are the best areas to stay in Totnes?

For a first visit, stay in the town centre, within a few minutes of the castle, the markets and the independent shops. The table below details regions for specific interests:

What do our guests say?

Guests staying in Totnes consistently mention how walkable the town is: you can be at the market, on the castle mound and back at your letting within an hour. Hosts are praised for local tips on the best river walks and Friday market stalls, and several central properties hold ratings of 9.8+ or higher. Reviewers also note that lettings with parking or a garden make a real difference here, given the steep streets and long South Devon evenings.

Here are our top-rated holiday lettings from the past year:

1. Dart View Hideout - 10.0+: A compact lodge for couples, praised for its peaceful setting and easy access to the Dart Valley around Totnes.
2. Little Rondeval - 10.0+: A traditional cottage sleeping four, with guests highlighting the comfortable interiors and quiet base near Totnes.
3. Cosy house in the historic market town - 9.8+: A family-sized house near Totnes, with reviewers praising the space for five and the helpful, local hosts.

Totnes sits in the Dart Valley in South Devon, roughly halfway between Dartmoor and the coast at Dartmouth.

✈️What is the best way to get to Totnes?

The train is the easiest option, as Totnes has its own mainline station a short walk from the centre. Here are the most common ways to get to the town:

• Train: Totnes station sits on the Exeter to Plymouth mainline, with direct services from London Paddington in around three hours and frequent connections from Bristol, Exeter St Davids and Plymouth. The station is about ten minutes on foot from the bottom of the high street, so most guests reach a central holiday letting without needing a taxi. The South Devon Railway also runs heritage steam trains from Totnes Littlehempston up the valley to Buckfastleigh.
• Car: Leave the A38 Devon Expressway near Buckfastleigh and follow the A385, or take the A385 from Paignton if you are coming along the coast. From Exeter the drive takes around 45 minutes. The streets in the historic centre are narrow and steep, so a letting with allocated parking is worth prioritising; otherwise use the car parks at Coronation Road or Heath's Nursery, both a short walk from the shops.
• Bus: Regular Stagecoach services link Totnes with Torquay, Paignton and Kingsbridge, and coaches from further afield connect through Exeter or Plymouth. In summer you can also arrive by river, taking a boat up the Dart from Dartmouth to Steamer Quay.

🥗Where to eat in Totnes?

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

⭐Our guests' recommendation: Our guest traveller Charlotte recommends the Barrel House in Totnes: it is a friendly independent venue just off the high street, good for a drink and live music after a long walk along the river.

☀️When is the best time to visit?

The best months for a Totnes holiday are May to September, when river cruises to Dartmouth run daily and the markets spill onto Civic Square. Late spring is quietest of the warm months, while autumn brings the harvest and cider season on the Dartington Estate. Winter is mild, damp and much cheaper, and suits museum visits and long pub lunches.

Spring

• Best for: Walkers and gardeners exploring the Dart Valley before the summer crowds arrive.
• Weather: Mild and changeable, with daytime temperatures around 12 to 17°C and frequent showers.
• Atmosphere: Calm and local, with markets busy but the riverside paths largely empty.

Summer

• Best for: Families and first-time visitors who want boat trips, festivals and long evenings.
• Weather: Warm and often sunny, usually 18 to 23°C, though South Devon rain is never far away.
• Atmosphere: Lively, with the high street, the quay and the Elizabethan market at their busiest.

Autumn and winter

• Best for: Couples and budget travellers looking for quiet countryside and cosy pubs.
• Weather: Cool and wet, generally 6 to 14°C, with mild frosts rather than heavy snow.
• Atmosphere: Peaceful and unhurried, with lower prices and easy availability in the town centre.

⭐Our Hosts' recommendation: Our Totnes local expert recommends coming to visit the ruins of Berry Pomeroy Castle, a few miles east of town. Go early on a weekday, when the woodland setting is at its most atmospheric and you can walk the gatehouse and Tudor mansion almost alone, then follow the lane back towards Totnes for lunch. You can read more about local tips on the host's page.

1. Climb Totnes Castle
2. Shop the independent high street
3. Cruise the River Dart
4. Explore the Dartington Estate
5. Step into the Elizabethan House Museum

1. Climb Totnes Castle

   Start with the town's landmark. Totnes Castle is a Norman motte-and-bailey fortress whose circular stone keep crowns the hill just above the high street. The climb takes only a few minutes and rewards you with views over the slate roofs, the Dart Valley and the hills towards Dartmoor. Information boards explain the town's medieval defences, and the grassy bailey is a good picnic spot. Pair it with a walk along the surviving stretches of the town walls and through the East Gate arch on your way back down.

2. Shop the independent high street

   Totnes has almost no chain shops, and that is the point. Walk up Fore Street and the High Street past bakeries, bookshops, craft studios, wholefood stores and vintage clothing. Totnes Market fills Civic Square on Fridays and Saturdays, and on some Tuesdays in summer traders dress in Elizabethan costume for the charity market. On the third Sunday of the month the Good Food Market brings Devon producers together, a strong reason to book a self-catering letting with a proper kitchen.

3. Cruise the River Dart

   From Steamer Quay, passenger boats run down the tidal Dart to Dartmouth, passing Sharpham vineyard, the village of Dittisham and the wooded slopes around Greenway. The trip takes about an hour and a quarter each way and is timed with the tide, so check departures before you set out. For something quieter, hire a canoe or kayak and paddle a shorter stretch. Guests extending their trip along the coast often continue west towards cottages in St Ives afterwards.

4. Explore the Dartington Estate

   Two miles north-west of town, the Dartington Hall Estate spreads across 1,200 acres of gardens, parkland and woodland beside the Dart. You can wander the medieval courtyard and terraced gardens for free, follow the riverside walk back into Totnes, or visit the cider press, craft studios and food shops. The estate runs concerts, courses and open-air performances through the summer, making it an easy half-day out for families staying nearby.

5. Step into the Elizabethan House Museum

   Housed in a merchant's home built around 1575, this small museum keeps its original beams, panelling and herb garden. Twelve galleries cover Totnes life from Tudor times onwards, including a room devoted to Charles Babbage, whose family came from the town and whose calculating engines preceded the modern computer. Children get a nursery with costumes and toys. It is an easy indoor option on a wet Devon afternoon, and a good companion to camping trips elsewhere in cottages in England.