A holiday lodge sits at the premium end of the UK holiday home market. It looks like a bungalow, comes fitted like a house, and stands on a leisure park you use for holidays and weekends away. Buyers ask what separates a lodge from a static caravan, what it costs to run, and whether they can live in one. Here are the answers.
What is a holiday lodge?
A holiday lodge is a factory-built, single-storey home designed for holiday use on a licensed leisure park. Most UK manufacturers build lodges to the BS 3632 residential standard, so you get thicker insulation, full central heating and double glazing for comfort across the year. Widths run up to around 22 feet, which gives you room for two or three bedrooms, a fitted kitchen, and a lounge with French doors onto private decking. You own the lodge and licence the pitch it stands on.
Holiday lodge vs static caravan: what is the difference?
Both are transportable holiday homes that sit on a park pitch. The lodge is the larger, better-specified option. A static caravan usually meets the EN 1647 holiday standard, while a lodge is often built to BS 3632, the same standard used for residential park homes. Lodges carry more glass, higher ceilings and premium finishes, so they keep their appeal and command stronger resale prices. You pay more upfront and more in annual site fees for that extra size and specification.
“Buyers fall for the lodge, but it is the park you live with day to day. Get the location and the site fees right, and the lodge takes care of itself.”
— Justin Allitt, Sell My Group
What does a holiday lodge cost to buy?
New lodges start around £100,000 and climb past £250,000 for top models on premium coastal parks. The price reflects the size, the specification and the location. A two-bedroom lodge on an inland countryside park costs far less than a three-bedroom lodge with sea views and a hot tub on the coast. Preloved lodges open the market at a lower entry point and suit buyers who want the lifestyle without the new-build price. It is worth browsing the holiday lodges for sale to see how prices compare across parks before you set a budget.
What does it cost to run a holiday lodge?
The purchase price is only the start. Every year you pay site fees, also called pitch fees, which cover your plot, the park upkeep and access to the facilities. Lodge site fees usually run higher than caravan pitches because the plots are larger and the parks more upmarket. On top of that you pay for gas, electricity and water, plus insurance built for a holiday home, and an annual service and damp check to keep the lodge in condition. Budget for all of it before you buy, because the running costs decide whether ownership feels comfortable or stretched.
New or preloved: which lodge should you buy?
A new lodge gives you the latest layouts, warranties and energy efficiency, and you choose the finish. It also loses value fastest in the first few years, in the same way a new car does. A preloved lodge costs less upfront and has already taken that early drop, so your money buys more space or a better pitch. Check the age, the condition and how many years of site licence remain before you commit either way.
Can you live in a holiday lodge all year round?
A holiday lodge sits on a holiday site licence, so it is for holidays and leisure use rather than a permanent address. Many parks run a long season, often ten to twelve months, which lets you enjoy the lodge across most of the year. For a permanent home you need a residential lodge on a park that holds a residential licence. The difference between a park home, caravan and lodge comes down to the licence and the build standard, and it decides how you can use the home.
Can you rent out a holiday lodge?
Many parks let owners sublet their lodge to holidaymakers, and the income can offset the site fees and running costs. Rules vary, so check whether the park allows private letting or requires you to use its own booking service, and what cut it takes. A lodge in a strong holiday location with a hot tub and sea views earns more, but factor in cleaning, laundry and management time before you count on the income.
How long does a holiday lodge last?
A well-maintained lodge built to BS 3632 can last several decades. What often ends ownership sooner is the park licence agreement, which may set a maximum age for lodges on the pitch. Ask the park how long you can keep the lodge sited before you buy, because that timeline shapes both your enjoyment and the resale value.
Where to buy a holiday lodge
Lodges cluster on coastal and countryside leisure parks across the UK, from the Scottish lochs to the Cornish coast. Location drives the price, so a lodge with sea views on a sought-after park costs more than the same model inland. Look at the park as closely as the lodge itself: the season length, the facilities, the site fees and the resale rules all shape what ownership feels like year to year.
Browse holiday lodges for sale on Sell My Group, compare parks by sea views, pet-friendly rules and 12-month seasons, and enquire directly with the park.