Is The Cottage In The Holiday Real? And Where Is Rosehill Cottage?

22 December 2023, 17:01 | Updated: 22 December 2023, 17:13

The poster for 2006 movie The Holiday
The poster for 2006 movie The Holiday. Picture: Alamy

By Kathryn Knight

The cottage used in The Holiday – where Iris lives – is peak cosiness. But is Rosehill Cottage real?

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The Holiday movie itself feels like a mini getaway due to the super cosy, Christmassy home in Surrey in which most of it is based.

Fans of the Christmas classic will know the picture-perfect cottage is where Iris lives and rents out to Amanda after the women both seek an escape from their let-down boyfriends.

But is the cottage from The Holiday real and is Rosehill Cottage a real cottage?

The cottage from The Holiday was re-built based on another cottage in Surrey
The cottage from The Holiday was re-built based on another cottage in Surrey. Picture: Alamy

Is the cottage from The Holiday real?

Rosehill Cottage isn’t a real cottage unfortunately, as it was built from scratch for the purpose of the movie and the entire interior – where we see Graham gatecrash Amanda’s mini break – was simply a set.

However, one cottage in particular served as the inspiration for the cottage; Honeysuckle Cottage in Holmbury St Mary in Surrey, which was briefly available to rent on Airbnb after going up for sale in 2021.

The adorable cottage is the epitome of the English countryside, especially during the shots in which it’s dusted in snow as Cameron Diaz, aka Amanda, runs after love of her life Graham, aka Jude Law.

Cameron Diaz in The Holiday
Cameron Diaz in The Holiday. Picture: Alamy

Honeysuckle Cottage was pretty much built brick for brick at a studio in London for The Holiday, including the cosy fireplace, exposed wood beams and bare brickwork.

Although Amanda spent the entirety of her trip cold, the original cottage actually had underfloor heating.

Couple Jon and Cressida Bromley bought the cottage for £625,000 in 2019, only later finding out it was the inspiration for the famous Christmas movie when they read about it in a property magazine. They also regularly had tourists showing up at their door.

Although it was listed as available to rent on Airbnb in 2022, it seems the property is no longer available to book.

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