The real cottage of Holidays is now available to rent on Airbnb after a couple bought it not realizing it was in the movie until fans showed up.
When Jon Bromley, 58, and his wife Cressida, 52, signed on for their chocolate box house three years ago, they had no idea they would be living in the building that inspired Cameron Diazthe idyllic rural retreat of in the festive 2006 film.
But they soon found out when they saw news of the sale in a property magazine and strangers were regularly taking pictures outside their home in Holmbury St Mary, Surrey – which didn’t happen stopped.
And a few weeks ago, the couple decided to list their very special cottage on Airbnb for an average of £295 per night and, perhaps unsurprisingly, “had reservations right away” from those lucky enough to go.
The Bromleys still live there but already have visitors planned for Christmas, New Year and summer.
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During the film’s pre-production, researchers discovered the house and fell in love with it.
Unfortunately, the location was too isolated to bring the cast and crew there, so the crew instead built a near-perfect replica of the house in a studio.
Rosehill Cottage, which features in the film, is an identical match for Bromleys house, down to the picket fence, wooden gate, country garden and rural track that Diaz slips famously.
In the film, newly single Amanda Woods, played by Diaz, leaves Los Angeles for a two-week vacation at Rosehill Cottage in rural England.
During the mini-break, she meets the landlady’s brother, Graham, played by Jude Law, and they fall in love.
With the original chalet now available for real-life getaways, Jon, a sports photographer, says: “I got bookings straight away.
“Our first guests were a few weeks ago for two nights. They were scientists from Cambridge and they really enjoyed it.
“It’s one of those getaways where you hide somewhere in a small village.
“There’s nothing here but a pub next door – no shops.”
In addition to bookings during the holiday season, they have two in the summer for local weddings.
“I’m really proud of it. It’s a very nice house and we’re very lucky,” adds Jon.
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The Bromleys moved into the £625,000 home in 2019, completely oblivious to the fame of their new home.
“I came to see it for myself to begin with and literally fell in love with it straight away,” says Jon.
“Everything was beautiful – low ceilings, beams, a huge cantou with a wood stove.
“Then we saw it in a Country Life article saying something like ‘the inspiration for The Holiday cottage is back on the market’.
“I thought ‘Holy shit!'”
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The three bed cottage also has an Aga stove, underfloor heating and the iconic picket fence as seen in the popular film.
“There are quite a few people passing by looking for the house,” says Jon.
“Then you get the intruder walking by and stopping and saying ‘I recognize that, is this the ‘Holiday’ cottage?” and ‘do you mind if I take pictures?'”
Production designer for The Holiday, Jon Hutman, said in the DVD commentary that the team was looking for the “cutest, smallest, most English cottage we could find” when he came across the real house.
The Bromleys can certainly see why their quaint and cozy property inspired the film’s remote romantic getaway.
Additional SWNS reports.
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