Cottages for rent in the northern areas, whole houses with their own kitchen rather than a single hotel room, are now a real option in Hunza, Skardu, Naran, Murree and Nathiagali, listed on Airbnb, Booking.com and a growing number of Pakistan-specific vacation rental sites. For a family or group of friends it can work out cheaper per person than several hotel rooms and gives everyone more space and privacy.
This guide covers where to find them, what actually varies between listings, and what to ask before you book.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Best for | Families and groups of 6 or more, longer stays, self-catering |
| Where they're most common | Murree, Nathiagali, Hunza (Karimabad and Aliabad), Naran, Skardu |
| Where to book | Airbnb, Booking.com, and local vacation-rental sites; some by phone or Facebook page |
| What to check | Kitchen equipment, gas cylinder, heating, generator backup, whether a caretaker is included |
| Price | Varies widely by size, location and season; confirm the current rate on the listing |
What counts as a cottage here
In the northern areas, "cottage" is used loosely for anything from a genuine standalone stone or wood cottage with its own garden to a self-contained unit within a resort compound, and "villa" for anything from a modest family house to a large, staffed property with a private chef. What they share is a private kitchen, more than one bedroom, and no shared hotel corridor or reception.
This is different from a homestay, where you're a guest in a family's occupied house; a rented cottage is usually empty and handed over to you for the stay, sometimes with a caretaker who comes and goes rather than lives alongside you.
Where they're most common
- Murree and Nathiagali have the longest-established rental cottage market in Pakistan, from small hillside cottages to larger family villas built specifically for holiday letting.
- Hunza, particularly around Karimabad and Aliabad, has a growing number of cottages and family-run guesthouses with self-catering units, often with mountain views a standard hotel room doesn't get.
- Skardu has fewer standalone cottages than Hunza, but villa-style units within larger resort compounds are increasingly listed on booking platforms.
- Naran and the Kaghan valley have cottages and family huts, though many close for winter with much of the town's hotel stock.
How to find and book one
- Airbnb and Booking.com both list cottages and villas in Murree, Nathiagali, Hunza, Skardu and Naran, with photos, guest reviews and a fixed online price, which makes them the easiest starting point for a first booking.
- Pakistan-specific vacation rental sites list cottages across the north, sometimes with more properties in smaller towns than the international platforms carry.
- Local Facebook pages and groups run by individual property owners are common, particularly in Nathiagali and Hunza, and can turn up options not listed elsewhere, though it's harder to verify a property you've only seen in a few photos on a page with no review history.
- A tour operator or travel agent who has actually used a property before can be a useful check on a rental you're not sure about, especially for a larger group booking well in advance of peak season.
Book well ahead for June to August and any long weekend or Eid, when the best-located and best-value cottages go first, the same as hotel rooms across the region; our guide to booking hotels in the north covers deposits and what to confirm before you pay, and the same principles apply to a cottage booking.
What to check before you book
A cottage listing photo doesn't tell you everything a hotel booking would normally guarantee, so it's worth confirming directly with the host or through the platform's messaging:
- What's actually in the kitchen. A "fully equipped kitchen" can mean anything from a full set of pots, a fridge and a gas stove to a single burner and a kettle. Ask, especially if you're planning to cook proper meals rather than just reheat food.
- Whether the gas cylinder and cooking gas are included, and who to contact if it runs out mid-stay.
- How the property is heated in winter, since a large cottage with several rooms can be harder to heat than a single hotel room; our guide to heating in northern hotels covers the same questions worth asking here.
- Whether a caretaker or host is on site or reachable, useful if something breaks or a generator needs restarting during a power cut.
- How far the cottage is from the main bazaar or road, since some are a walk or short drive from shops and restaurants, which matters more for a self-catering stay where you'll be going out for supplies.
- Cancellation and deposit terms, which vary far more between individual owners than between established hotels.
What it costs
Cottage and villa prices vary widely by size, location, season and how recently the property was renovated. Because listings and rates change often and differ so much between platforms and individual owners, check the current price directly on the booking site for your dates rather than relying on a figure quoted elsewhere. As a general rule, a cottage costs more per night than a single hotel room but less per person once split between a full family or group, which is the main reason people choose one over several hotel rooms.
Who a rental cottage suits
A cottage or villa suits families and groups of six or more staying several nights in one place, who want the space to cook their own food, sit together in a shared lounge in the evening, and avoid the cost of booking multiple hotel rooms. It suits a longer stay better than a one-night stop, since the extra effort of shopping for food and managing a kitchen only pays off once you're there for a few days.
It suits solo travellers, couples and short overnight stops less well; a hotel room is simpler, doesn't need stocking with groceries, and comes with someone else handling breakfast. For a family trip built around fixed hotel nights instead, our nine-day Gilgit, Hunza and Khunjerab tour and seven-day Skardu and Deosai trip use hotels we can confirm are running for every night of the route.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I find cottages for rent in the northern areas?
Airbnb, Booking.com and Pakistan-specific vacation rental sites all list cottages and villas in Murree, Nathiagali, Hunza, Skardu and Naran. Local Facebook pages run by individual owners are another source, particularly in Nathiagali and Hunza.
Are rental cottages cheaper than hotels for a family?
Often, per person, once you're splitting the cost of a whole cottage between a full family or group, since you avoid paying for several separate hotel rooms. The cottage itself usually costs more per night than a single hotel room.
Do cottages in the northern areas have working kitchens?
Most do, but the standard varies widely from a full set of cookware to a single burner. Ask the host or check the listing carefully for what's actually included before assuming you can cook a full meal.
Are cottages heated in winter?
Some are, with the same range of options as hotels: central heating, gas heaters, or wood stoves. Ask directly how a specific cottage is heated and how it handles winter power cuts before booking for the cold months.
Is it better to book a cottage through Airbnb or directly with the owner?
Airbnb and Booking.com give you reviews, a fixed price and some recourse if something goes wrong, which suits a first-time booking. A direct booking with a known owner, or one recommended by a tour operator you trust, can work well once you've used a property before.
