Classic Cottages acquires St Davids Escapes, adds 80 properties
With the acquisition, Classic Cottages’ UK portfolio rises to roughly 1,500 holiday homes, strengthening its presence in Wales. St Davids Escapes has built a reputation for marketing cottages across…
Classic Cottages has completed the purchase of St Davids Escapes, adding more than 80 holiday properties on the St Davids Peninsula to its UK portfolio. The deal, the financial terms of which were not disclosed, sees the St Davids office remain in the city while owner Rachael Copley joins Classic Cottages as an area manager.
With the acquisition, Classic Cottages’ UK portfolio rises to roughly 1,500 holiday homes, strengthening its presence in Wales. St Davids Escapes has built a reputation for marketing cottages across north Pembrokeshire, covering locations such as St Davids, Solva, Abereiddy and Whitesands Bay.
Ms Copley said: “St Davids Escapes has always been about sharing our love and knowledge of this very special part of Pembrokeshire and providing a personal service to our owners and guests.” Joining Classic Cottages feels like a natural next step because we share the same values and approach.
I’m delighted to be staying with the business and working from St Davids, while being able to offer our owners the benefits of Classic’s wider reach, marketing expertise and resources.”
The business works directly with holiday property owners, offering guests tailored local advice and handling bookings for a range of coastal and rural cottages. Dan Harrison, commercial director at Classic Cottages, added: “St Davids Escapes is a really strong fit for Classic.”
It is a well‑established local business with an excellent portfolio of properties, extensive knowledge of the area and the same emphasis on personal service and close relationships with owners that has always been important to us.”
Classic Cottages said the acquisition will retain the local knowledge and relationships that St Davids Escapes has cultivated while giving owners access to a broader marketing platform. The purchase follows Classic Cottages’ acquisition of Ocean Cottages in north Devon in May 2025 and the earlier 2024 purchases of Norfolk Holiday Homes and Cat Hole Cottages in the Yorkshire Dales.
Both Classic Cottages and its parent group, Sapphire Holidays, are family‑owned and based in Cornwall, with the group also operating Aspects Holidays, Boutique Retreats and Island Escapes. Sapphire Holidays now manages more than 2,850 holiday properties across the UK and Crown Dependencies and employs over 200 staff, positioning the company as a significant player in the domestic holiday market.
The continuation of the St Davids office and the appointment of Ms Copley are expected to preserve the personal service that local owners and guests value, while the expanded reach may boost visitor numbers to north Pembrokeshire’s coastal attractions.