Everybody has must-watch vacation motion pictures that they binge through the festive season, from Love Truly to Residence Alone. However few truly get the possibility to step contained in the world of their favourite consolation flicks—that’s, till now. Superfans of The Vacation can now hire out a duplicate of the quaint English cottage the place fictional Hollywood bigwig Amanda Woods (performed by Cameron Diaz) was charmed by heartthrob British guide editor Graham (performed by Jude Legislation). They’ll have to attend 4 months, and make the trek to Georgia as an alternative of the Cotswolds.
Residence designer Lucy Small put The Vacation Cottage up for short-term leases this October after a nine-month construct—and a fan frenzy shortly ensued. The 37-year-old has spent the previous six years designing properties within the Blue Ridge Mountains; she’s labored on three dozen homes, from lavatory and kitchen rebuilds to hardcore building tasks. However nothing may have ready her for the push of consideration that got here together with her newest undertaking: replicating the comfy Rosehill Cottage featured in The Vacation, from the bottom up. In spite of everything, practically 20 years after the film’s launch, it continues to be a top-watched festive flick—in 2023, The Vacation was streamed 2.3 million occasions, in response to an evaluation from Samba TV.
Because it turned out, the home featured within the 2006 movie—owned by Kate Winslet’s character Iris, who home-swapped with Amanda’s L.A. mansion for the Christmas season—by no means truly existed in actual life. It was a giant enterprise, however Small noticed a possible hit on her palms.
“The Vacation Cottage was actually a enjoyable factor. I used to be like, ‘Hey, why don’t I do that? I’ve the whole lot at my disposal to have the ability to do it, I understand how to construct, and I can discover land,’” Small tells Fortune, including she’s a fan of the enduring film. “Truthfully, it was simply a type of conditions the place I had this wacky concept, and everybody received enthusiastic about it, and nobody stopped me.”
David Cannon Images/Courtesy of Lucy Small
Earlier than the muse of the two-bedroom, two-and-a-half tub residence was even constructed, Small had attracted consideration from hundreds of shoppers. She first introduced her plan to construct the cottage in 2022, and fan fervor began pouring in. The entrepreneur says they solely had digital renders of the cottage on the time, however individuals have been already sending her handwritten letters about how they couldn’t wait to remain there. Round 4,000 individuals left their emails on a web site Small threw collectively to replace the general public on its availability. Now, simply two months after going stay available on the market, the short-term keep is absolutely booked out till March 2026.
“Individuals have actually cherished it, and each time I get a type of letters of, ‘This implies a lot to me, thanks a lot for making it attainable,’ that’s simply far more worthwhile to me than anything,” Small continues. “Anybody can construct a home, have it’s a great funding, and promote it to an investor. However this appears to actually have that means to individuals, and that makes it essential.”
The nine-month course of to deliver The Vacation cottage to life
It’s no straightforward feat bringing a bit of cinema into the actual world—particularly whenever you’re up in opposition to a house that’s inconceivable to duplicate. In fact, the Rosehill Cottage featured in The Vacation was only a little bit of film magic; the house’s weathered facade was inbuilt an open subject, whereas the inside was filmed on units. Residence-makers may hesitate on the concept of constructing an unbuildable residence—however Small was truly excited by the premise.
“I discovered that the home by no means truly existed in actual life, which, for me, is a giant deal. As a result of in the event you can truly go go to the Brady Bunch home, or the Residence Alone home, me constructing one other one is much less fascinating,” she explains. “But when it by no means existed, if it’s a set that was torn down 20 years in the past, that’s much more fascinating, as a result of there may be actually nothing else on the earth prefer it.”
Small put the undertaking into movement a number of years in the past, however shortly bumped into some time-consuming roadblocks. Georgia, a well-liked vacationer getaway and filming location, was sluggish to problem extra short-term rental licenses as short-term stays flooded the market. Heavy taxes and costs additionally needed to be factored into the value, as counties needed in on the business’s rising success. Discovering the precise land to construct on was a battle—however as soon as they settled on a plot in North Georgia, it was off to the races.
David Cannon Images/Courtesy of Lucy Small
In whole, it took 9 months to construct The Vacation Cottage, from breaking floor to placing within the remaining prospers. Small labored with an architectural designer, watching the romcom collectively “1,000 occasions” to attempt to get it proper. The primary hurdle: They realized the home would by no means meet code. When attempting to construct at scale, they found the ceilings could be too low, standing at solely seven toes tall, primarily based on the place the home windows have been positioned within the film. The movie model of the cottage had solely two chimneys however featured three fireplaces; the lavatory ground was sloped; and, in actuality, one window would lower midway via the kitchen cupboard. Small and her crew did the whole lot to match the identical aesthetic, even organising pretend partitions and slopes.
Replicating the house’s furnishings proved to be a bit expensive, too. Regardless of the quaint film cottage, seemingly adorned with humble, second-hand furnishings, the kitsch decor was past Small’s finances. Utilizing Google picture reverse search, she tracked down antiques equivalent to those within the set, which ran upwards of $30,000 every. The bamboo umbrella tree proven within the cottage entryway, for instance, was priced at over $15,000. Finally, Small was in a position to parallel the identical heat, charming environment with related decor. She declines to share how a lot your entire construct set her again, and even when she’ll recoup on prices. Small says she rents out the house at a modest worth—$399 per evening through the off-season, and $499 throughout excessive season—and is adamant The Vacation Cottage has been a worthwhile funding.
“It’s not like we have been completely shocked and completely blew the finances. We knew what it could be—we don’t cost a silly quantity,” Small says. “And so it’s nonetheless been a great funding, provided that we didn’t like low-cost out on the construct in any respect.”
Having 4,000 keen followers lined up—and why Small is ok being a ‘one-hit-wonder’
With 4,000 keen renters already ready for the pin to drop, The Vacation Cottage’s immediate success wasn’t an enormous shock. Nonetheless, Small wasn’t used to her tasks getting a lot consideration.
“As somebody who, frankly, doesn’t know the way to use social media in any respect, who doesn’t have it, who’s fairly non-public, I’m normally unable to get eyeballs on any of my tasks,” she continues. “For this one, [attention has] simply been pouring in utterly, regardless that I haven’t gone out to hunt it, which has been a really new place for me as a designer.”
As soon as The Vacation Cottage reserving website went stay on Oct. 4, Small says dates began filling up “instantly.” And media consideration solely riled up extra curiosity; the millennial residence designer says she “can’t consider {a magazine}” that hasn’t coated her new construct. And simply in time for the vacations, it’s proved to be the right place to get into the festive spirit. Presently, there is just one open day in March, a number of out there slots in April, and only one in Might. The Vacation Cottage isn’t out there for a multi-day reserving till June 2026—the home is almost booked out for six straight months.
David Cannon Images/Courtesy of Lucy Small
Small’s newest undertaking has proved an enormous success, and she or he says renters have thus far been loving it. Vacationers depart their tales within the residence’s visitor guide; a trio of sisters introduced their mom, a giant fan of The Vacation, alongside for the final word dream keep; one other customer used to observe the film together with her mother each Christmas, and after her passing, rented the place together with her dad. For the individuals who keep there, the short-term rental is greater than a spot to crash. It’s the possibility to be immersed in romcom nostalgia and reconnect with family members.
When requested if she is planning one other movie-related construct, Small says she’s completely glad being the house owner of this one viral sensation. Proper now, she has no different concepts—all she is aware of is she is going to solely take tasks like this, the place individuals are excited in regards to the outcome. Plus, Small believes there’s no different residence constructed that may replicate the identical magic as The Vacation Cottage.
“Truthfully, I’m positive being a one-hit-wonder,” Small says. “I don’t want it to be a giant money-maker or huge success, as a result of quite a lot of the issues that make this home—The Vacation Cottage—so particular, I don’t suppose may be replicated.”
A model of this story initially revealed on Fortune.com on November 28, 2025.
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