Listing sites
Sawdays Listing Explained for Cottage and Glamping Owners
A fair look at listing with Sawday's, who it suits and how it sits next to Canopy & Stars.
You run a cottage, a hut or a pod, and someone has said you should be on Sawday’s. Fair enough, it’s a well-known name. But whether it suits you depends on what you’re renting out.
A Sawdays listing suits holiday cottages, self catering places, B&Bs, hotels and pubs with rooms. If you run glamping, its sister brand Canopy & Stars is usually the closer fit. Either way, a listing brings guests to you, but it doesn’t replace your own website.
How a Sawdays listing works
Sawday’s is a curated collection, not an open directory. It says it inspects places, accepts only 50% of applications and that places can’t buy their way in.
That selection is the main thing a listing offers. Sawday’s presents being in the collection as a mark of quality, and it has been championing independent owners for more than 30 years.
Its application pages name holiday cottages, barns and other self catering places, plus hotels, B&Bs and pubs with rooms. Those are the types it names. Glamping isn’t one of them on those pages.
Sawday’s or Canopy & Stars
Sawday’s takes cottages, B&Bs, hotels and pubs with rooms, and Canopy & Stars is the glamping brand. Both belong to the same Sawday’s group, so the choice mostly comes down to what you have in the field or on the farm.
| Your property | Better starting point |
|---|---|
| Holiday cottage or barn conversion | Sawday’s |
| B&B, pub with rooms or small hotel | Sawday’s |
| Shepherd’s hut, yurt, pod or treehouse | Canopy & Stars |
| A cottage plus a couple of huts | Ask both what they would list |
If you have a mix, such as a farmhouse cottage with a shepherd’s hut in the meadow, ask both brands what they would list and how.
What to ask before you apply
Ask what you will pay, how, and when, and get the answer in writing. Listing sites charge in different ways, and some take a share of each booking while others charge a fee for being on the site.
As of October 2026, Sawday’s says on its join page that it charges an annual membership fee rather than commission, payable monthly or in full, and takes no part in your bookings. It doesn’t publish a price, so ask for a quote and check the terms before you apply.
Calendars matter more than people expect. A double booking across two sites is one of the most stressful things that can happen to a small owner. Availability calendars on your own site can sync with Canopy & Stars, Airbnb, Booking.com and CoolStays, so ask any listing site how it will fit with your other channels.
Application tips
Sawday’s reviews each application, so it is a chance to show your place off properly. A few things help.
- Write about what makes the place different, in your own words. A short, honest description beats a polished brochure.
- Have good photos ready. Bright, natural shots of the rooms, the view and the outdoor space work best.
- Be clear about your property type and sleeps, so you are matched to the right part of the collection.
- Have your pricing and minimum stays to hand, including midweek and weekend rates.
Your own website copy is a useful start here. Rory can write it for you, or you can bring your own.
Why your own site still matters
A listing gets you seen, and your website lets you keep the booking. Even when someone finds you on Sawday’s or Canopy & Stars, some will search for your own site afterwards, perhaps hoping for a better deal or to book direct.
If they find nothing, or a slow page that is hard to use on a phone, some will go back to the listing. If they find a clear page with a calendar and prices, they can book with you and you pay no commission.
Millie the Hut is a good example. Its site brought 42 direct bookings in its first year, saving the owners over £3,000 in commission.
A listing and a website work best together. The listing finds new guests, and the website turns the ones who look you up into direct bookings.
FAQs
Can I list a glamping site with Sawday’s?
Sawday’s application pages name holiday cottages and self catering places, plus hotels, B&Bs and pubs with rooms. Glamping isn’t named there, so ask them before you apply. Canopy & Stars, part of the same Sawday’s group, is the brand built around glamping, so it is usually the first place to look for huts, pods and yurts.
How do I apply to list with Sawday’s?
Start from the Join us or List your property pages on sawdays.co.uk and fill in the application form. Sawday’s says it inspects places and accepts only about half of applications, so expect it to review your property rather than accept everyone.
Does a Sawday’s listing replace my own website?
No. Some guests who find you on a directory search for your own site afterwards, hoping for a better deal or to book direct. A listing gets you seen. Your website is where you can take direct bookings, with no commission.
Send us your website and we’ll tell you, for free, what’s stopping it getting bookings. Get your free website audit.