Tetbury is one of those Cotswolds market towns that feels genuinely timeless. Honey-coloured stone, narrow lanes, independent shops, and a quiet confidence that doesn't need to shout about itself. It's the kind of place where visitors arrive for a weekend and immediately start wondering whether they could live there. So when Laura and Marc from Must Stay Again asked me to photograph one of their Cotswold stone cottages in the heart of Tetbury, I knew the brief would be about more than just documenting rooms. It would be about capturing the feeling of arriving somewhere special.
Must Stay Again is Laura and Marc's collection of exquisite Cotswolds properties that they own and run themselves. They list across Airbnb, Booking.com, and other platforms, and their approach is immediately obvious the moment you step through the door of any of their properties. Every detail has been considered, from the branded "Must Stay Again" cushions that appear throughout, to the curated coffee table books, the quality linens, and the carefully chosen art. These are not properties that have been furnished from a catalogue. They have been styled with genuine thought and personality.
01The Property
The cottage itself is a traditional Cotswold stone building, the kind you see on postcards of the region. Thick stone walls, a slate roof, leaded windows on the upper floor, and a neat gravel frontage with private parking. From the outside, it reads as quintessentially English, but step inside and you find a space that has been thoughtfully modernised without losing any of its original character.
The ground floor is an open-plan living space with exposed ceiling beams, oak flooring throughout, and a colour palette built around sage green, warm oak, and cream. The kitchen sits to one side with shaker-style cabinetry in pale grey, solid oak worktops, and white metro tile splashbacks. It's compact but beautifully equipped, with a proper oven, coffee machine, and all the small touches that make guests feel at home rather than staying in a rental.
02Photographing the Living Space
The living area was where I spent the most time during the shoot. Laura and Marc have dressed this space with real flair. A striped sofa in taupe and cream, olive green velvet cushions, a dark walnut TV unit with ribbed detailing, and a window seat dressed with the signature "Must Stay Again" cushion alongside curated books and a small jug of flowers. The ceiling beams add warmth overhead, and the natural light flooding through the front window creates a soft, inviting atmosphere.
For Airbnb photography in the Cotswolds, properties like this present a wonderful opportunity. The styling is already there, the light is good, and the colour palette is cohesive. My job is to find the angles that tell the story of the space, capturing both the overview shots that give guests a sense of layout and proportion, and the detail shots that communicate the quality of the finish.
I shot the living room from multiple angles to show how the different zones connect. The dining area sits between the sofa and the kitchen, with a dark wood table and chairs positioned beneath a framed Matisse print. It's a small space used intelligently, and the photography needed to convey that sense of considered design rather than cramped compromise.
03The Details That Matter
One thing I always emphasise to holiday let owners is the importance of detail shots. Wide-angle room overviews are essential for showing layout, but it's the close-ups that create emotional connection. A potential guest scrolling through Airbnb listings might see dozens of "nice living rooms," but a close-up of a branded cushion on a window seat, a woven basket holding a green throw beside a fern, or a candle lantern on a staircase landing, those are the images that make someone stop and think "this place has been loved."
Laura and Marc understand this instinctively. Their properties are full of these moments, small vignettes that photograph beautifully and communicate care. The staircase landing with its brass lantern and woven storage baskets. The hallway bench with its green-striped cushion and Matisse prints above. These aren't afterthoughts; they're deliberate choices that elevate the guest experience and, crucially, the listing photography.
04The Bedroom
Upstairs, the bedroom occupies the full loft space beneath the original roof beams. It's a generous room with a king-size bed dressed in crisp white linen and a green knitted throw, flanked by dark wood bedside tables with brass-detailed wall lights. An abstract watercolour in greens and greys hangs above the bed, tying the colour scheme together. On the opposite side, a walnut dressing table and chest of drawers sit beneath the apex of the roof, with an arched full-length mirror leaning against the wall.
The lighting in this room was particularly important to get right. With the exposed beams creating strong geometric lines overhead and the wall lights providing warm pools of amber, I wanted to capture that sense of cosy evening atmosphere while still showing the room clearly. I shot both with natural light for the bright, airy daytime feel, and with the lamps on for the warmer, more intimate mood that guests would experience in the evening.
05The Bathroom
The bathroom continues the same considered approach. Grey marble-effect tiles in the shower area, a full-size bath with an over-bath shower, a bamboo bath tray, and those small but important details like matching black pump bottles for toiletries and a fern in a woven pot. It's clean, modern, and spa-like without feeling clinical.
06The Open-Plan Flow
One of the challenges with compact holiday lets is showing how the spaces connect. Guests want to understand the flow of a property before they book, particularly when they're choosing between multiple listings. I always try to include at least one or two shots that show the relationship between zones, in this case capturing the living area with the kitchen visible beyond, giving a clear sense of the open-plan layout.
07Working with Must Stay Again
What made this shoot particularly enjoyable was the level of preparation Laura and Marc had put in. The property was immaculately presented, every surface was clear of clutter, fresh flowers were in place, and the styling was consistent throughout. This is exactly what I recommend to all my holiday let photography clients, and it makes a real difference to the final images.
When you work with owners like Laura and Marc who take such pride in their properties, the photography process is smoother because they understand what makes a listing perform. They know that the champagne bottle on the bedside table, the fresh bread on the kitchen counter, and the candles on the TV unit aren't just nice touches for guests. They're visual storytelling devices that help potential bookers imagine themselves in the space.
08Results and Recommendations
The images from this shoot are now live across Must Stay Again's Airbnb, Booking.com, and direct booking channels. For properties in the Cotswolds, where competition among holiday lets is fierce and guests have high expectations, professional photography isn't optional. It's the difference between a listing that blends in and one that stands out.
If you own holiday lets in the Cotswolds, Tetbury, or anywhere in the South West and you'd like photography that captures the genuine quality of your properties, get in touch for a free quote. I work regularly with property owners, individual hosts, and holiday let businesses across the region. Packages start from £250, with all images delivered within 48 hours, ready to upload straight to Airbnb, Booking.com, Vrbo, and your own website.
--- I photograph holiday lets and Airbnb properties across the Cotswolds. If you need professional photography for your rental, get in touch or call 07545 450543.
