12 Holiday Cottages Sleeping 14

Churchside Manor is a delight. Wearing its Victorian good looks with pride, it still makes space for more modern comforts such as a fabulous cinema room and a sheltered hot tub.

A picture-perfect Elizabethan manor just two hours from London, Broomstone House sits at the foot of the Quantock Hills in Somerset in a nature-rich estate that includes an organic farm and ancient woodlands, with views of one of England’s most picturesque landscapes.

Sitting on the edge of a pretty village, Three Hills Farm overlooks the gently rolling landscape of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In this rural idyll, unwind with your favourite people, enjoying the views, dipping in and out of the sauna and steam room, and swimming in the natural outdoor pool.

If you love a contemporary vibe in a classic setting, you will adore Riverside in the heart of Chester. Both the property and the city blend cosmopolitan flair with timeless elegance.

Ready for some fun? Tally Hoo House in Wiltshire, once a stable block, is now a fabulous country hideaway for up to 14 lucky guests. Exposed beams and brickwork offer a sympathetic nod to its past amidst a makeover with the wow factor.

Windmill View is a redbrick Georgian gem, set amidst 22 acres of private grounds in rural Norfolk. It’s ideal for a close family or friends’ getaway of up to 14 guests, and you can head to Norwich for city culture or hit the coast in under 20 minutes. Or you can sink into a hot tub under the big Norfolk skies and relax.

Pretty villages, ancient hedgerows and a neighbouring 12-acre wild orchard surround this serene, Queen Anne-style property in the Waveney Valley in Suffolk. Feel the busy world drop away as you pull up on the drive.

If you love the great outdoors, Cairnloch Estate is for you. On the 800-acre organic farm estate, ospreys, tawny owls and red kites share the skies and you might spot wild hares, deer and red squirrels among the meadows and woodlands. If home comforts are just as important, step inside to a fire in the grate and thoughtfully decorated interiors.

Stonemoor House is a sensitively restored, six-bedroom, Georgian home, set in an acre of ornamental gardens designed by Sir Joseph Paxton. Step into the entrance hall with its Victorian tiled floor, grand fireplace, bookcases and armchairs and the scene is set for a luxurious and relaxing holiday.

Damson Barn pulls off the seemingly impossible with its marriage of space and cosiness, country charm and sharp style, traditional materials and modern comforts. Hidden among undulating green fields close to the Quantocks in Somerset, here you can gather up to 14 of your nearest and dearest for a carefree weekend.

Apple Cabin is a big, rustic barn of a holiday home surrounded by 1.5 acres of outdoor space and hidden between the Quantocks and the Blackdown Hills in Somerset and Exmoor in Devon. This is the setting for a family holiday that might have fallen from the pages of a children’s adventure book.

Waterhouse Manor is a beautiful Georgian farmhouse in Devon, replete with original features. Step from the portico entrance into the flagstone hallway and you could be in a period drama. The past is evoked by ornate fireplaces, antique furniture and original sash windows with shutters. You’re brought up to date by the palette of Farrow and Ball colours, luxury brand accessories and high-quality TV and sound systems.