Cotswold

Start in a village like the one around Bourton, where Acorn Cottage and Bakery Cottage sit among the sort of low stone houses and quiet lanes that people picture when they think of the Cotswolds. This is a region built from the same honey-coloured limestone wherever you go, so even places you have never heard of tend to look instantly familiar, with narrow high streets, old churches, and pubs that have been serving the same villages for centuries.

Most visitors base themselves in a cottage rather than a hotel, and here there is plenty of choice. We list 115 self-catering properties across the area, ranging from small, traditional bolts-holes like Alderley House to larger group arrangements such as Bears Court, which is split into several separate units and an annexe, making it well suited to families or friends travelling together but wanting their own space.

The appeal of the Cotswolds lies in its slow pace. Days here are for wandering between villages, stopping in churchyards, following footpaths across sheep-grazed fields, and browsing the antique shops and small galleries that tend to cluster on every high street. Market towns give you a bit more to do, with independent shops and regular markets, while the smaller villages are better suited to a quiet walk and a pint at the local pub.