2 Penrhiw

Families and couples wanting a rural base will find 2 Penrhiw works well for both. The cottage sits in Abercych, a hamlet between Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, with hill and river walks starting from the door and the Nags Head pub within walking distance. A travel cot and highchair are on hand if you're bringing young children; one dog travels free. The whole place is yours alone, with parking on the road outside.

Ground floor rooms include a living and dining space with a woodburner and original quarry tiles, a kitchen with electric oven and gas hob for proper cooking, and a bathroom with roll-top bath and shower. Upstairs, there's a double bed in one room and two singles in another, plus a children's playroom with two futons. Wifi, heating, electricity, bed linen and towels are included in the price; the woodburners start you off with fuel. The garden has a terrace and furniture. No smoking throughout.

The cottage was empty for nearly 40 years before sympathetic restoration using natural materials—lime plaster, reclaimed stone, mineral paints. It adjoins the owner's home, and there is an unfenced pond in the owner's garden, eight yards from the property, which matters if you're bringing small children.