Several British companies now have curated collections of accommodation in specific areas, so if you know where you’re headed for wintery walks and cosy evenings by the fire, they offer a much more satisfying experience than scrolling through endless, mediocre digs. Beachspoke’s USP is houses designed to reflect the landscape, with just a handful of architecturally-distinct properties on offer in Devon (such as the Barn, pictured), Cornwall and the Cotswolds (see Tried & Tested, below; beachspoke.com). With over 200 properties in Kent and Sussex, Bramley & Teal’s bag is stylish interiors on England’s south coast, with everything from a showman’s carriage to a ten-bedroom restored oast house (bramleyandteal.co.uk). Further north, Gorgeous Cottages sorts the wheat from the chaff in Yorkshire, with 168 out of its 180-odd properties having a log fire or wood burner (gorgeouscottages.com). Isle of Mull Cottages works with owners to keep holiday homes to a high standard, despite the remote location (isleofmullcottages.com). Ceredigion-based Under the Thatch offers some of Wales’ most interesting picks – it’s particularly good for period properties (underthethatch.co.uk).
TRIED & TESTED: Beachspoke’s Ivy Cottage in the Cotswolds, by our features editor Orla Thomas
With a honey-coloured stone façade draped in ivy, this little cottage in the village of Long Compton has – in property-telly terms – ‘kerb appeal’. It’s been completely remodelled inside, with mid-century style chairs at the dining table and an open-tread staircase leading to giant, hotel-standard beds with goose-feather duvets. One bedroom has a copper bath, the other a snug en-suite. As well as being easy on the eye, it’s the little touches that make this cottage a cut above average. On arrival I find bread, eggs and jam, a bottle of crémant in the fridge and the bar stocked with spirits. The village is charming – the only downside being the busy main road, which the cottage sits on – but more peaceful trails for walking are close by; so too is the Red Lion Inn, a friendly local pub with good food.
PHOTOGRAPHS: NICK ISDEN