2. Gardener’s Cottage, Norfolk

There are plenty of good reasons why the Cambridges chose Norfolk for their country home – not least the long, sandy beaches of Brancaster and Old Hunstanton, just up the road from this pretty cottage on Fring Estate. The cottage has access to a pool, tennis court and two-acre walled garden, with plenty to do nearby, from visiting the palatial Holkham Hall to hiring a sailboat from Wells-next-the-Sea.

3. Cockerells Hall, Suffolk

Among the many attractions of Suffolk, historic buildings are high on the list, whether that’s those in the characterful market town of Bury St Edmunds, with its acclaimed Abbey Gardens, or in the handsomely timbered Lavenham. Cockerells Hall is typical of the historic houses of the area: a pale pink, 16th-century, beamed double-storey, surrounded by fields and fitted out with such 21st-century treats as a swimming pool, gym and summer house. There are established paths from the nearby village into the pretty countryside — and a couple of good local pubs.

4. Bennachie Castle, Aberdeenshire

Bennachie is among the prettiest of castles you’ll find in Scotland. From the outside, its 17th-century castellated walls and fairytale turrets reek of Outlander history. Inside, the eight-bedroomed, family-friendly Scottish home is warmly decorated with velvets and rich colours, gilt cornicing and family portraits, and fitted out with toys which add the fun factor, from a ping-pong table to croquet sets. With 250 acres of gardens and woodlands, there’s plenty of space to stretch outdoors, and beaches, whisky distilleries and sandy beaches are nearby to explore.

5. Elinor Fettiplace, Gloucestershire

A rare treat: a romantic, historic apartment for two, set within a family’s 13th-century home. Elinor Fettiplace is part of Pauntley Court, believed to be the birthplace of Dick Whittington, and is surrounded by pretty medieval-style gardens. Within reach is prime walking territory — the Cotswolds and the Malvern Hills — as well as pretty market towns such as Ledbury, Malvern and Cheltenham and the cathedral cities of Gloucester, Hereford and Tewkesbury. The Three Choirs vineyard is, handily, nearby for tastings — and the owners’ hybrid bicycles are available to guests.

6. Eden House, Yorkshire

Situated within the grand 3,000-acre Broughton Hall estate, with its acclaimed wellness centre and rewilding projects, is this six-bedroom house, which was made for fun. With characterful art and Scandi-style contemporary furnishing, domed ceilings and big playroom, the converted 17th-century stone building is a favourite for big family gatherings. Children love visiting nearby Malham and Gordale Scar — both film locations for Harry Potter.

7. Sally Port Cottage, St Anthony’s Lighthouse, Cornwall

A working lighthouse isn’t everyone’s idea of luxury but it’s hard to argue with the enchanting sea views on offer here. This two-bedroom holiday cottage, which was the setting for the Fraggle Rock children’s TV programme, is part of a lighthouse on the dramatic Roseland Peninsula, with steep rocks and pounding waves below and rolling Cornwall hillside above. For sun-worshippers there’s a tiny, hedged garden that traps heat, and for swimmers there are big rockpools below. Earplugs are provided for your comfort (in case fog rolls in and the lighthouse’s automatic signal sounds).

8. Snow Goose, Sussex

There can be few houses more suited to bird-lovers than this aptly named coastal holiday home. Set right on the waterfront, near the sailing village of Bosham, it feels expansive and open, with only tidal pools, pretty mudflats and often hundreds of birds to look at. Surrounded by agricultural fields outside the pretty town of Chichester, and 20 minutes from the beaches of West Wittering, it’s a stylishly decorated, Swallows and Amazons-style, family-friendly retreat – albeit one with every 21st-century tool and comfort, from a barbecue for long lunches to a cinema room for evening entertainment.

9. The Pig at Harlyn Bay, Cornwall

This little hotel, in a refurbished 15th-century stone manor house, is for those who like quirks, relish fun, and appreciate an eclectic sense of style. Nothing here is stuffy: not the rooms (all individually decorated, with antiques and bold fabrics), the food (Cornish lobster and chips with salad grown in the walled garden), the service (enthusiastic and friendly) or the spa (in the potting shed). With Harlyn Bay and Constantine Beach nearby, and just ten minutes’ drive from the restaurants of Padstow, this new Pig is without doubt Cornwall’s coolest hotel — the hitch is getting in.

10. Linthwaite House, Cumbria

Set above Lake Windemere and back from the hustle of the lakefront, this Leeu Collection country hotel mixes its owners’ Indian roots and South African connections with Cumbrian hospitality. It feels more like a glamorous house than a hotel, with its sumptuous bedrooms (and spacious suites, set up in the forest) and cosy, jewel-coloured living rooms dotted with the owner’s eclectic art collection. Simon Rogan delivers delicious, inventive food using local ingredients — think guinea fowl with beetroot, and beans with truffled tofu — as well as an afternoon tea that rivals any smart hotel in London.

11. Boath House, the Highlands

Don and Wendy Matheson found Boath House as a wreck, and for the past 21 years have spent most waking hours converting it into one of the warmest, most unpretentious country house hotels in the UK. Although all nine rooms are cosy and comfortable, furnished with finds from antique shops, it’s the gardens that guests really love. Designed by Wendy, the 22 acres feature a pond, mown pathways amid wildflowers, rolling lawns on which Adirondack chairs beckon, and a market garden which supplies their contemporary farm-to-fork Kale Yard café.

12. Cameron House, Loch Lomond

Recently refurbished, this much-loved Scottish hideaway is beside Loch Lomond, so there’s plenty to do. The Carrick and Wee Demon golf course adjoin the hotel, the nearby spa has loch views from the rooftop hot-tub, and the two restaurants, The Clubhouse and The Boat House, have an acclaimed chef at the helm. On a clear day, there is little to beat a cruise on the hotel’s Celtic Warrior — or even better, a half-hour spin over glens and Munros in a seaplane that takes off on the loch.

13. Harbour Hotel, Cornwall

Although from the outside this Victorian hotel looks unprepossessing, its family-friendly interiors are light and bright, with stunning contemporary furnishings. There’s always a buzz at the Danish-style Harbour restaurant and its maritime-themed bar, thanks to an all-day dining menu (which includes an opulent afternoon tea). It’s a great base from which to try new things, from gin-tasting sessions and surfing lessons to visits to the Lost Gardens of Heligan and the Eden Project.

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