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et well and truly stuck into the Games, soak up that once-in-a-life-time atmosphere and then retreat from the hustle and bustle at one of these alternative places to stay…

Various locations: The Camping and Caravanning Club  

With such increased demand for accommodation throughout summer 2012, The Camping and Caravanning Club have had a brilliant idea to team up with various Borough councils to set up special campsites for the occasion. Ideally situated, with excellent links to London, the sites will vary from the quiet and secluded to catering for family entertainment. 

For the Olympic Village: Zetter Hotel, London  

You won’t find a hotel much more hip or green than the Zetter Hotel in Clerkenwell. Its 59 rooms ooze London chic as does the restaurant with its distinctive menu. A few minutes’ walk takes you to St Paul’s Cathedral, the famous Smithfield Market and the Museum of London, while the Olympic Village – the main hub of the 2012 games – is a short ride on the Underground, as is 15th-century Greenwich Park where the equestrian events will take place. 

For Hampton Court Palace: Glamping, Surrey

Catch some road cycling action in and around Hampton Court Palace and the Surrey area and then retreat to Alford for a spot of glamping. You’ll stay in a cosy bell tent filled with sumptuous rugs and a tea-light chandelier. There’s also plenty of firewood for the log fire and to get a barbeque going. If you’d rather not lift a finger you can put in an order for some locally-sourced food – we love the slow-cooked Somerset pork. 

For the Olympic Village: Lifehouse Spa, Essex

Pamper yourself at the Lifehouse Spa, just over an hour from the Olympic Village where the likes of the 100m sprint and all the gymnastic events will be held. It’s a contemporary country spa sprawled across 120 acres of tranquil greenery. Wander through the listed gardens – complete with lake and weeping willows – and then head inside to indulge in an oriental bathing experience. 

For Brands Hatch: The Apartment, Whitstable

See the 2012 Paralympic road cycling and time trials at Brands Hatch in Kent and then hop on a train to Whitstable for a bohemian seaside break in The Apartment. Spread over the top floor of an elegant Edwardian house, it’s filled with eccentric furnishings and antique beds draped with Egyptian cotton. Expect sea views and a continental breakfast waiting outside your door every morning. 

For Old Trafford: Staying Cool, Manchester

Catch an Olympic football match at a stadium home to the world-famous Manchester United, and then explore this hip northern metropolis, basing yourself in an equally hip serviced apartment in the heart of Manchester. Get the best of both worlds with your own swish pad but without any of the cleaning responsibilities. Well, you are on holiday…

For Hadleigh Farm: Roslin Beach Hotel

Roslin Beach Hotel is one of Essex’s best-kept coastal secrets. Perched opposite an award-winning beach, this quiet seaside retreat is a 20 minute train journey from Hadleigh Farm, the Olympic venue for mountain biking. Stay in one of the stylish nautical-themed rooms and chill out on the terrace where you can dig into freshly-caught seafood while drinking up panoramic views of the Thames estuary.  

For Eton Dorney: Hotel Du Vin Henley-on-Thames

Just 50 yards from the riverside is Hotel Du Vin, nestled in an old Georgian brewery. Inside you’ll find classically decorated rooms while outside awaits the charming Henley-on-Thames famed for its annual Royal Regatta and petite timber-framed houses and pubs. Eton Dorney, the Olympic venue for Rowing and Canoe Sprint events, is a short train journey away, as are the historic towns of Windsor and Oxford. Check out Henley’s River and Rowing Museum while you’re here too.