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hat with its climbing wisteria and whitewashed walls, Little Thatch looks like a typical English cottage. Here too you'll find a warm welcome with biscuits, tea and milk waiting (along with a bottle of vino).

This New Forest self-catering cottage sleeps four, and is awash with exposed beams, old fireplaces and other original 16th-century features.

But that doesn’t mean you should feel guilty about making full use of mod cons like the dishwasher, DVD player and microwave – after all, life’s moved on a bit since the 1500s.

If you do fancy getting back to basics, there’s a barbecue in the child-friendly garden – although you might want to keep it away from the thatched roof.

Venture out of the garden and you’ve got woodland on your doorstep – littered with walking and cycling trails – or you could stroll along the road for a pint in the Musketeer. Further afield, there’s the Isle of Wight and the south coast beaches – but you could always cosy up in front of the wood-burning stove and play Monopoly.

That’s okay too.