Where would you like to stay during a visit to Great Britain?
Do you fancy a thatched-roof Saxon cottage in historic Steyning in Sussex?Or how about a flat in one wing of an elegant 1701 manor house near Stratford and the Cotswolds?
Or a converted dairy cottage, hayloft or granary on an estate overlooking the sea on the south coast of Cornwall?
You can stay in any of these -- and many more wonderfully atmospheric lodgings -- across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Great Britain's National Trust offers stays in more than 250 unusual "holiday cottages." These are mostly historic buildings whose exteriors have been restored authentically, but whose interiors have been modernized and furnished with traditional, comfortable, modern furniture.
The National Trust is a nonprofit organization that acquires and preserves threatened historic buildings and places of natural beauty in Britain. Many of its properties are structures of historic or architectural importance that have been restored and opened to the public for tours.
Some of its holiday cottages are on the grounds of these national treasures. Others are free-standing buildings, some of which started life as lodging, while others are imaginatively adapted buildings that were built for a different purpose.
The National Trust's cottages are wonderfully diverse. They range from a flat above a gift shop in bustling, historic downtown York to a lighthouse keeper's cottage on the North Devon coast to a rustic stone cottage on a remote hillside in the Lake District.
The National Trust's magazine-format brochure about the cottages, with beautiful color photos of the exteriors, as well as many interior photos, likely will leave you in a dilemma. Do you choose a cottage with Laura Ashley decor set in the gardens of a moated, 14th-century manor house in Kent, less than a hour from London? Or a former tennis pavilion overlooking the beach on the isle of Purbeck in Dorset?
Or are you intrigued by the prospect of a stay in more whimsical surroundings, such as a flat above a Victorian laundry at Beningbrough Hall in York? Or the two-story octagonal Mustard Pot Cottage on the grounds of 17th-century Felbrigg Hall in Norfolk? Or a 19th-century cylindrical water tower in Cornwall?
The cottages range from tiny (sleeping two), to generously roomy (accommodating up to 10). Many also have room for a crib. All are what the British call "self-catering": You can cook for yourself, pick up takeout food to bring back to the cottage, or dine in nearby restaurants.
Most are easily accessible, with parking facilities nearby, if not at the door. A few are more difficult to reach, and those are clearly labeled in the brochure. Eighteen of the cottages have been modified to accommodate wheelchairs.
Bookings generally are for a week, and the rentals begin on a specific day of the week for each property. Prices range from roughly $250 to $2,310 per week, depending on time of year, size of accommodation and location. A comprehensive table in the brochure explains the pricing system. For most of the properties, linens are not furnished but can be rented for about $10 per person, per week.
Stays of less than a week, called "short breaks," are priced on a prorated basis.