National Trust - The Oast House, Herefordshire

As you'd expect from a National Trust holiday cottage, this one on the Brockhampton Estate is full of history, period details and lots of original features, and it's next to a brewery, which will probably be even more important if you're not a fan of historical detail but like a pint. Wonderful for big groups, birthday celebrations or simply large family holidays, The Oast House gives you generous size rooms where everyone can get together.

On the ground floor, there's the decent size kitchen with Rangemaster range cooker and breakfast bar area, a lovely cosy living room with wood burner, dining room with seating for 10 and a useful utility room. Take the stairs to the first floor and you'll find 3 of the 6 bedrooms and a bathroom and then there are another 3 bedrooms on the second floor, which has low beams and ceilings in some places, and assures you know you're staying somewhere with some character. There's a good mix of bedrooms too, with 3 doubles, a twin and 2 singles.

Outside there's a large garden to the front of the house, mainly laid to lawn but with picnic benches so everyone can eat outside together, and then there's a smaller enclosed garden at the back as well, great if you're taking a dog (and the Oast House welcomes up to 3 of man's best friends). When you stay, you'll also have access to the Brockhampton Estate where you can walk through the woods, parkland and also visit Brockhampton Manor for free. Beyond the estate, then your group could do more walking in the beautiful Malvern Hills AONB or head to nearby Worcester or Stourport-on-Severn.

All photos - National Trust Images / Mike Henton and Katie Towers