Luxury self-catering accommodation in Haslemere

Perfectly located for zooming out of the city and bounding into fresh country air, this rural escape is filled to the brim with tile-hung gables, crooked half-timber inns covered in blazing Virginia creeper and a sleepy atmosphere which will wash away any remnants of bustling streets. The town's leafy lanes give it an air of being many miles from any big city, complete with a regular market, museum, handful of cosy pubs and of course the rolling South Downs right on the doorstep. For days out, nearby Ascot Racecourse promises a thrilling experience, or head out over the Surrey Hills, just begging to be explored.

Combine your self-catering break with a bike ride to a local vineyard; there are several dotted across the pretty Surrey countryside and around Haslemere. Horticulturalists will appreciate the verdant splendour of Polesden Lacey's National Trust garden near Epsom: try to aim your visit for June or July, when the resplendent Edwardian rose gardens are in full bloom and petals softly scent the air. There's even beaches to discover within easy reach including nearby at Frensham Great Pond, with boating and a wild common providing idyllic fun in the sun for happy day-trippers.