Best for… comfy cottage quarters in a cool coastal town.

Why? Whitstable is famous for its oysters and fishing, but it also has a thriving contemporary arts scene. The town has a train station and is small enough to explore on foot, so you can keep your carbon footprint in control.

Where? On the north Kent coast, Whitstable is only an hour and 20 minutes from London by train. Its beach is pebbly, with beach huts along one side and the harbour on the other. It's a bolt hole for the capital's cool crowd, but remains unpretentious, with an arty, earthy vibe that's irresistible.

Staying in: Opened in July last year, Turnstone is freshly renovated and simply kitted out. The owners have stripped the floorboards, whitewashed the walls and fitted a new bathroom and kitchen, complete with thick wooden worktops and Butler's sink. Favourite spots in the house, which is an 18th-century fisherman's cottage, are the cosy attic bedroom with great harbour views, and the shingle courtyard – on fine days, it's a suntrap.

Style steal: Don't be scared of using a bright, artisan-feel rug in a smallish room. The Turkish kilim in the living room adds fantastic vibrancy. ABC Carpets at Harrods has examples of the real thing.

Going out: You're staying above Frank, which sells contemporary crafts and homewares, so head downstairs for some stylish souvenirs. A few doors up is Sundae Sundae, which combines vintage finds with an old-style ice-cream parlour, selling fantastic knickerbockers glories. Wander to the shore to watch fishermen unloading their catches, then sit outside the Old Neptune pub on the beach. Oysters for dinner? Wheelers is the oldest oyster bar in town or try the Whitstable Oyster Fishery Company's restaurant. If you're happy to walk, crunch up the shingle towards Seasalter for an hour of so to The Sportsman pub. Great food in the middle of nowhere.

More info A weekend starts at £150; weekly lets start at £200. Call 01227 262500 or follow the apartment prompt at www.frankworks.eu.

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