The Pad

This ground-floor studio apartment stands on the owner's smallholding near Kingskerswell, a quiet base within reach of Torquay and the wider English Riviera coastline. It sleeps two, with a raised split-level sleeping area holding a double bed, reached by two steps down into the open-plan lounge and kitchen below. Patio doors beside the bed open onto the enclosed garden.

The lounge is furnished with a sofa, a surround sound TV with DVD player and iPod dock, and a breakfast bar dividing it from the kitchen. The kitchen is fitted with an electric oven and hob, microwave, fridge with ice compartment, a separate wine fridge, dishwasher and washer/dryer. The shower room, compact but well-equipped, has a monsoon shower and WC.

Outside, an enclosed gravelled patio comes with garden furniture and a barbecue, giving a private spot to sit away from the main house. Guests are welcome to meet the animals kept on the smallholding, including horses, goats, chickens, geese, rabbits and cats, depending on the season.

Two dogs of medium size are welcome here, with additional charges applying. Ample off-road parking is provided on site, and internet access is available throughout the apartment. A shop and pub can be found around a mile away, while the beach lies roughly three miles distant. Beyond the immediate area, Torquay is about three miles south, with its shops, eateries and beaches, and both Paignton Zoo and Dartmoor National Park make for a change of scene during a longer stay. Check-in runs from 14:30 onwards, with check-out required before 10:00 on the day of departure.