Port Rive Gauche, Languedoc, France
Ooh la la! J'aime ces appartements! New last year, these 12 flats, each sleeping up to four (one double, one twin) are located bang on the waterfront in the tiny Languedoc port of Marseillan, which opens onto the Etang de Thau, a vast lagoon cut off from the sea by miles of sandy beach. Inside they are all cool colours, sink-into sofas and beautiful fabrics, with excellent kitchens and sitting rooms that lead onto a terrace or balcony. A few steps away is a small beach (perfect for a morning dip) or you can hire bikes to check out ones further afield. One of the owners has a small boat and is happy to take guests for a jaunt around the port for next to nothing.
• From €120 a night (€30pp based on four sharing) with i-escape.com. Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies to Béziers from Bristol, Manchester and Luton
Mareta Beach, Sagres, Portugal
One of latest additions to the Algarve's booming boutique hotel scene, Mareta Beach is on the most southerly tip of Portugal. It has 18 rooms, all with simple furniture in white and turquoise fabrics, and big windows overlooking the main square in Sagres or the sea. If lolling on the beach takes it out of you, unwind in the outdoor hot tub surrounded by tropical gardens at Mareta View (its nearby sister hotel).
• Doubles from €45 a night, room only, +351 282 620 040, maretabeachhotel.com. Monarch (monarch.co.uk) flies to Faro from Gatwick, Luton, Manchester and Birmingham
Whitecliff Bay Holiday Park, Isle of Wight
If you caught the recent BBC2 documentary A Very British Holiday, you'll recognise this Isle of Wight classic, overlooking its own secluded beach near Sandown. As spacious – and weatherproof – as the caravans and chalets are (options range from two-berth chalets to eight-berth caravans), we reckon the new bell tents take the biscuit, decked out with thick rugs, fairy lights, camp beds for four and a gas cooker. On site there are indoor and outdoor pools, bar/restaurant, mini golf and shop.
• Tents sleeping four from £28 a night, 01983 872671, wight-holidays.com
Awelon, Pembrokeshire
Think budget B&B and you probably picture draughty rooms, dated decor and inedible food – not so with Awelon. Last year, Katherine Henderson Bowen and her family opened up their home in Manorbier to visitors, with a simple double and twin room featuring beds piled with locally sourced throws, bookshelves and seaside paintings. Both have sea views, overlooking Manorbier Castle and the Pembrokeshire Coast Path. Katherine loves baking, so breakfasts are a highlight, as is the garden, designed by Andy Sturgeon, winner of five gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show. Katherine will cut you a deal for longer stays – and she'll let you use her bodyboards and beach gear for free.
• Double or twin room from £58 a night, 01834 871587, manorbierbedandbreakfast.co.uk
Terramaris Studio Brown, Split, Croatia
Yes it's cosy, but this three-person studio apartment, housed in a recently renovated ancient house in Split's old town, just minutes from the beach, has bags of character, with exposed stone walls and beamed ceilings. It manages to squeeze one double, one sofa-bed, kitchen, dining table and bathroom into a small space. Your host, Nikola, will happily show you around the city.
• From £50 a night, holidaylettings.co.uk/ 160084. EasyJet flies to Split from Bristol, Stansted and Gatwick
Almayate Glamping, Andalucía, Spain
New this year, this Mongolian yurt and wooden chalet are in countryside just off the coast road in Almayate, a few miles east from Málaga. The yurt has a double bed, two futon beds, thick rugs and a slide-back roof for stargazing; the double-glazed chalet has one double bedroom plus two single sofa beds in the lounge and a fully equipped kitchen. You will probably spend most of your time outside, around the barbecue and in the pool. Both sleep four.
• From €55 per couple per night, goglamping.net. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies to Málaga from 10 UK airports
Malindi, Cornwall
Malindi is within walking distance of Bude's Crackington Haven beach. Designed by an eager-green couple who live in Germany, this four-bedroom stone and slate house is as eco as they come, from its underfloor heating using borehole technology to solar panels. It also has a big open-plan living room, conservatory and well-equipped kitchen. Sleeps nine.
• From €590 a week (€65.55pp based on nine sharing), +49 7231 70265, oneoffplaces.co.uk
Stokkøya Sjøsenter, Hosnasand, Norway
It all began in 2000 when a young couple inherited a small sheep farm on Stokkøya island and wondered how they could make a living out of it. The answer? Build a collection of design-meets-eco-chic cottages and huts at nearby Hosnasand, one of the finest sandy beaches in Norway. The new "subterranean" units, made of concrete and glass, are built into the landscape and filled with vintage furniture and artwork; as well as doubles and twins, there are hostel-style huts. These don't come in under £50, but the camping spots right by the beach do, and you can still use the facilities (cafe and barbecue). So treat yourself to a night or two in a unit, and camp the rest.
• Camping pitches from £3.80pp per night; shared units from £80 per couple per night, +47 72 5343 8, stokkoya.no. Norwegian.com (norwegian.com) flies from Gatwick to Trondheim, around three hours away
Boutique Apartment, Cannes, France
A funky new apartment in the centre of Cannes, 200m from the beach, for just over £20pp a night? There's got to be a catch right? Well, you do have to find eight friends to share it with, but that won't be a problem once they hear about its four en suite bedrooms and kitchen that opens onto a large dining room with cool decor (vintage wallpapers, retro furniture and movie-star portraits hanging on the walls). There are two great daily markets close by, ideal for stocking up on cheese, wine and suncream.
• From €250 a night (€28pp based on nine sharing) with i-escape.com. EasyJet flies to Nice from eight UK airports
Kinsale Glamping, County Cork, Ireland
This isn't just any glampsite. It's a full-size Mongolian yurt for two that opened last year and boasts one of the best spots in County Cork – tucked among trees just a few metres above the sea, with sunset views over Kinsale and its harbour. Inside it's beautifully decorated, with a double bed, Mongolian-style fabrics and woodburning stove. Outside there's a barbecue, pizza oven and a small chalet for chilling with a book or sundowner.
• From €150 for two nights then €60 per extra night, including breakfast, goglamping.net. Ryanair flies to Cork from Gatwick, Stansted and Liverpool
