Take five . . . Quirky Places To Stay

Wind Down In A Windmill Getaway In A Gatehouse Dally In A Double-decker

On the banks of the River Tillingham stands Rye Windmill. With 10 ensuite rooms, the Grade-IIlisted B&B offers a holiday with a difference. You might recognise it from the BBC’s series “Mapp And Lucia”, so for holiday reading to suit, try E.F. Benson’s “Mapp

And Lucia” or the classic “Don Quixote” by Miguel De Cervantes. Visit www. ryewindmill.co.uk. Complete with towers and spiral stairways, the Welsh Gatehouse is a Grade-II-listed hideaway boasting 700 years of history. Built in 1270, it has now been converted into a luxurious retreat for two. The original thick stone walls, exposed beams and mullioned windows reflect the building’s historic past, while visitors are assured of 21st-century comforts.

Take along Edith Pargeter’s series “The Brothers Of Gwynedd” for 13th-century atmosphere.

Visit www.oneoffplaces. co.uk. Blackberry Wood in Sussex hosts unusual options for accommodation. Among the conversions, which include a 1965 search and rescue helicopter that sleeps up to four, is this superb 1964 Routemaster double-decker bus.

Sleeping and lounging quarters are upstairs, while the lower deck houses a comfy dining kitchen.

J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban” with its wonderful Knight Bus would make a fun holiday read.

Visit http:// blackberrywood.com.