Five Best: Fishermen's cottages

Beach Cabin at Tugwell Creek, Canada

This romantic oceanfront hideaway is a restored fishing cabin set on the Pacific coast of Vancouver Island, outside the village of Sooke. It sleeps just two (though an extra sofa-bed means that there's space for two more, at a push). The queen-size bed is in an alcove off the living room, and there's a wood-burning stove, a slate-covered bathroom and a well-equipped kitchen. The cabin is great for wildlife-watching: seals, sea lions, whales, dolphins, river otters, shore birds and eagles have all been spotted from the deck.

Beach Cabin at Tugwell Creek, Sooke, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada (001 250 642 5566; www.bcislandvacationhomes.com). Two nights' rental starts at C$325 (£150), including cleaning.

Maison de Pêcheur, France

You don't have to be a millionaire to enjoy a home on the Ile de Ré – albeit a temporary one. This characterful former fisherman's cottage in St Martin, the island's capital, sleeps four in comfortable style. It has stone-flagged and parquet floors, beamed ceilings, a secluded, sunny courtyard and a relaxed, nautical style. Its best feature, however, is its location – the cottage is set within anchor-lobbing distance of the quayside cafés, restaurants and boutiques of the bustling harbour area.

Maison de Pêcheur, Ile de Ré, France (00 33 557 241 974; www.iledereholidayhomes.com). One week's rental from €650 (£440). Sleeps four.

White Horses, Wales

Built in the 18th century and extended in the Sixties as part of Clough Williams-Ellis' Portmeirion, this is one of 17 self-catering properties for rent in the village. Williams-Ellis wanted to show how "the development of a naturally beautiful site need not lead to its defilement" and following this avowal, this whitewashed cottage is built on arches over a beachside path and has a private seafront patio. Before you plan your escape to it, beware that when a spring tide coincides with a southwesterly gale, the sea has on occasion been known to break in.

White Horses, Portmeirion, Wales (01766 770000; www.portmeirion-village.com). One week's rental starts at £717. Sleeps four.

Low Shore, Scotland

The location is just 20 steps from the sea, in the village of Whitehills in north-eastern Scotland. This may be a traditional fisherman's cottage from the outside but there's nothing conventional about its recently refurbished interior. It sleeps two, and features a bright attic bedroom, a Wi-Fi-enabled study area, a living room complete with wall-mounted TV and ceiling speakers, a small modern kitchen (guests replace the food and drink provided on a like-for-like basis), a cosy bathroom and a glamorous dining space. The cottage also comes with serious fishing credentials – the owner's father is the skipper of the last fishing boat in Whitehills.

19 Low Shore, Whitehills, Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland (07930 433764; www.19lowshore.com). One week from £350. Sleeps two.

Svinoya Rorbuer, Norway

These 30 cabins, or rorbu, as they are called in Norwegian, were built as seasonal accommodation for workers at the Lofoten fisheries in the 19th century. These attractive red, waterside dwellings are a lot more comfortable than they would have been originally; they have been awarded the Norwegian Heritage seal of quality, and are now rented out by holiday-makers. The cosy, rustic cabins have from one to three bedrooms, and each comes fully equipped with a modern kitchen and bathroom. Guests also have access to a restaurant and an old-fashioned general store. The resort can arrange boat trips and other outdoor activities.

Svinoya Rorbuer, Svolvær, Lofoten, Norway (00 47 76 06 99 30; www.svinoya.no). One night's rental starts at Nkr850 (£72) for the smallest cabin, which sleeps two

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