British Isles

A trainspotter's delight or just a quirky holiday home - that is Station House, converted from the waiting room and ticket office on the platform at Bootle on the Cumbrian Coast line, where a few trains still call every day. The house is within walking distance of the coast and a short drive from the Lake District, has four bedrooms, two bathrooms and costs £300 for a week from November 8 or 15 with Cumbrian Cottages. 01228 599960

Square-rigged ships, barges and the occasional film crew are likely to pass the windows of properties overlooking the picturesque harbour at Charlestown, southern Cornwall. The Grade II listed Harbourside Cottage sleeps six and costs £384 for a week in November with Cornish Traditional Cottages, and Harbour Watch, in a row above the harbour and beach with good views, sleeps four and costs £330 a week. 01208 821666

A thatched and beamed cottage for six in the South Devon village of Aveton Gifford is on offer for £244 a week in November, a 20 per cent discount, with Helpful Holidays. It has lime-washed exposed roof timbers and an inglenook fireplace and is well placed for coastal and country walks. 01647 434063

Catch the last of the autumn tints and enjoy the indoor pool and tennis courts on a short break at Heythrop Park Hotel, an imposing mansion in a 400-acre park near Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire. B&B for two nights and dinner on the first cost £70, a 55 per cent saving, with dealchecker.co.uk until November 30. 0844 8488488

Bluebell Cottage sits beside Lough Erne in Co Fermanagh, making it a haven for fishermen and for lovers of beautiful scenery. A luxury property, it sleeps six, costs £300 for a week and £200 for weekends in November with holidaylettings.co.uk. 01865 312000

A four-night break in Jersey is on offer for £166 with 3XTravel.com until Christmas. Catch the fast ferry from Weymouth for B&B at the four-star Savoy Hotel in St Helier. Take the car from £65 return. 0871 4341410

Short haul

Five nights on the Algarve for £224, including a flight from Gatwick on November 13, are available with Expedia.co.uk.The holiday is based at the beachfront Dom Pedro Meia Praia resort, a short distance from the centre of Lagos and Palmares golf course. 0871 2260808

The Louis Hotels group and Cyplon Holidays have teamed up to offer good deals to Cyprus in November. Prices start from £406 for a week at the Louise Phaethon Beach, Paphos, ideal for families with small children, and from £483 at the five-star Apollonia Beach Hotel, Limassol, ideal for couples. Flights from Gatwick and half-board included. 0800 0748888

A three-night break in Madrid for £329 comes with Kirker Holidays' usual extras: a private transfer from the airport, 48-hour city culture card and a guide to restaurants and sights. Available for the next two months, this discounted break includes a flight from Heathrow and B&B at the Cason del Tormes hotel near the Plaza de España. 020-7593 2283

Berths are still available on a week's river cruise next month through scenery that inspired Johann Strauss to write the Blue Danube waltz. Tours of Nuremberg, Regensburg and Budapest and a night in Vienna are also part of Saga Holidays' Beautiful Danube trip starting on November 16. It costs from £849 with a flight from Heathrow. 0800 0565880

Long haul

A week on Mauritius for £699 belies the island's reputation as an expensive destination - and includes B&B at the small and pleasant Coin de Mire hotel, close to the beaches and nightlife of Grand Baie. The hotel has a pool, tennis and free watersports. This Hayes & Jarvis holiday starts with an Emirates flight from Heathrow on November 18. 0871 6640246

An all-inclusive holiday on Antigua from £699 is also good value and is on offer with Thomson Worldwide. It includes a flight from Gatwick on November 14 and is based at the Coconut Beach Club, an intimate hotel on a white sand beach with two restaurants, water sports, tennis and wellness cottage. 0871 2302770

All prices are per person, based on two sharing unless stated otherwise.

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