Meadow View, Near Aldeburgh

Just back from a girls' weekend, and this was a great spot for a relaxing break. Everything we needed was there, with all the modern conveniences, and the surroundings were lovely. The locals were really friendly too.

This is a lovely cottage in a great spot for reaching towns and villages around Suffolk, but it doesn't work well for more than six people. It's advertised with a sofa bed or futon in the lounge, but using it means losing the lounge as a sitting room. Worse, the bed was broken when we arrived and still hadn't been fixed by the end of our week. Two people in our party had to stay elsewhere, which really marred the trip. Know the limits and you'll love it: ideal for six, much less suitable for a bigger group.

We had a wonderful week cycling from the cottage, with routes in every direction. Suffolk is great for cycle touring, with plenty to see and visit and not many hills. We also enjoyed some short walks from the cottage, including a few to the local pub for food, and the tea shops we visited were excellent.

It's a lovely, spacious place with everything you need. We were five people and two whippets, and I wouldn't want to sleep eight here unless everyone was close. A few things need attention: the built-in microwave doesn't work, so a separate one is needed. The water is very hard in this area, which makes tea less enjoyable. A softener or filter would be a nice touch, or you can use bottled water. Nothing out of the ordinary for a place like this.