A home away from home

RURAL IDYLL A farmhouse amid lavender fields in Provence, France. Photograph: iStockphoto Pool with a view:

LOOKING around your house on a dull January day, did you ever wish you were living somewhere else, somewhere beautiful, somewhere hot, somewhere interesting, anywhere else? writes Joan Scales

That's what holidays are for, and when you opt for self-catering abroad, you can have that beautiful, interesting home in the sun. The best thing about self-catering holidays is that you can stay in fabulous places, in homes you could never afford, if only for a couple of weeks.

The quality of self-catering homes around the world has improved in recent years, and with the internet, it's easier than ever to find great accommodation, wherever you want to go. The building boom of the past 10 years across Europe, the US and South Africa means that great properties are available and the market is very competitive - good news for renters.

The grotty, damp chalet in someone's garden is a thing of the past. Now you can choose from stylish villas with their own pools, resorts with full facilities, luxury accommodation in hotel complexes and contemporary apartments in cool cities.

The biggest growth area is renting holiday homes directly from the owners. Another area that is growing is home exchanges, the perfect way for families to find similar accommodation to their own home at a reasonable price.

Finding the right place to rent is going to take time, because once you start browsing websites, you will hop from place to place, seeing nicer and nicer places to stay and straying into the movie-star world of luxurious pads.

Make a list of your criteria and figure out exactly where you want to go: coastal or inland; in a town or near a village; on a beach or in the mountains; the number of bedrooms; your budget; is a pool a necessity; what sports facilities are nearby; and the distance from the airport or ferry port. That way you can narrow down the list and find what you are looking for easily.

1 France Our favourite self- catering destination is France; thousands of Irish families pack the car each year and head off exploring all parts of the country. Gites were the original self-catering holidaying option in France, and it was often a hit-and-miss affair finding a nice one. Good ones were passed from family to family and friend to friend. Now you have a fantastic choice of places to stay.

One of the most popular types of accommodation is the campsite, perfect for children, with facilities, pools, clubs, activities, bars and restaurants. Nowadays, they are not just about camping but also mobiles homes, apartments and townhouses.

Chateau des Ormes, near Dol-de-Bretagne in Brittany is a popular site, as getting there involves not too much driving from the ferry and it is in beautiful surroundings. Set on the ground of a chateau on 250 acres of parkland and woods, it is lively in high season.

Not only does it have an indoor waterpark with slides and an outdoor wave pool, but it also features an 18-hole golf course. A week in July costs from €1,300 for a family of up to six (www.canvasholidays.ie).

Rural France offers the perfect opportunity for getting away from it all. For example, one gite in the Dordogne area is a 17th-century barn conversion, sleeping four and six people with a luxury 11m pool. There are stunning views from the pool and terrace across the rolling countryside. It can be found north of Perigord Noir, the heart of the Dordogne, and is minutes away from the village of Cendrieux (www.ownersdirect.co.uk, property number FR586).

With more than 34,000 properties in France on its website, www.holidays-rentals.co.uk will definitely have something for everyone. France has a good selection of bigger properties, ideal for a couple of families sharing,

Villefranche-sur-Mer is an exclusive area on the Cote d'Azur, close to Nice, and it features a property that would be perfect for two families, as it can divided into two apartments. The elegant Villa Shalimar is south-facing and has five bedrooms and a heated infinity pool. There are French doors leading to a large 50m terrace with dining for 10 people with stunning views out to sea. Prices for a week in July are from €4,800 (www.holiday-rentals.co.uk, property number 51601 or www.villashalimar.com).

2 Spain Due to a massive building programme in Spain over the past 10 years, there are thousands of self-catering homes to choose from. The Costa del Sol has beautiful beachside homes, mountain villas, homes in traditional Spanish villages and golf resorts to choose from.

Villa Patricia is in the Spanish town of San Pedro, a short drive from Puerto Banus and Marbella, and has golf on site. The detached villa sleeps eight and has a private pool with two terraces and barbecue. It also has Sky television. From €1,600 per week in July (www.holidayhomesdirect.ie).

The Canary Islands are a year-round destination from Ireland, and Lanzarote, the favourite island for the Irish, has direct flights with Aer Lingus. Puerto del Carmen is a lively resort with a good selection of shops, cafes and restaurants.

Due to its year-round status and recent building boom, there are lots of good properties available and prices are very competitive. Diamond Club Calypso, a small, privately owned apartment complex near the beach at Puerto del Carmen offers good accommodation, with apartments overlooking the large pool. Rent is from €400 for a week in July (www.holidaylets.net).

The lovely island of Majorca is a jewel in the Mediterranean with all you could wish for: sandy beaches, great watersports, good nightlife and cool places to visit (see pages 12 to 14). You could bring your friends to share the Finca Penya, near beautiful Soller on the northwest coast.

In the Valley of Oranges, this restored farmhouse sleeps 12 with six bedrooms and six bathrooms, is fully air-conditioned, has internet access and satellite television, and comes with rental of a group B car from €5,300 for a week in July with www.mallorca.co.uk.

3 Portugal The Algarve, with its sandy Atlantic beaches, good seafood and extensive golf facilities, is very popular. Both Ryanair and Aer Lingus fly to Faro all year round. Oceanico Resorts has three lovely developments on the Algarve. Each resort is ideal for families, with pools and entertainment for children, restaurants and golf.

Estrela da Luz on landscaped gardens in the heart of Praia da Luz and close to Lagos, has a good selection of fully fitted apartments. It also has a health and beauty centre with a techno gym. Sports facilities include football, tennis, volleyball and basketball, and there is a children's club. Prices are from €2,100 for a three-bedroom apartment in July (www.oceanicoresorts.com).

One of the best-known Irish tour operators is Falcon Holidays and it has a selection of villas, perfect for families. The Clube Atlantico villas are modern, spacious, nicely furnished and have gardens. The villas are part of a large complex on the outskirts of Carvoeiro and close to the beach so there are plenty of facilities. A week in July with flights and car hire will cost from €3,400 for five (www.falconholidays.ie).

Mendes is a whitewashed villa near the old village of Vilamoura, where you will find a good selection of shops, cafes and restaurants, and the busy marina is only a few minutes away. The villa has a kidney-shaped pool and sun terrace with a built-in barbecue, and sleeps six. A week in July will cost from €1,690 (www.jamesvillas.ie).

4 Italy Our love affair with Italy continues, with thousands of Irish holidaying there every year.

The favourite place in Italy for quaint and authentic properties is Tuscany. The lovely old stone farmhouse Villa il Poggio is just 10 minutes from the town of Colle Val d'Elsa and walking distance from the hamlet of Campiglia. Its architect owner has redesigned the refurbished the house and retained the terracotta floors and wood beams. The house has a pool and is ideal for a family. From €1,400 for a week in July (www.abbeytravel.ie).

The perfect way to explore the famous city of Venice and the Adriatic coast of Italy is by staying in the Keycamp holiday resort of Punta Sabbioni, Camping Marina di Venezia, just a stone's throw from Jesolo and the Venetian lagoon. The beachside park offers all the ingredients for a perfect family holiday, with lots of sports and activities on offer and also a diving school. It is a lively campsite that even teenagers will enjoy. From €1,355 for a mobile home for a week in July (www.keycamp.ie).

There are a good selection of bigger properties to rent in Tuscany suitable for extended families and groups of friends. Villa Casa di Giogio is on its own grounds with a swimming pool and is situated 2km from the village of San Casciano and 20 minutes from the centre of Florence, perfect for sightseeing. The house sleeps 10 in five bedrooms and costs from €3,300 for a week in July (www.totuscany.ie).

5 US Florida is a great family destination, with masses of entertainment to choose from, theme parks, beaches and shopping. The Orlando area has a huge range of properties and prices are very competitive. The Villa Augusta at Sandy Ridge has five bedrooms, a screened pool and a Jacuzzi and is in a peaceful location just 10 minutes from Disney World. Prices start at €890 for a week in July (www.selfcatering.ie).

Rhode Island is the smallest state in the union but punches well above its weight as a family holiday destination. Little Compton is a pretty beachside community and a three-bed-room, three-bathroom beachside property will rent from $2,000, (about €1,500) per week (www.homeaway.com, property number 180846).

Venice Beach is the perfect California seaside experience, with lots to do and enjoy. The below-listed property can be rented by one family or shared by two, as it is subdivided into two two-bedroom units and sleeps up to 10 people. It is five minutes from Santa Monica and its traditional seaside pier and fun fairs, 30 minutes from Beverly Hills, Hollywood and Universal Studios, and 45 minutes from Disneyland. It costs from $2,200 (about €1,560) in July for a week (www.vacationrentals.com, property number 17907).

Home exchange

The best value way to find a great home abroad is to swap your home with another family. Home-swapping has been around for many years and is still as popular as ever. The only cost involved is the joining fee for one of the agencies that arranges swaps. Home exchange is also ideal if you want to visit family or friends abroad and stay nearby.

Homelink is one of the biggest agencies and the joining fee is €100 per year for a web listing. You can choose from hundreds of homes all over the world. Homelink has an agent in Ireland who can advise on swaps (www.homelink.ie).

Home Exchange has more than 24,000 homes available to swap all over the world. The joining fee is $100 (about €71) for the year and if you do not swap in the first year, your second year is free (www.homeexchange.com).

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times