House party holidays

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18 SEPTEMBER 2003
Villa Lucia, Tuscany
Ideal for friends or family worried about the prospect of too much togetherness, Tuscany's Villa Lucia can cater for the entire office, several generations or a couple of rugby teams.

Located near the village of Vorno, the estate comprises three splendid villas. The largest, the 18th-century Villa Lucia, can sleep up to 18 in its nine bedrooms, each named after a different Italian artist. The three-room Caravaggio master suite, has a separate salon with a fireplace and a large bedroom with an antique bath, double marble basins and glass shower.

The Coach House and Casa Joshua – which share a six-acre estate and garden of grapevines, pergolas, ancient grottos and fountains – can each accommodate 12 guests.

The three houses can be rented together or individually. All come fully staffed, and cookery lessons and wine-tastings can be arranged. There's even a private chapel, perfect for a special Tuscan wedding. Pisa is 20 minutes away, while the lesser-known but equally ravishing Lucca is also close by.

Antrim Castle, Northern Ireland
Lord it over your own domain for a while in imposing Antrim Castle near the picturesque village of Glenarm. Heads of clans and earls have been doing much the same thing since the 13th century.

You'll get an insight into the gracious living of yesteryear as soon as you step into the front hall with its William Kent fireplace, 18th-century chairs and iron-bound chests said to have been brought ashore in 1588 from the wreck of a Spanish Armada galleon, The Girona.

Up to 20 guests can feast in grand style beneath the frescoed ceiling in the dining room; while those in search of a bit of peace and quiet can browse among the first editions in the library.

You may have to toss a coin for the best bedroom – there are 11, each with a king-size beds and some with a four-poster. The castle also has six bathrooms, and if you really can't bear to be out of contact with the office, fax and computer access are available.

The estate offers its own fishing and shooting – with advance notice – and if you're still feeling restless, you can ride at the nearby stables or try your hand at falconry.

Château de St Surin, Dordogne
This stunning 15th-century château in the Dordogne gives 12 guests the opportunity to live in the style to which they'd presumably like to become accustomed.

The chateau seamlessly blends the ancient and modern, with the grand salon, marble fireplaces, fine antiques and original slit windows – through which arrows could be launched at the marauding English – a constant reminder of its glorious past. It also offers all 21st-century style mod cons, however, including TV, barbecue and swimming pool.

REPORT: JILL CRAWSHAW