Fans of Milsoms’ local empire of exquisite hotels and restaurants will cheer at the opening of their first self-catering cottage, Idle Waters. Not only does it have the most soothing name for a self-catering property that I can think of, but it also has a location to match on the banks of the River Stour as it winds around the Essex/Suffolk border.

It’s well known that the Vale of Dedham is Constable Country and the cottage appears in one of the painter’s pieces funnily enough called ‘The Vale of Dedham’ which is on display in the Scottish National Gallery in Edinburgh. Closer to home, with the aspirational factor a hotel needs, Idle Waters also looks homey for the perfect autumn half term stay.

The refurbished timber-framed 16th-century cottage reveals the original open beams and red-brick inglenook fireplace but elsewhere a modern wand has been waved whitewashing walls, adding comfy tan leather furniture, fashionable vintage-style lighting and modern art. Upstairs, the cottage has two en-suite bedrooms, sleeping four, with views over the river.

If you fancy messing up the high-spec kitchen and dining area with doors to the garden, there’s a farm shop in the village which stocks just about everything you will need or you can eat in Le Talbooth opposite or Milsoms, just minutes away, with the bonus of not taking bookings so you can go on a whim.

*From £250 per night for four people Sunday to Thursday; £400 per night (£700 for two), Friday & Saturday; £1500 per week.  Two dogs are also welcome for £10 per day, milsoms.com