Best for rustic elegance: Sea Star Cottage, Inverness, California, USA

Belying the notion that all water bungalows have to be tropical, Sea Star Cottage perches on Tomales Bay on the Point Reyes National Seashore. Built in the 1920s, it’s ideal for lovers of the great outdoors, with plenty of hiking, birdwatching, beautiful beaches and lagoons in the vicinity. Suitable for two guests, it offers a spacious deck with steamer chairs and hammock, and an incredible view of the bay. Inside the bungalow, there’s art, antiques, a king-size bed and a cast-iron fireplace, while the nearby towns of Inverness, Point Reyes Station and Olema are a haven of markets and good restaurants offering local organic produce, oysters and wine. Average prices are from $398 per night.