Travel: Brochures of the week

Selling Britain to the British isn't always an easy task. Not only are we reluctant to take a holiday in a country where rain often stops play but it's harder for the brochure writers to overplay the delights of the UK (we know when they're fibbing).

This often means that any publicity material ends up looking extremely dull.

The new Suffolk Coast and Countryside Short Breaks brochure (paid for by the area's district councils) is a slim and practical affair for a county that is apparently "yours to discover".

The brochure includes a helpful guide to all the villages where you might want to stay but the descriptions are rather boring and overplay the delights of Neolithic tool finds and obscure monuments to the detriment of foodie treats and shopping.

You get the feeling that Suffolk also underplays itself by appealing only to the maturer market. It's about time these people realised that there are lots of people under 40 who like weekends in the country. Enough sniping: the brochure has a fantastic, and carefully selected, list of accommodation, from follies to holiday villages.

If you can face reading the entries for 500 places in which to stay in Wales, then you should also get a copy of Wales Cottage Holidays. The brochure is described as "easy to read" but is actually printed on paper that is so shiny, you can't see anything on the page unless you are in the right lighting conditions.

And then the entries! These read like estate agents' details (everywhere is spacious, attractive, secluded, very attractive, beautifully secluded or rather special, and there are exclamation marks everywhere) and the brochures end up making everywhere sound the same. There really is nothing here to persuade you to visit Wales, just some useful contacts for people who know that this is where they want to holiday.

Suffolk Coast and Countryside Short Breaks brochure: to order your copy call 01271 336016; Wales Cottage Holidays: 01686 628200.