I am looking for 3 bedroom, self-catering accommodation in this area for a week in July 2012. Can anyone recommend a quiet place?

The East Midlands covers a wide area. Anyplace in particular you want to stay?

And what is your budget?

There are several holiday rental agencies but the only one I have actually used is http://www.english-country-cottages.co.uk/

Be warned, that you are going when prices are at their highest

Budget would be not more than 1000GBP. We have relatives in Solihull so want something closish to them but not on a busy road. Have googled but can only find one property in solihull but it is on the main road.

Solihull is near Birmingham, not the East Midlands at all, no wonder you are having difficulty.

Hmmm, you need to get a map out, Solihull is WEST Midlands and is on the southern fringe of Birmingham. It's a densely populated part of the country - Birmingham is the UK's second largest city - so 'quiet location' in Solihull isn't really feasible.

However, if you're looking for a rural setting, there are many picturesque villages to the south of Solihull - Henley in Arden, for example – but you would need transport. Are you renting a car?

By the way, the county you may want to focus your search on to the south of Solihull is Warwickshire.

Here's an example of what you can get for under £1k in July in a village location in Warwickshire within an easy drive to Solihull: http://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/rentals/lapworth/81627

A lock keepers cottage in the historic village of Lapworth. How cool is that!

Your budget is quite generous. Solihill itself isn't a hotbed of holiday cottages. For a nice, quiet location, you could pick any of the villages around Warwick/Stratford.

I've rented places just south of there - Lower Quinton, etc. but never north between Warwick and B'ham so I can't recommend any specific villages that direction.

And yep--you may be a bit directionally challenged that isn't the East Midlands.

It's usually difficult going on impossible to get furnished houses on short term rent in the affluent suburbs of British big cities.

There's a thriving market in suburban 3-6 month rentals, a growing market for serviced city-centre flats and a thriving market in holiday lets in the tourist-oriented villages twenty miles south of Greater Birmingham. But if proximity to your relatives is important, you might find it a lot easier to look for a Citadines-style serviced flat in central Birmingham.

Thanks for all your advice especially Kate. the Lockkeepers house looks great.

I walked past that very lockkeepers cottage this summer while visiting my mother who lives in ... Solihull. Really very close. Lapworth is a great village.

I'm devastated. The Lockkeepers Cottage is not available the week I had originally planned. Will have to decide if I change the plan again or look for something else.

We lived in the centre of Birmingham for 10+ years and so know the area well. Lapworth is a great, typically Warwickshire village with a great gastropub (The Boot) which is well worth a visit. Having said that there is not a whole lot else to do apart from drive around teh countryside and visit a few country houses, gardens etc.You would be well advised to rent a car to visit your friends in Solihull.

If it were me (and I know it is not!) I would rent an apartment in the centre of Birmingham. Lots of great restaurants, museums, galleries, theatres etc. all within walking distance. It is about 15-20 mins by train to Solihull. Lots of apartments to choose from here is one in Brindleyplace which is right in the centre of close to the canals etc.

http://www.citybaseapartments.com/uk...apartments.php there are plenty of other options to choose if you google but do choose locations carefully as some are alot better than others.