Writer's rooms

This 200-year-old Georgian town house was once home to Robert Louis Stevenson. The author lived here for 24 years from the age of six, and this is where his mother nursed him through many childhood illnesses. Seeking a climate more suited to his frail health, Stevenson travelled extensively, before settling on the Samoan island of Upolu. It was during his globe-trotting that he penned The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Treasure Island and Kidnapped. The house retains some features from Stevenson's, such as the drawing room's original fireplace, in front of which guests can sit and dream up their own classics. See www.stevenson-house.co.uk.

Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, would take an early morning swim in the aquamarine waters below his villa (above right), bash out 2,000 words on his portable typewriter, then round off the day with another swim and a well-deserved cocktail. Goldeneye is where the novelist penned not only the majority of his Bond novels, but also the children's story, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The 7-hectare villa retreat is now a luxury hotel. For details, go to www.goldeneyehotel.com.

In the 1950s, Graham Greene could be often found propping up Le Club Bar at this magnificent French colonial style hotel (below left), discoursing with fellow writers while enjoying a dry vermouth. Not surprisingly, the drink remains the aperitif of choice for those visiting the hotel, which five decades later, retains much of its original charm, from the green window shutters to the verdant courtyard garden. It was here in 1951 that Greene applied the finishing touches to The Quiet American and a room in the hotel is still dedicated to him. See www.sofitel.com.