The wow factor is set to eleven at this magnificent château steeped in French history and surrounded by acres of land (and a moat)

A stone building designed by Sir John Soane in the stable yard of this historic and beautiful estate with deer park and woodland gardens

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

Fall in love with this riverside village, lost in a valley in lower Normandy, and this sunny house for couples or families

A fuss-free, informal place to stay with family - your own entrance straight from the garden and tasty breakfasts set up in a summer house

Rustic farmhouse with lovely gardens, a swimming pool and superb views over the Pyrenees – the sunrises are amazing

Comfortable bolthole for 2–6 in the heart of the city. Shops and restaurants on the doorstep, a short drive from the coast and South Downs

A private villa beautifully flanked by gardens bursting with fruit. Here you'll find real Spanish character, style and a sun-trap terrace

A magnificent Victorian clock tower on a peaceful, bird-filled estate with a garden, gorgeous views across the park and activities to join

Live like a local. Art lovers, book lovers and walkers will be happy here above an art gallery in the centre of town

Stunning, spacious 3-storey converted mill with stylish bedrooms. Cook just-caught brown trout from the river, eat at a hand built oak table

It's quiet among the lavender plants... bees humming, sun shining. Splash in the shared pool, visit lovely villages, taste local wines

Snug, simple and delightful casitas with private entrances and courtyards interlink for groups. Stroll through the olives, bask by the pool

Hilltop château on the edge of a small village half an hour from Saint-Émilion, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and two lakes

Characterful and family-friendly apartments on this lovely wine-country estate: great hosts, glorious grounds and pool, home-grown food

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

Bright and spacious barn for two and a baby on the South Downs Way, close to Brighton and the coast

An 18th-century converted barn with lofty beamed ceilings, exposed stonework, handmade oak windows and much art – pretty garden too