A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye

A 1750s farmhouse with a comfortable, informal feel resting in woodland. You're near to iconic tourist spots but hiding in the quiet woods

Secluded stone farmhouse, fragrant gardens, a natural pool, and winding forest paths – the perfect off-grid Tuscan escape

Three lovely places to stay - come for much charm, peace, sunsets, infinity pool, sauna and gym in this history-steeped countryside retreat

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

A house on a hill (El Nido means The Nest) built in the Moorish style surrounded by sea views and the green hills of the Granada coastline

Charming, laid-back B&B in the foothills of the Algarve. All you hear are the birds, yet the beaches are a ten-minute drive

A traditional coaching inn dating from the 18th century with good food served in private and public dining rooms on the Wellington Estate

An artist's house imbued with an understated elegance. Stay for dinner; be charmed by the garden where fruit trees throng, hens loiter

A smartly-refurbished coaching inn sitting near the river Frome run with an emphasis on fair trade, sustainability and excellent local food

Gorgeous rooms, delicious food, gardens and lake to explore, a spoiling spa with indoor pool and much comfort between moors and the sea

From the delicious scented garden with its limestone pool to the cool rooms with perfect linen, this is a place for a special occasion

Enter through an impressive stone arch to discover this 16th-century fortified manor house with a gorgeous communal dining and seating area

A cracking spot for this thatched and beamed 17th-century village inn with lovely gardens, just a half-mile stroll from Lulworth Cove

Beautifully refurbished inn with good food, calming rooms and the South Downs all around. Chichester, Petworth and Goodwood are close

A rustic gem with a rich history, a domed chapel and a fountain in the courtyard. Dine superbly, choose from an extensive wine list

Get away from it all in 'old' France, where melons taste like melons & hikes start from the door. This rural bolthole is a serious treat