Early birds - book ahead

A beautifully renovated apartment in a quiet street in central Bordeaux, with fine old features and all modernities. Ideal for couples

25 sleek cabins by a shimmering lake, a clubhouse with rooms, restaurants, gym, pool and activities galore around these 1000 acres of wild nature

Comfortable redbrick cottage with views on the Heydon Hall estate. It’s delightfully rural yet you can walk to the village pub for supper

A welcoming, affordable seafront base for exploring St Malo and northern Brittany with small rooms, good food and a lively atmosphere

Quaint barns dotted among truffle oaks and rosemary, each one constructed the old-fashioned way and close to the Dordogne and Vézère

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

Atmospheric English pub with rooms by the green with its duck ponds in a pretty village, with walking and cycling routes to join

Few inns can rival the scale or history of this one. Dogs doze by the inglenook, food is sourced from local suppliers, bedrooms are gorgeous

A fin-de-siècle Franco-Scottish décor for this hospitable, entertaining B&B, in the heart of Edinburgh’s cultural quarter

On top of sand dunes, this bright and airy cottage has glorious views, walks are lovely and you can bring your dog

Up a narrow lane this dreamy pub with rooms has views to the South Downs. Stay for supper, let the kids run free in the garden playground

A stylish and characterful cottage which reflects the owners' love of vintage finds and a sunny, flower-filled garden with views to the sea

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

Get the full-English bucolic countryside experience at this boutique inn right in the heart of a quintessentially pretty Cotswold village

A grand dining hall and super kitchen, perfect for big gatherings. Spot spoonbills on the salt marsh, sea swim or walk to delis and pubs

A wall of glass frames the sea view - take drinks on the waterfront lawn in summer, or by the crackling fire in winter

A lovely, leafy setting on a cobbled street for this peaceful retreat just off the high street in lively Stockbridge

An island of oyster farms, salt pans and white beaches, woolly donkeys, countless push-bikes and the odd celeb – we love the Ile de Ré!