Escape the kids

Minutes from the beach, this listed retreat comes with beautiful rooms in classical style, charming hosts and a family-run restaurant nearby

Come for Michelin-starred Irish food, cooked with flair – not fuss – for comfort and to connect with the extraordinary Burren landscape

Boutique hotel next to Funchal’s 15th-century cathedral, with a champagne and lobster bar, rooftop cocktail bar and an excellent restaurant

An Art Deco hotel in Lisbon's heart – all wood, chrome and marble, trendy lights, period photos in the bar, and the funicular to Bairro Alto

Achingly trendy, a design-lover's dream with infinity pool, wine on the terrace, pampering spa and a sunny bay at your feet – stunning

High above Lisbon, this small but elegant former palace offers stunning views, stylishly rustic rooms and a dreamy, sun-trap patio

Enjoy views over the lake, eat good food in the restaurant, sleep in antique-filled bedrooms, have a proper rest

Guests love the Henley - it’s nicely informal, and cute rooms, big views, and Martyn’s lovely food all hit the spot. Breakfast included too

A fabulous old house filled with history, treasure and stories – now a colourful, larger-than-life hotel in the arty district of Belfast

A pleasure to stay in such a dreamy château surrounded by a beautiful terrace, elegant gardens and parkland, a lake, river and waterfall

A very peaceful, family-run hotel on the shores of Lake Garda with rose and jasmine-scented gardens for summer dinners by candlelight

Woodland and fells encircle you, spa suites hang above water, food in the Michelin-starred restaurant is sublime – come for a real treat

A highly unusual place to stay, with modern, clean lines, built around an ancient chapel with 15th-century roots in the old Jewish quarter

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

Small hotel in a hiker's paradise a short walk from Cómpeta with pool, spacious rooms, private terraces, breathtaking views and generous breakfasts

A sustainably-designed small, family-run eco hotel within a nature park by the sea in stunning Basque country. Great food too

A medieval monastery, stunningly revived, in untouristy, car-free Pisciotta. Sip greco on the terrace; scramble through olives to the sea

Wild and peaceful small hotel bordering National Park of Guadarrama. Listen to birdsong, hike in the sierra, spend the day in Segovia